An offshoot from another thread. Johnny McEvoy was singing this ditty on his vinyl "For the poor and the gentry". The verAn offshoot from another thread. Johnny McEvoy was singing this ditty on his vinyl "For the poor and the gentry." The version below is close to his singing. I have it from a photocopy dating back to those times when I did not care to make a note which book it came from. Bruce, perhaps you can make sense out of this line above the song: "Sung by O. J. Abbott, August, 1957, Folkways FM 4051"
In my eyes, that song is another delightful example of an urban legend from the time of the introduction of the steam railways in Ireland. I have no information on its author or date of origin.

Wolfgang

DANIEL O'CONNELL

1. Oh, you lovers of mirth, I pray, pay attention
And listen to what I'm going to relate
Concerning a couple I overheard talking
As I was returning late home from a wake.
As I roved along I espied an old woman
Who sat by a gap all a-minding her cow.
She was jigging a tune called 'Come haste to the wedding',
Or some other ditty I can't tell you now.

2. So in looking around me I espied a bold tinker
Who only by chance came strolling the same way.
The weather being warm, he sat down to rest.
"Ah, what news, honest man?" the old woman did say.
"Then it's no news at all, ma'am," replied the bold tinker,
"But there's one and I wish that he never had been;
It's that damnable rogue of a Daniel O'Connell-
He's now making children in Dublin by steam."

3. "Ah children, aroo," replied the old woman,
"O hainm an diabhail, is he crazy at last? [by the devil?]
Is there sign of a war or a sudden rebellion,
Or what is the reason he wants them so fast?"
"Then it's not that of all, ma'am, replied the bold tinker,
"But the people of Ireland are getting so small
It's O'Connell's petition to the new Lord Lieutenant
To not let us make them the old way at all."

4. "Oh, by this pipe in my mouth," replied the old woman,
And that's a great oath on my soul for to say,
I'm only a woman, but if I were near him
I'll bet you my life it is little he'd say.
Sure the people of Ireland it's very well known
That they give him their earnings, though needing it bad,
And now he is well recompensing them for it
By taking what little diversion they had.
I am an old woman that's going on eighty
And scarcely a tooth in my head to be seen;
If the villain provokes me I'll make better children
Than ever he could with his engine and steam."

5. "Oh, long life to you, woman," replied the bold tinker,
"And long may you live and have youth by your side,
But if all the young girls in Ireland were like you,
O'Connell might pitch his steam engine one side.
I think every woman that is in this old country
Should begin making babies as fast as they can,
So if ever Her Majesty asks for an army,
We'll be able to send her as many as Dan."

sion below is close to his singing. I have it from a photocopy dating back to those times when I did not care to make a note which book it came from. Bruce, perhaps you can make sense out of this line above the song: "Sung by O.J.Abbott, August, 1957, Folkways FM 4051"
In my eyes, that song is another delightful example of an urban legend from the time of the introduction of the steam railways in Ireland. I have no information on its author or date of origin.

Wolfgang

DANIEL O'CONNELL

1. Oh, you lovers of mirth, I pray, pay attention
and listen to what I'm going to relate
concerning a couple I overheard talking
as I was returning late home from a wake.
As I roved along I espied an old woman
who sat by a gap all a-minding her cow.
She was jigging a tune called 'Come haste to the wedding',
or some other ditty I can't tell you now.

2. So in looking around me I espied a bold tinker
who only by chance came strolling the same way.
The weather being warm, he sat down to rest.
„Ah, what news, honest man?" the old woman did say.
„Then it's no news at all, ma'am," replied the bold tinker,
„but there's one and I wish that he never had been;
it's that damnable rogue of a Daniel O'Connell-
he's now making children in Dublin by steam."

3. „Ah children, aroo," replied the old woman,
„O hainm an diabhail, is he crazy at last? [by the devil?]
Is there sign of a war or a sudden rebellion,
or what is the reason he wants them so fast?"
„Then it's not that of all, ma'am, replied the bold tinker,
„but the people of Ireland are getting so small
it's O'Connell's petition to the new Lord Lieutenant
to not let us make them the old way at all."

4. „Oh, by this pipe in my mouth," replied the old woman,
and that's a great oath on my soul for to say,
I'm only a woman, but if I were near him
I'll bet you my life it is little he'd say.
Sure the people of Ireland it's very well known
that they give him their earnings, though needing it bad,
and now he is well recompensing them for it
by taking what little diversion they had.
I am an old woman that's going on eighty
and scarcely a tooth in my head to be seen;
if the villain provokes me I'll make better children
than ever he could with his engine and steam."

5. „Oh, long life to you, woman," replied the bold tinker,
„and long may you live and have youth by your side,
but if all the young girls in Ireland were like you,
O'Connell might pitch his steam engine one side.
I think every woman that is in this old country
should begin making babies as fast as they can,
so if ever Her Majesty asks for an army,
we'll be able to send her as many as Dan."