Whistleman Lyrics

There once was a man in a Galway city

He would set up his stool and play a nice Diddy

On his old tin whistle there in the middle

Of the rough and tumble cobblestones

Every day he sat and played

Didn't matter if anyone came

He'd play till evening play till dark

Then take his stool to the Darcy's bar

The locals loved him they all said

That ol'bloke is everyone's friend

He plays in gunnels plays in pubs

Tonight you'll catch him by the club

Came round with his beaming smile

Set up his stool on the pub stage tile

They clapped their hands and girls all danced

And the man he played his whistle in a trance

He loved to play he felt it deeply

There in the sparkling Galway city

The crowd would join as the whistle played

And the music took him away

Music it took him away

The music took him away,

A crowd would grow and the man would play

And the music took him away

He'd lived a long life that was clear

By his wrinkly smile and droopy ears

His cap was knit and his shoes were brown

But you'd find him where his whistle sounds

The tune would carry far

It was sharp and sweet and dark

And when you found him, there he'd be

Tapping his toe near Quay street

One such night in February

We both passed and stopped to tarry

He played his tune under the moon

And filled the world with Gaelic fairies

We were struck by such a pause

Hearts were filled with joy and awe

I gave him a nickel, I gave him a dollar

Then I gave him all the money that was swimming in my pocket

He loved to play he felt it deeply

There in the sparkling Galway city

The crowd would join as the whistle played

And the music took him away

Music it took him away

The music took him away

A crowd would grow, and the man would play

And the music took him away

He loved to play and he felt it deeply

There in the sparkling Galway city

The crowd would join as the whistle played

And the music took him away

Music it took him away

The music took him away

The crowd would grow and the man would play

And the music would take him away