ADD: Louse House at Kilkenny/Kilkenny Louse House

Subject: Louse House At Kilkenny
From: Lidi
Date: 17 Jul 97 - 02:44 AM

Anyone know the lyrics to "Louse House At Kilkenny?

Subject: RE: Louse House At Kilkenny
From:
Date: 19 Jul 97 - 06:51 AM

Subject: Lyr Add: THE KILKENNY LOUSE HOUSE (trad. Irish)
From: Martin Ryan
Date: 29 Jul 97 - 05:33 AM

THE KILKENNY LOUSE HOUSE

The start of my downfall - I went to the door
And strayed on my way to sweet Carrick-on-Suir
Coming into Kilkenny 'twas late in the night
So I went into town for to see the gaslight

CHORUS
Radly-fal-a diddle-arum-fir-arum-fi-a

I went to the Tolsel to see the big lamp
And who should I meet but a man they call tramp
I boldly spoke up and to him I did say
Where will I get me a breakfast, where will I get me tae?

He directed me over to Collier's Lane
To a neat little shop, I think Lawlor's the name
And there was the name painted up on a board
And it neatly secured with a nail and a cord

I pushed in the door, put me back to the wall
And found I was inside a cobbler's stall
There sat the ould cobbler a-mending old brogues
And his hammer and awl going round like ciarogs

His wife she came to me and this she did say
You can spend the night here if a shilling you'll pay
We went up to the stairs and she turned out the light
And in less than five minutes I had to show fight

For the fleas they assembled to play the dead march
And over my body they formed an arch
And one big grenadier he gave me such a nip
I was very near losing the use of my hip

I jumped up in bed, I demanded fair play
For if I had a rifle I'd have fought my own way
I leaped out the window and gathered some stones
If they gave me sore ribs, I gave them broken bones!

Now all you young people, wherever you be
If you travel by land or you travel by sea
The next time you go to Kilkenny again
Stay away form the louse house in Collier's Lane

· The Tolsel is a prominent old building in Kilkenny
· * "ciarogs" (pronounced key-rogues) is Irish for beetles.

Version taken from "Ballads from the jails and streets of Ireland" (publ. 1966)

Regards

HTML line breaks added. --JoeClone, 29-May-02.

Subject: RE: Louse House At Kilkenny
From: Lidi
Date: 24 Sep 97 - 09:52 AM

Hey Martin!

I would like to thank you for this, I know it was a long time ago you did this, but it´s better late than never to say thank you....

Cheers

Lidi

Subject: RE: Louse House At Kilkenny
From: Martin Ryan
Date: 24 Sep 97 - 12:03 PM

Lidi

You're welcome!

Regards

Subject: RE: Louse House At Kilkenny
From: Coyote Breath
Date: 09 Apr 03 - 12:49 PM

Finally got back to this thread after an absence but return now to say:

THANK YOU! Martin!

I will copy the lyrics and hopefully remember the tune correctly.

CB

Subject: RE: Louse House At Kilkenny
From: MartinRyan
Date: 09 Apr 03 - 04:00 PM

Oddly enough, I have just bought the excellent "From Puck to Appleby" CD's - which contain a version of this one. Must compare the text....

Regards

Subject: RE: Louse House At Kilkenny
From: mutineer
Date: 09 Apr 03 - 11:25 PM

Hmm..I just finished reading Liam Clancy's memoirs and he mentioned this tune in it...one night, he actually stays at the Louse House!!!
It's great to see the lyrics.
Cheers;
mutineer