Come all you gallant Irishmen, wherever you may be
I hope you’ll pay attention and listen unto me;
I’ll tell about this battle that took place the other day
Between a Russian sailor and Johnny Morrissey.

‘Twas in Tierra Del Fuego in South America
That the Russian challenged Morrissey, and these words to him did say
“I hear you are a fighting man, and you wear the Belt, I see,
But indeed I wish you would consent to have a round with me”.

Then out spoke gallant Morrissey with heart both brave and true
“I am a bold undaunted youth that never was subdued.
And I will face the Yankee, the Saxon Bull or Bear
For the honour of Old Ireland the laurels I will wear”.

Now to fight upon the tenth of March those heroes did agree
And the people came from everywhere this battle for to see
Full fifty thousand dollars as you may plainly see
That was to be the champion’s prize, who’d gain the victory.

They shook hands and walked around the ring, commencing then to fight
It filed each Irish heart with pride for to behold the sight
But the Russian he floored Morrissey, up till the seventh round
And with Yankee, Russian and Saxon cheers the valleys did resound.

The Irish offered ten to one that day upon the grass
No sooner said than taken up, and down they threw their cash
They parried away without delay, till the twenty-second round,
When Morrissey received a blow that brought him to the ground.

For a minute full our hero lay as if he ne’er would rise
The word went right around the ring, “he’s beaten” was the cry
But Morrissey strove manfully, and rising from the ground,
From that until the thirtieth round the Russian he put down.

In the thirty-first and second rounds ‘twas fall and all about
Which caused those foreign tyrants to keep a sharp look-out,
The Russian called his seconds, and he had a glass of wine;
Our Irish hero boldly cried, “This battle will be mine”.

The thirty-eight decided all, for the Russian felt smart
When Morrissey with a mighty blow, got him squarely on the heart
A doctor he was called in, to open up a vein,
He said “it is quite useless, he’ll never fight again”.

Our hero conquered Jackson, and the Yankee Clipper too
The Buffalo boy and Sheppard he nobly did subdue
So come fill up a flowing bowl, and here’s a health ‘go leor’
To gallant Johnny Morrissey, who came from Templemore.