Folk & Traditional Song Lyrics www.traditionalmusic.co.uk Real Old Mountain Dew (4) 
Real Old Mountain Dew (4) (Edward Harrigan)
 Let grasses grow and the waters flow in the free and easy way, but give me enough of the rare old stuff that's made near Galway Bay. The gaugers all, from Donegal, Sligo and Leitrim too, Oh we'll give them the slip, and we'll take a little sip of the real old mountain dew. Hi the skiddley-al-the dall dal the skiddley al-the dee, dal the dal dal skiddley al the dee, Hi the skiddley al the dal, dal mthe skiddley al the dee, dal the dal dal skiddley al the dee.
 At the foot of the hill there's a neat little still where the smoke curls up til the sky, by the whiff of the smell, you can plainly tell that there's poitín, boys, close by. For it fills the air with a perfume rare, and between both me and you, as home be go, we will take a litttle bowl, or a bucket of the mountain dew. Hi the skiddley-al-the dall dal the skiddley al-the dee, dal the dal dal skiddley al the dee, Hi the skiddley al the dal, dal mthe skiddley al the dee, dal the dal dal skiddley al the dee.
 Now learned men who use the pen have writ the praises high of the sweet poitin from Ireland green, distilled from wheat and rye. Sure away with your pills, it will cure all ills, be ye Pagan, Christuan or Jew, so take off your coat, and grease your throat 
 with the real old mountain dew. Hi the skiddley-al-the dall dal the skiddley al-the dee, dal the dal dal skiddley al the dee, Hi the skiddley al the dal, dal mthe skiddley al the dee, dal the dal dal skiddley al the dee.
 The chorus varies - everyone seems to do the lilt a bit different (skiddery al, or dithery dal, or skiddley al etc.
 And in Colm O Lochlann's Irish Street Ballads (1938) he writes in the notes: "I first heard this song at a meeting of newly released political prisoners in December
 1916. I am told it was written by Phil O Neill of Kinsale." Levy sheet music collection, Box 72, item 68. Words by Edward Harrigan (1882) McG oct00