"The Ferryman", also sometimes known as "The Strawberry Beds",^[1] is an Irish folk ballad, written by Pete St. John.^[2]

Set in modern-day Dublin in Ireland,^[1] as with other works by St. John, "The Ferryman" relates to economic change in the city. The song is a monologue, by a former pilot of a ferry on the River Liffey to his wife, Molly, as he contemplates the implications of his unemployment.^{[citation needed]}

Despite the unpleasant subject matter, the song ends optimistically, with the declaration "we're still living, and ... we're still young, and the river never owned me heart and soul".^{[citation needed]}

Recordings

The song was recorded by the Dublin City Ramblers in the early 1980s for their EP, The Ferryman, reaching number 6 in the Irish charts in December 1982.^[3] The song has also been recorded by The Dubliners,^[1] Four to the Bar, The Irish Rovers, Gaelic Storm, Patsy Watchorn, and Patrick Clifford.^{[citation needed]}

See also

• List of Irish ballads
• Strawberry Beds
• The Rare Ould Times

References