Whiskey in the Jar

A popular traditional Irish song telling the story of a highwayman betrayed by his sweetheart to the authorities. The oldest known version is a ballad called "Patrick Flemming", referenced as early as 1684 (though the oldest extant version of the text dates from over a century later, in 1790), about a real Irish highwayman by that name, who was executed in Dublin in 1650. (The hanging may in fact have occasioned the writing of the ballad, as often was the case.) This version has a different meter from the modern song, but contains several familiar details and the same essential story beats, excepting that the thief is caught and executed in the end. It's unclear how quickly the modern version arose, but by the mid-19th century, it was well-attested in broadsides and variants had spread throughout the British isles as well as to North America and Australia.

The Longest Johns released a YouTube cover of the song on 4 March 2026.

Factoids

In his Folk Songs of North America (1960), Alan Lomax speculates a connection between this song and The Beggar's Opera (1728), a satirical opera with airs set to popular songs of the time, saying, "One must certainly have inspired the other....I tend to believe that Gay got the idea for MacHeath and Polly when he heard a strolling Irish ballad-monger sing 'Whisky in the Jar' in the streets of London."

Lyrics

As performed in the video.

As I was going over the far-famed Kerry Mountains
I met with Captain Ferrell and the money he was countin'
I first produced my pistol and I then produced my rapier
Said, "Stand and deliver, for you are a bold deceiver!"

{Chorus}
Mush-a-ring dama-doo dama-da
Wack-fol ma-daddie-o
Wack-fol ma-daddie-o
There's whiskey in the jar

I counted out his money and it made a pretty penny
I put it in my pocket and I took it home to Jenny
She sighed and she swore that she never would deceive me
But the devil take the woman, for they never can be easy

{Chorus}

Well I went up to my chamber all for to take a slumber
I dreamt of gold and jewels and for sure it was no wonder
But Jenny drew me charges and she filled them up with water
Then sent for Captain Ferrell to be ready for the slaughter

{Chorus}

Now there's some take delight in the carriages a-rolling
And others take delight in the hurley and the bowling
But me, I take delight in the beer and holy water
And courting pretty maids a bit more often than I oughta

{Chorus}

If anyone can aid me, 'tis my brother in the army
If I can find his station out in Cork or in Killarney
And if he will go with me, we'll go roving in Kilkenny
I'm sure he'll treat me better than me only darling Jenny

{Chorus 2x}

Recordings

YouTube Videos

• Music video

Full Band Streams

• How to Stream Your Dagher (11 Mar 2026)