Bm
I am a bold undaunted fox
                              F#m
That never yet was trapped or caught
   Bm                       D                                        F#m
My rent, rates and taxes I was willin' for to pay
  D               A
I made me name in fine good land
    Bm                  F#m
Between Tipperary and Knocklong
      D              A
Where my forefathers lived and died
      F#m                        Bm
Three thousand years ago

Bm
I lived as happy as King Saul
                                F#m
And loved me neighbours one and all
Bm                   D                F#m
Had no animosity for either friend or foe
D             A
Then I was of late betrayed
   Bm                   F#m
By one who was a fool I know
      D              A
He told me I should leave the place
     F#m            Bm
And show my face no more

Bm
The day that he evicted me
                                F#m
Its then I knew that I should flee
Bm                        D
Late one night I took his life
                   F#m
And left him lying low
D                   A
He fell victim to a shot
    Bm                  F#m
His agency was soon forgot
     D                   A
From that day on they're searching
    F#m            Bm
For farmer Michael Hayes

Bm
Soon there was a great lookout
                               F#m
By land and sea myself to rout
     Bm                 D
From Dublin Quay to Belfast
                 F#m
Along the ragin' sea
   D           A
By telegraph they did insert
  Bm                       F#m
A great reward for my arrest
   D           A
Me figure, size and form
   F#m                Bm
Me name without mistake

Bm
They broke their brogues a thousand pairs
                               F#m
This great reward for to obtain
      Bm                     D              F#m
Still their search was all in vain for farmer Michael Hayes

Bm
They searched Tipperary o'er and o'er
                             F#m
The cornfields near Galtymore
     Bm                          D
They then went into Wexford town
                      F#m
But did not long delay
         D        A
Through Ballyhale and Stranemore
     Bm                                 F#m
They searched the woods as they went on
     D         A
Its they were hungry, wet and cold
    F#m               Bm
Before the break of day

Bm
You may roam the world both far and near
                                 F#m
But never such a tell you'll hear
     Bm                       D
Of a fox to get away so clear
                    F#m
As I did from them hounds

   D                 A
They searched the rocks, the gulfs, the quays
    Bm                         F#m
The ships, the liners in the bays
     D               A
The ferryboats and steamers
       F#m                Bm
As they were goin' to sea

Bm
Around the coast they made a steer
                                     F#m
From Poolbeg lighthouse to Cape Clear
   Bm                        D
Killarney town and sweet Tralee
                        F#m
They then crossed into Clare
D          A
When they landed on the shore
     Bm                        F#m
They searched Kilrush from tip to toe
     D             A
They searched the baths at sweet Lisdoon
    F#m                 Bm
Likewise Milltown Malbay

Bm
Galway bein' a place of fame
                                   F#m
They thought 'twas there I might remain
      Bm               D                  F#m
Still their search was all in vain for I gave them all leg bail

      D            A
They searched the train at Oranmore
   Bm                        F#m
As she was leavin' for Athlone
      D               A
Every wagon, car and coach
     F#m                Bm
They met along the road

Bm
Connemara bein' remote
                                    F#m
They thought 'twas there I might resort
       Bm                 D
As they were gettin' weary
                        F#m
They resolved to try Mayo

   D                    A
In Ballaghadereen they had to rest
    Bm                          F#m
Until the hounds they were refreshed
     D                A
They then went on to Westport
        F#m              Bm
And searched it high and low

Bm
Through Castlebar they made a trot
                                   F#m
When they heard I was in Castlerock
Bm                     D
Still they were deluded
                        F#m
Where I lodged the night before

   D             A
In Swinford town as I lay down
  Bm                          F#m
I heard a dreadful cry of hounds
       D             A
Which filled me with the notion
   F#m                Bm
To retaliate me chase

Bm
Being weary from the road
                                F#m
I took a drink at half past four
       Bm                       D
Which filled me heart with strength and speed
         F#m
When the hounds were gettin' slow

   D         A
As the moon began to shine
  Bm                            F#m
I thought I'd make a foreign clime
D          A
Leave them all to search away
    F#m                Bm
For farmer Michael Hayes

Bm
To Dublin town I made my way
                             F#m
And then to Cobh and Americay
        Bm              D
Now I'm in the land of liberty
  F#m           Bm
A fig for all my foes