Dated September 11 2004, but I know for a fact that it was written in August, because Adrienne was visiting us up here. It was spawned by a conversation I had with a friend of mine on the boat one day about the Sea Stacks in Bay Bulls. One of them stands far off to the side, and is named, apparently, Daniel O'Connell. Ian commented that it seemed anti-social, and coined the opening verse of the song.

Daniel O'Connell

Daniel O'Connell was quite anti-social,
away from the rest he did stand

For all of the others did work on the water,
and Daniel, he stayed on the land.

For while all the rest were out on the sea workin'
just tryin' to keep their crowd fed,

Old Daniel went 'round to the neighborhood houses
and took fishers' women to bed.

This trend it continued for many long seasons,
'till one of the the sailors did say

"Me wife, she did have a bouncin' new baby
born during the year I'se away."

So many a night was spent down in the tavern
discussing this anomoly,

When one of the boys, fresh home from the water,
said, "Sure that's what happened to me!"

And another and other, and yet still one more
and each in the room spun his tale

Says one, "Sure my wife she had two kids for to show me
when for over three years I had sailed."

So all through the night the men cursed and debated
until up one of them he did stand

"It was nare seaman who bedded our missus,
It must be one who dwells on the land!"

With a roar of assent, the tavern was emptied
as all 'round the town they did hunt

Until they did find Mr. Daniel O'Connell
Beneath Old Jim Sullivan's punt.

And with him was Annie, Jim Sullivan's wife,
as bare as the day she was born.

For out on the water old Jim he was wokin',
Ten weeks out around old Cape Horn.

In a flash had O'Connell jumped into his trousers,
And quick as a fox he did fly,

The men, they did chase him best as could manage,
As drunks are not known to be spry.

They then chased him down all along the south head,
until to Ches's Cove they did come,

When Daniel pause briefly to weigh our his options
and took the Cliff at a dead run.

Into the cold ocean he head-first did plunge,
near the rock that today bears his name.

His body ne'er sailor did e'er care to recover;
he was never was spoke of again.

So that, Lords and Ladies is why all alone
stands the rock that did end his short life.

For ne'er would drowned seamen for whom stacks are named
Stand with one who had bedded his wife.

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