Hi all

A few weeks ago I came across my copy of 'Jaysus Wept' a slim volume written by Pete St. John. In it were the words to this song. I contacted Pete and he confirmed that he is the composer of the song. Here are the words transcribed from the book.

Fergus

INCHICORE WAKE
(Pete St. John)

There was chase-the-hearse Whelan
And old Joe Sartini
On his two saddled bike
A black market on wheels
Into Stickfoots of Church Street
And the oul Hen and Chicken
With the Inchicore News
Molly Sonex was dead
Then came the word
Dolly Fossett had joined her
The quare ones were mournin'
And Eugene played 'Taps'
For the ladies of Dublin
Who made life half worth livin'
They carried no stories
And didn't draw maps…

Sure the old ways of Dublin
Are passing and fading
People just vanish
But the names they live on
With a rub of the relic
And an act of contrition
We blamed it on jar
And on oul Mushat's Balm

Ructions Murray was cryin'
And the Tar Barrel keenin'
Oul Last Post Daly
He bugled for hours
And Bigamy O'Keeffe
And Black Paddy Medlar
With the Claffy was talkin'
Of grave stones and flowers
They turned up in hundreds
With black shawls and Mass Cards
Lousy head haircuts and out of pawn suits
And the smell of the mothballs
And the once a year greetings
Were the music of love
On the sad Dublin Streets


Sure the old ways of Dublin
Are passing and fading
People just vanish
But the names they live on
With a rub of the relic
And an act of contrition
We blamed it on jar
And on oul Mushat's Balm

Well that evenin' we gargled
We hassled and argued
We sang all the songs
And hymns we half knew
And we toasted the ladies
The Dollies and Mollies
Not a dry eye in Dublin
The begrudgers were few
Then President Kiely
Came in from Drumcondra
With the mad Capper Crew
And a brave Soldiers' Song
We were all broken hearted
For the dear dead departed
At that Inchicore Wake
And the Days that are gone

Sure the old ways of Dublin
Are passing and fading
People just vanish
But the names they live on
With a rub of the relic
And an act of contrition
We blamed it on jar
And on oul Mushat's Balm