Lyr Req: John O'Halloran (Sean McCarthy)

Subject: John O'Halloran
From: Frug
Date: 01 May 01 - 03:55 AM

I'm trying to locate the lyrics to John O'Halloran a song I heard on a number of occasions in the 70's but haven't heard for a long time. I think it was an emigration song and started "My name is John O'Halloran I'm 91 years old etc. It has fairly graphic lyrics including "the lice crawled up my back" and "I'll lay me down in this God forsaken land" I've looked on Digitrad and some other sites but no luck. It may well be that it has a different name but I was fairly sure that I've got the title right. Any help would be appreciated.

Frank

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: John O'Halloran
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 01 May 01 - 08:25 AM

Seems it was written by Sean McCarthy.  See  The Songs of Sean McCarthy  for more information, though no lyrics.

Malcolm

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: John O'Halloran
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 01 May 01 - 08:26 AM

Make that:  The Songs of Sean McCarthy

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: John O'Halloran
From: Frug
Date: 01 May 01 - 12:45 PM

Thanks for the link Malcolm. I'm refreshing this just in case someone coming in might know the song in question.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: John O'Halloran
From: Abby Sale
Date: 01 May 01 - 06:33 PM

The name changes a lot. I have it sung by Shelley Posen and it's a version of "The Flying Cloud" and will be found in the Database under that title. I have My name is William Hollander -- is John O'Haloran -- is Edward Hollander - is William Hollander, etc. It's been collected many times, especially, I believe, in the Maritimes. See Colcord, Palmer, etc. Fun song.

Subject: Lyr Add: JOHN O'HALLORAN
From: Fiolar
Date: 02 May 01 - 11:43 AM

Here are the words of John O'Halloran.

JOHN O'HALLORAN
1
My name is John O'Halloran, I am eighty-one years old.
I left my boyhood days behind to search for fame and gold.
I left my home in Tralee town in my 22nd year,
I would dig the gold on England's shore and I'd make my fortune here.

2
Ah! the weary months in search of work, I tramped through street and road,
A shake-me-down in Camden town, it was my first abode.
No friendly glance to cheer my heart, no man to to take my hand,
No easy gold, only rain and cold in this god-forsaken land.

3
Go down the trench proud Irishman, for you are strong and big;
Take the shovel by the neck, spit on your hands and dig.
Tear out the gold from Mother Earth from the dawn to fading light;
In the nearest pub you'll spend your sub and you'll hate and love and fight.

4
I loved a girl in Liverpool, a sweet one from Mayo;
I've known some girls from Tiger Bay and their teeth like virgin snow.
I'd have my food in small sheebeens I'd drunk the porter black;
A dirty bed where I lay my head and the lice crawled up my back.

5
My bones are getting weary now and my shoulders they are bent;
My once black hair is grey with care and my money is all spent.
Soon Sergeant Death will call me home and he'll take me by the hand,
Far from Tralee town lay my body down in this god-forsaken land.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: John O'Halloran
From: GUEST,frug
Date: 02 May 01 - 02:32 PM

Yes that's the one thanks a lot Fiolar

Frank

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: John O'Halloran
From: Fiolar
Date: 03 May 01 - 01:56 PM

Glad to be of help. By the way the song was recorded by Danny Doyle. A good record shop may be able to help, or try the net with a Danny Doyle search.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: John O'Halloran
From: Abby Sale
Date: 03 May 01 - 05:54 PM

Oops.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: John O'Halloran
From: Liam's Brother
Date: 03 May 01 - 07:25 PM

Is the tune traditional or new?

