1. Granny O'Reilly liv'd in a palace on the bogs of Barrymore. You could put your hand down thro' the roof and open the parlor door. Old Granny was an honest dame; she'd pigs and hens and goats. From a knothole in McClosky's barn, she borrow'd all her oats.
CHORUS: But oh! we had such lots of drink, and all for friendship's sake, And the boys and girls had so much fun at Granny O'Reilly's wake.
2. And Granny she was neat and trim in a piece of brand-new silk, For she always hung her nightcap up just after she strain'd the milk; But when at last old Granny died, they laid her out so neat With a Rob-Roy shawl around her head and brogans on her feet.
3. Then poor old Granny was laid out behind the kitchen door, And when they brought the coffin in, they set it on the floor. Said Mary Ann O'Reilly, "Now, I'll tell ye's what to do: Come, now, fall on your knees, you merc'less bastes, and pray ould Granny thro'."
4. And then we bow'd our heads and cried and would no comfort take Till someone said, "Let's take a drink! All for poor Granny's sake." And when they all had set a bit, and each had got a sup, Pat Rooney held Mike Duffy while he screw'd the coffin up.
5. Then to the burying ground we rode, all in such splendid style, And we didn't leave a soul behind, no, never a mother's child. We laid her then quite gently in her deep and narrow bed, And many a howl, and many a groan and many a tear we shed.
6. But what do you think, when we got home, we saw behind the door, But old Granny O'Reilly all laid out where she had lain before! Some said, "Why it's old Granny's ghost!" They all began to shout! But sure we'd buried the coffin up and left old Granny out!