The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #43902   Message #643384
Posted By: GUEST,Mad4Mud at work
05-Feb-02 - 06:40 PM
Thread Name: Lyr Req: O'Reilly's Wake / Steve O'Donnell's Wake
Subject: Lyr Add: STEVE O'DONNELL'S WAKE
I found this on another site. I know you said it was called "O'Reilly's Wake" but the words are pretty much the same here:

STEVE O'DONNELL'S WAKE
(Unknown)

Steve O'Donnell was a gentleman, so everybody said
He was loved by all his friends both rich and poor
And everyone felt sorry when they heard that Steve was dead
And they saw the piece of Crepe upon the door

The barber came to shave the Galway slagga from his throat
And cut his hair in a la pompadour
A red necktie and buttonhole bouquet was in his coat
And a bunch of shamrocks in his hand he wore

Undertaker Feeney had the job to lay O'Donnell out
In a casket of the very finest make
He dressed the corpse in broadcloth and said: "Boys, there'll be no doubt"
That they'll all get drunk at Steve O'Donnell's wake

There were fighters, biters and Irish dynamiters
There was beer, gin, whiskey, wine and cake
There were men in high positions there were Irish politicians
And they all got drunk at Steve O'Donnell's wake

There were fifty candles at his head and twenty at his feet
Plenty flowers sent for friendship's sake
"Oh, Steve, me by'e, why did you die?" the grieving widow said
And we all felt sad at Steve O'Donnell's wake

Mike McGovern said that Steve O'Donnell was an awful bum
Of course he only meant it for a joke
But Paddy Mack got up his back and he made McGovern run
Cause he hit him in the eye an awful poke

They all joined in the fightin' then 'cause everyone was mad
And blood enough was spilled to form a lake
They knocked the corpse down on the floor and blew off all the lights
There was murder down at Steve O'Donnell's wake

Then the cops came in to stop the brawl to make them understand
And the corpse was picked up by his brother Dan
But someone stole the necktie from around O'Donnell's throat
Mike McGovern said O'Reilly was the man

O'Reilly's friends got crazy mad and swore they'd have his life
McGovern saw he made a great mistake
They fought and fought and danced around until the cops came in
And arrested all at Steve O'Donnell's wake