Lyrics

… And now pay attention
And listen to what I’m about to relate
Concerning a couple I overheard talking
As I was returning late home from a wake.

As I rode along now I saw an ould woman
She sat in the gap she was milking her cow
She was jigging a tune called Make Haste to the Wedding
Or some other ditty I can’t tell you now.

The next one I saw he was a bould tinker
Who happened by chance to be passing that way
And the day it being fine he sat down together
For news of that man the ould woman did say.

I’ve no news at all Ma’am replied the bould tinker
But the people all wish that he never had been
He’s damnable rogue of a Daniel O’Connell
And he’s now making babies in Dublin by steam.

Ah the children are ruined replied the ould woman
Or has the quare fella gone crazy at last
Or is it a sign of a war or rebellion
Or tell me why does he want them so fast?

It’s not that at all Ma’am replied the bould tinker
The children of Ireland are getting too small
It’s O’Connell’s petitioned to the new Lord Lieutenant
And he won’t let us make them the ould way at all.

By the pipe in me mouth now replied the ould woman
And that’s a strong oath on me soul for to say
But I am an ould woman and if I was near him
I’ll tell you that he’d rue the day.

For the people of Ireland it’s very well known
Gave him their earnings when needing them bad
And now that he’s going to recompense them
By taking the only diversion they had.

A life to your coach Ma’am
And long may you live with youth on your side
And if  all the young girls in Ireland were like you
O’Connell could throw his steam engine one side.

If I had the young men of Ireland around me
And girls making babies as fast as they can
And whenever Her Majesty wanted an army
We’d be able to send her as many as Dan.