There's the English original (DigiTrad), and the one made popular in the US by Bing Crosby.
Folks hearing one or the other and intermixing them have resulted in some of the weird concoctions you find online.
Here's da bot' a dem:
Macnamara's Band — Original (English) Version
Words by John J. Stamford, music by Shamus O'Connor
Original c 1914, J.H. Larway, renewed 1942
Oh! me name is MacNamara, I'm the leader of the band.
Although we're few in number, we're the finest in the land.
Of course, I'm the conductor and I've often had to play
With all the fine musicians that you read about today.
CHORUS (each stanza)
Oh, the drums go bang and the cymbals clang,
And the horns they blaze away.
McCarthy puffs the ould bassoon,
Doyle and I the pipes do play.
Hennessey tute-ily tootles the flute,
And the music is something grand.
A credit to ould Ireland, boys,
Is Macnamara's Band.
Whenever an election's on we play on either side,
And the way we play the fine ould airs fills every heart with pride.
If dear Tom Moore was living now, he'd make them understand
That none can do him justice like ould Macnamara's Band.
We play for wakes and weddings and for every fancy ball,
And when we play at funerals, we play "The Dead March in Saul."
When General Grant to Ireland came, he shook me by the hand.
Said he: "I've never seen the likes of Macnamara's Band."
Right now, we are practicing for a very grand affair
It's the annual celebration, all the gentry will be there.
The girls and boys will all turn out with flags and colors grand,
And in front of the procession will be Macnamara's Band.
McNamara's Band — Bing Crosby (American Version)
American version by Red Latham, Wamp Carlson and Guy Bonham (The Three Jesters)
American version c 1940, Jerry Vogel Music Co., Inc.
Oh! me name is McNamara, I'm the leader of the band.
Although we're few in numbers, we're the finest in the land.
We play at wakes and weddings and at ev'ry fancy ball,
And when we play to funerals we play the march from Saul.
REFRAIN
Oh! the drums go bang, and the cymbals clang,
And the horns they blaze away;
McCarthy pumps the old bazoon
While I the pipes do play.
And Hennessey Tennessee tootles the flute,
And the music is somethin' grand.
A credit to old Ireland is McNamara's band.
Right now we are rehearsin' for a very swell affair,
The annual celebration, all the gentry will be there.
When General Grant to Ireland came, he took me by the hand.
Says he: "I never saw the likes of McNamara's Band."
Oh! my name is Uncle Yulius and from Sweden I have come,
To play with McNamara's band and beat the big bass drum,
And when I march along the street the ladies think I'm grand,
They shout: "There's Uncle Yulius playing with an Irish band."
Oh! I wear a bunch of shamrocks and a uniform of green,
And I'm the funniest looking Swede that you have ever seen.
There's O'Briens and Ryans and Sheehans and Meehans they come from Ireland.
But, by Yimminy, I'm the only Swede in McNamara's band.
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