My name is Cormack MacIlvogue, the truth to you I'll tell,
There was a girl from Lisburn town, ah, sure I loved her well,
Her name it was fair Annie Doyle and married we would be,
But for some reason of his own, her brother he slighted me.

Twas down in yonder valley we used to sport and play,
Her brother John came on us one evening as we lay,
He pulled a pistol from his side, he tried to shoot me dead,
His aim untrue, I tell to you, fair Annie fell instead.

The soldiers came that very night, up to me father's farm,
They read aloud a warrant, which filled me with alarm,
For the murder of young Annie Doyle, they dragged me off to jail,
Which left me father for the mourn, me mother there to wail.

The old judge turned around to me, the black cloth on his head,
Saying "God have mercy on your soul, you'll hang until you're dead",
"I'm innocent, I'm innocent, oh God, this can't be so",
But the turnkeys there on every side, they dragged me down below.

They threw me in a cold dark cell and I lay on the floor,
Another man locked up with me at first I did ignore,
The turnkey brought me supper in, foul water and black bread,
Says he, "Now get acquainted with your cellmate Rebel Ned."

He bade me tell my story and I told him of my fear,
That I would hang for another man's crime, the execution near,
He'd been captured in the mountains, a gallant Raparee,
And gently whispered in my ear, "Tonight we'll both be free."

At dead of night a scuffle and down went both our guards,
The men that Sarsfield left behind tied ropes around the bars,
They whipped their horses into flight, the timber frames gave way,
"The hangman's rope will have to wait," said Ned, "Another day."

In search of Annie's brother John I road, as dawn in the sky,
I ordered him to come and face a man condemned to die,
"If not for you she'd be alive, not in a cold grave laid,
Oh, they can't hang me a second time" I shot the bastard dead.

Then to the Belfast mountains, in haste I did repair,
With Rebel Ned's bold Raparees, I'll take me chances there,
They've placed a reward on my head, calling me, "A murdering rogue",
Judge for yourself, you've heard the tale of Cormack MacIlvogue.