"Here's a Health" is an Irish traditional song. The song is based around the long history of emigration from Ireland

Ireland

Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...

. The song has been recorded by many artists, most notably by Irish

Irish people

The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...

 singer Cara Dillon

Cara Dillon

Cara Dillon is an Irish folk singer. In 2001, she launched her career as a solo artist in the UK with the eponymous Cara Dillon album...

 and Brobdingnagian Bards

Brobdingnagian Bards

-History:Marc Gunn, formerly of Austin Texas' alternative rock bands Skander and Breastfed, released a solo album featuring himself on autoharp and Andrew McKee on recorder in 1998...

.

The tune has been used for many Irish traditional songs, and "The Liberty Song

The Liberty Song

"The Liberty Song" is an American Revolutionary War song composed by patriot John Dickinson, the author of Letters from a Farmer in Pennsylvania. The song is set to the tunes of "Heart of Oak", the anthem of the Royal Navy of the United Kingdom and "Here's a Health", an Irish song of emigration...

".

Lyrics

Kind friends and companions, come join me in rhyme

Come lift up your voices in chorus with mine

Come lift up your voices, all grief to refrain

For we may or might never all meet here again

Chorus:

Here's a health to the company and one to my lass

Let us drink and be merry all out of one glass

Let us drink and be merry, all grief to refrain

For we may or might never all meet here again

Here's a health to the dear lass that I love so well

For her style and for her beauty, sure none can excel

There's a smile upon her countenance as she sits on my knee

There is no man in this wide world as happy as me

So here's a health to the company and one to my lass

Let us drink and be merry all out of one glass

Let us drink and be merry , all grief to refrain

For we may or might never all meet here again


Our ship lies at anchor, she's ready to dock

I wish her safe landing without any shock

If ever I should meet you by land or by sea

I will always remember your kindness to me

So here's a health to the company and one to my lass

Let us drink and be merry all out of one glass

Let us drink and be merry , all grief to refrain

For we may or might never all meet here again