An[D] Irish[A] boy was[D] leaving
[G]Leaving his native[D] home
[G]Crossing the broad At[D]lantic
[E]Once more he[A] wished to[A7] roam
And[D] as he was[A] leaving his[D] mother
Who was[G] standing at the[D] quay
She[G] threw her arms[D] around his[Bm] waist
And[Em] this to[A7] him did[D] say
[Chorus]
A mother's love's a blessing
No matter where you roam
Keep her while she's living
You'll miss her when she's gone
Love her as in childhood
Though feeble old and grey
For you'll never miss your mother's love
Till she's buried beneath the clay
And as the years grow older
I'll settle down in life
And choose a nice young colleen
And take her for my wife
And as the babies grow older
And climb around my knee
I'll teach them the very same lesson
That my mother thought to me
[Repeat chorus]
