In 1803 we sailed out to sea
Out from the sweet town of Derry.
For Australia bound if we didn't all drown
And the marks of our letters were heavy
In the rusty iron chains we signed for our wanes
Our women we left there in sorrow
As the main sails unfurled, our cares we hurled
At the English and the thoughts of tomorrow
Oh....oh, I wish I was back home in Derry
Oh....oh, I wish I was back home in Derry
At the mouth of the foil, bid farwell to the soil
As down below decks we were lying.
O'Docherty's scream woke him out of a dream
Of a vision of bold Robert dying.
The sun burned cruel as we dished out the gruel
Dan O'Connor was down with the fever
Sixty rebels today bound for Botany Bay
How many would reach their receiver?
Oh....oh, I wish I was back home in Derry
Oh....oh, I wish I was back home in Derry
I cursed them to hell, as our bow fought the swell
Our ship danced like moths on the firelight
Wild horses rode high as the devil passed by
Taking souls into Hades by twilight light
Five weeks out to sea we were now 43
We buried our comrades each morning
In our own slime, we l*** for a time
Endless nights without dawning
Oh....oh, I wish I was back home in Derry
Oh....oh, I wish I was back home in Derry
Van Diemen's land is a Hell for a man
To live out his life in slavery
Where the climate is raw and the gun makes the law
Neither wind nor the rain care for bravery
Twenty years have gone by and I've emptied my bond
My comrades' ghosts walk beside me
Well a rebel I came and sure I'll die the same
On a cold winters night you will find me
Oh....oh, I wish I was back home in Derry
Oh....oh, I wish I was back home in Derry
Out from the sweet town of Derry.
For Australia bound if we didn't all drown
And the marks of our letters were heavy
In the rusty iron chains we signed for our wanes
Our women we left there in sorrow
As the main sails unfurled, our cares we hurled
At the English and the thoughts of tomorrow
Oh....oh, I wish I was back home in Derry
Oh....oh, I wish I was back home in Derry
At the mouth of the foil, bid farwell to the soil
As down below decks we were lying.
O'Docherty's scream woke him out of a dream
Of a vision of bold Robert dying.
The sun burned cruel as we dished out the gruel
Dan O'Connor was down with the fever
Sixty rebels today bound for Botany Bay
How many would reach their receiver?
Oh....oh, I wish I was back home in Derry
Oh....oh, I wish I was back home in Derry
I cursed them to hell, as our bow fought the swell
Our ship danced like moths on the firelight
Wild horses rode high as the devil passed by
Taking souls into Hades by twilight light
Five weeks out to sea we were now 43
We buried our comrades each morning
In our own slime, we l*** for a time
Endless nights without dawning
Oh....oh, I wish I was back home in Derry
Oh....oh, I wish I was back home in Derry
Van Diemen's land is a Hell for a man
To live out his life in slavery
Where the climate is raw and the gun makes the law
Neither wind nor the rain care for bravery
Twenty years have gone by and I've emptied my bond
My comrades' ghosts walk beside me
Well a rebel I came and sure I'll die the same
On a cold winters night you will find me
Oh....oh, I wish I was back home in Derry
Oh....oh, I wish I was back home in Derry