Jimmy Whelan

Come all you ladies and gentlemen,
I pray you lend an ear;
'Tis of a terrible accident
You are about to hear.

'Tis of a young and active youth,
Jimmy Whelan he was called;
He was drownded on McClellan's drive
All on the Upper Falls.

The fierce and the raging main,
The waters they ran high,
And the foreman said to Whelan:
"This jam you will have to try."

"You've always been an active youth
While danger's lurking near,
So you are the man I want to help
To keep these waters clear."

Whelan he made answer
Unto his comrades bold:
"Supposing if there's danger
We will do as we are told."

"We'll obey our foreman's orders
As noble men should do."
Just as he spoke the jam it broke
And let poor Whelan through.

The raging main it tossed and tore
Those logs from shore to shore.
And here and there his body went,
A-tumbling o'er and o'er.

No earthly man could ever live
In such a raging main.
Poor Whelan struggled hard for life
But he struggled all in vain.

There were three of them in danger,
But two of them were saved.
It was noble-hearted Whelan
That met with a watery grave.

So come all you young and active youths,
A warning from me take,
And try and shun all danger
Before it gets too late.

For death is drawing nearer
And trying to destroy
The pride of some poor mother's heart,
And his father's only joy.

From Penguin Book of Canada Folk Songs, Fowke
Note: No apparent connection to Lost Jimmy Whelan
DT #601
Laws C7

RG