All the best, Dan

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: John O'Halloran
From: GUEST
Date: 01 Jul 10 - 10:30 PM

There is a lady who sings in O'Donoghue's Pub in Merrion Row, Dublin some Monday evenings and I first heard the song from her. I cannot recall her name at the moment.
The last time I saw her she had her daughter and her grand-daughter with her who was quite heavy with child. We had a potential four generations there for the songs.
I will try to determine how the family are getting on.
Jim Aughney
Singer

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: John O'Halloran
From: weerover
Date: 02 Jul 10 - 03:33 PM

I have a note that the tune to this is "Skibereen", but don't know where I got that, as this is quite different to versions of "The Flying Cloud" I've come across.

wr

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: John O'Halloran
From: GUEST,^&*
Date: 02 Jul 10 - 06:59 PM

weerover

Might be a confusion here? O Halloran/Halloran turns up sometimes as the surname in The Flying Cloud - but there's no other connection with the Sean McCarthy song. The latter is indeed sung to Skibbereen. That said - I HAVE heard The Flying Cloud sung to an air suspiciously close to Skibbereen!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: John O'Halloran
From: weerover
Date: 03 Jul 10 - 02:31 PM

GUEST,^&*,

I see now that McCarthy's is a different song, just had the version of "Flying Cloud" in the back of my mind - and the reason I had the tune down as Skibereen is that I forgot I bought a copy of the Peggy Sweeney album some years ago on cassette. The album, incidentally, has just 11 songs on it rather than the 15 referred to as being on the video.

wr

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: John O'Halloran
From: GUEST
Date: 25 Jul 10 - 08:40 AM

I've also heard the same lady singing this song in O'Donghue's recently. Powerful voice. I'd not heard the song and asked her about it. She sings the full version, which has at least one verse in addition to the version with lyrics above. By the way, there are also serveral versions availble of this song on iTunes for download. Sean McCarthy's fuller version is amongst them.

Hope this helps.

Roy.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: John O'Halloran
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 27 Jul 10 - 01:02 PM

I found this song quoted in an Irish writing forum, where an author has incorporated it into a play called "And All His Songs Were Sad." The version there has one more verse that comes after the one numbered 3 above:

I have tramped around this country now, for fifty years or more,
I've met some women in my time, the good one and the whore.
I've tramped it down to Preston town, I have skippered in the rain,
I've cursed and prayed, I've been poorly paid, I've known hunger, joy and pain.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: John O'Halloran
From: GUEST
Date: 09 Aug 10 - 06:10 PM

Jim, Yes this is the additional verse I refered to above. Thanks.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: John O'Halloran
From: GUEST,Katie Theasby
Date: 29 Apr 12 - 03:29 PM

Pecker Dunne recorded it, and makes a fine job of it, on the Sullivans John album.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: John O'Halloran
From: GUEST
Date: 20 Jan 13 - 08:40 PM

Tony MOORE                                                                      The above words are correct including the verse on its own.                                                                     Liam Clancy sang it on an old record we had at home i remember hearing it about 45 years ago and i learned it off.                                                                   I still sing it at pub sessions and parties brilliant song                                                                      You can contact me at   [e-mail] im pleased to oblidge

Subject: Lyr Add: JOHN O'HALLORAN (Sean McCarthy)
From: GUEST,Joe O'Connor
Date: 20 Jul 15 - 11:13 PM

1. My name is John O'Halloran, and I'm eighty-one years old.
I left my boyhood days behind, for to search for fame and gold.
I left my home in Tralee town, in my twenty-second year.
I would dig the gold on England's shore, and I'd make my fortune there.

2. The weary months in search of work, the tramp through street and road.
A shake-me-down in Camden Town, it was my first abode.
No friendly glance to cheer my heart, no man to shake my hand,
No easy gold, only rain and cold, in this God-forsaken land.

3. Go down that trench, proud Irishman, for you are strong and big.
Go take that shovel by the neck, spit on your hands and dig.
Tear out the guts from Mother Earth, from the dawn till fading light.
In the nearest pub you'll spend your sub, and you'll hate and love and fight.

4. I have tramped around this country now, for fifty years or more.
I've met some women in my time, the good one and the whore.
I've tramped it down to Preston town; I have skippered in the rain.
I've cursed and prayed; I've been poorly paid; I've known hunger, joy and pain.

