Are You Right There Michael lyrics

You may talk of Columbus's sailing
Across the Atlantical Sea
But he never tried to go railing
From Ennis as far as Kilkee
You run for the train in the morning
The excursion train startin' at eight
You're there when the clock gives the warnin'
But there for an hour you will wait

And as you're waiting in the train
You'll hear the guard sing this refrain:

Are ye right there, Michael, are ye right?
Do you think that we'll be home before the night?
Ah you've been so long in startin'
That ye couldn't say for certain
Still ye might now, Michael
So ye might!

They find out where the engine's been hiding
And it drags you to sweet Corofin
Says the guard: "Back her down on the siding
There's a goods from Kilrush coming in."
But perhaps it comes in, in two hours
Perhaps it breaks down on the way
"If it does," says the guard, "be the powers
We're here for the rest of the day!"

And as you sit and curse your luck
The train backs down into a truck.

Are ye right there, Michael, are ye right?
Have ye got the parcel there for Mrs White?
Oh ye haven't, oh begorra
Say it's comin' down tomorra
And it might now, Michael
So it might

At Lahinch the sea shines like a jewel
With joy you are ready to shout
When the stoker cries out: "There's no fuel
And the fire is tay-totally out!
But hand up that bit of a log there
I'll soon have you out of the fix
There's a fine clamp of turf in the bog there
And the rest go a-gatherin' sticks."

And while you're breakin' bits of trees
You hear some wise remarks like these:

"Are ye right there, Michael? Are ye right?
Do ye think that you can get the fire to light?
Oh, an hour you'll require
For the turf it might be drier
And it might now, Michael
So it might."

Kilkee! Oh you never get near it!
You're in luck if the train brings you back
For the permanent way is so queer
It spends most of its time off the track.
Uphill the old engine is climbin'
While the passengers push with a will
You're in luck when you reach Ennistymon
For all the way home is downhill.

And as you're wobblin' through the dark
Ye hear the guard make this remark:

"Are ye right there, Michael, are ye right?
Do you think that you'll be home before it's light?"
"Tis all dependin' whether
The old engine holds together
And it might now, Michael, so it might! (so it might),
And it might, now, Michael, so it might."