It seems like only yesterday
I sailed from out of Cork
A one hour from Aarons Isle
I landed in New York
There wasn't a soul to greet me there,
a stranger on the shore
But Irish luck was with me here
and riches came galore
So now I'm going back again
to dear old Aarons Isle
My friends will meet me on the pier
and greet me with a smile
Their faces sure I've almost forgot,
I've been so long away
But me mother will introduce them all,
and this to me she'll say
Shake hands with your uncle Mike,
me boy,
and here's your sister Kate
And here's the girl you used
to swing down by the garden gate
Shake hands with all of the neighbours,
and kiss the colleagues all
You're as welcome as the flowers in May
to dear old Donegal
There came Branigan, Flanagan,
Milligan, Gilligan, Duffy, McGuffey, Malacky, Malone, Rafferty, Lafferty, Donnelly, Connelly, Dooley, O 'Hooley, Muldowney, Malone, Ryan, O 'Brien,
Herlanahan, Flanahan, Fagan, O 'Hagan, O 'Hoolahan, Flynn, Shanahan, Manahan, Forgerty, Hogarty, Kelly, O 'Kelly, McGinnis, McGinn
Shake hands with your Uncle Mike,
me boy,
and here's your Sister Kate
And there's the girl you used to
swing down by the garden gate
Shake hands with all of the neighbours,
and kiss the collings all
And we'll live content in pain,
our Elton dear old Donny Goal