5. I loved a girl in Liverpool, a sweet one from Mayo.
I've slept with girls from Tiger Bay, with teeth like virgin snow.
I have ate my foods in small sheebeens, and I've drunk the porter black,
A dirty bed for to lay my head, where the lice crawled up my back.

6. My bones are getting weary now, and my shoulders they are bent,
My once black hair is grey with care and my money is all spent.
Soon Sargent Death will call me home, and he'll take me by the hand,
Far from Tralee Town, lay my body down, in this God-forsaken land.

7. To all the men who dig it out, adieu my friends, adieu.
To young and old, in search of gold, I raise my glass to you.
Go down that trench, proud Irishman; take the shovel in your hand.
There's no easy gold, only rain and cold, in this God-forsaken land.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: John O'Halloran (Sean McCarthy)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 22 Jul 15 - 12:59 AM

I listened on Spotify to JOHN O'HALLORAN sung by Peggy Sweeney on "The Songs of Sean McCarthy" (2010).

The words she sings are identical to those posted by Joe O'Connor above, except that she omits verse 5.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: John O'Halloran (Sean McCarthy)
From: Gabriel
Date: 09 Jan 17 - 09:59 AM

On his album, "The Wandering Man", Sean McCarthy sings only four verses and the lyrics differ slightly from those previously posted. He also sings the song at a very slow pace compared to recordings of other singers.

JOHN O'HALLORAN

My name is John O'Halloran, I am eighty-one years old.
I left my boyhood days behind to search for fame and gold.
I left my home in Tralee town on my 22nd year,
I would dig the gold on England's shore, and I'd make my fortune here.

Go down that trench proud Irishman, for you are strong and big;
Go take the shovel by the neck, spit on your hands and dig.
Tear out the guts from Mother Earth from the dawn 'til the fading light;
In the nearest pub you will spend your sub and you'll hate and love and fight.

I have tramped around this country now for fifty years or more
I've loved some women in my time, the good one and the whore
I've tramped it down to Preston town, I've skippered in the rain
I've cursed, I've prayed, I've been poorly paid, I've known hunger, joy and pain.

I loved a girl in Liverpool, she came from sweet Mayo;
I've slept with girls in Tiger Bay, ah their teeth like virgin snow.
I've ate my food in small sheebeens, I have drunk the porter black;
A dirty bed where I'd lay my head, and the lice crawled up my back.

My bones are getting weary now and my shoulders they are bent;
My once black hair, grey with care, my money is all spent.
Soon Sergeant Death will call me home, soon he'll take me by the hand,
Far from Tralee town, lay my body down, in this god forsaken land.

Source: 'The Wandering Man', Sean McCarthy. EMI, ISRMCD 009.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: John O'Halloran (Sean McCarthy)
From: GUEST
Date: 07 May 23 - 11:37 AM

My name is John O'Halloran, i'm 81 years old,
I left my childhood days behind in search of fame and gold,
I left my home in Tralee town in the 22nd year,
i would dig the shores of England and seek my fortune there.

Oh the weary days in search of work, I tramped along the ground,
A shake me down in Camden Town it was my first abode,
No friendly glance, no happy cheer, not one would hold my hand,
There's no easy gold, only rain and cold in this godforsaken land.

I loved a girl in Liverpool a sweet one from Mayo,
I loved a girl in Tiger Bay, her heart was cold as stone,
I drank my sub in small shibeens, I drank their porter black,
In a dirty bed I lay my head and the lice crawled up my back.

Go down the trench proud Irishman for you are strong and big,
Take your shovel by it's neck, spit on your hand and dig,
Pull out the goods of mother earth from the daylight till the dawn,
In the nearest pub you'll spend your sub and drink and fight till dawn.

My bones are getting weary now my money is all spent,
My once dark hair now grey with care my body is all bent,
Now sergeant death will call me home and he'll take me by the hand,
Far from Tralee town lay my body down in this godforsaken land.