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O'Tuomy's Drinking Song (thing)
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(
thing
)
by
Prophet4
Tue Mar 27 2001 at 14:23:43
(
air
: "
The Growling Old Woman
")
I sell the best
brandy
and
sherry
,
To make my good
customers
merry
;
But at times their
finances
Run short, as it
chances
And then I feel very sad, very!
Here's brandy! Come fill up your
tumbler
;
Or ale if your liking be
humble
r;
And while you've a
shilling
,
Keep filling and swilling-
A
fig
for the
growls
of the
grumbler
!
I like, when I'm quite at my
leisure
,
Mirth, music and all sorts of
pleasure
;
When
Margarey
's bringing
The glass, I like singing
With
bards
- if they drink within measure.
Libation
I pour on libation,
I sing the past
fame
of our
nation
For valour-won
glory
,
For
song
and for
story
This, this is my grand
recreation
!
John O'Tuomy
(
1706
-
1775
)
John O'Tuomy
and
Andrew Magrath
two of the celebrated
18th century
Munster Bards
, were friends and contemporaries.
O'Tuomy
, called "the
gay
" was
proprietor
of an
ale house
that had the following sign above its door:
Should one of the
stock
of the
noble
Gael
A
brother
bard who is fond of
good cheer
,
Be short of the price of a
tankard
of
ale
,
He is welcome to O'Tuomy a thousand times here!
This spirit of
hospitality
eventually led to
bankruptcy
, and O'Tuomy died in
poverty
. The
drinking song
, and Magrath's reply were written during the
heyday
of the
hostel
Andrew Magraths Reply To John O'Tuomy
O, Tuomy! you
boast
yourself
handy
At selling good ale and bright brandy,
But the fact is your
liquor
Makes everyone
sick
er,
I tell you that, I, your friend Andy.
Again, you affect to be
witty,
And your customers - more is the
pity
give in to your
folly
,
While you, when you're
jolly
,
Troll forth some
ridiculous
ditty
.
But your
poems
and
pints
, by your
favour
,
Are alike wholly wanting in
flavour
,
Because its your
pleasure
,
You give us short
measure
,
And your ale has a
ditch-water
savour
!
Vile swash do you sell us for
porter
,
And you draw the
cask
shorter and
shorter
;
Your guests then
disdaining
to think of
complaining
,
Go tipple in some other
quarter
.
Very oft in your
scant
over-
frothing
Tin quarts we found little or
nothing
;
They could very ill
follow
The
road
, who could
swallow
Such stuff for the inner man's
clothing
!
You sit
gaily
enough at the
table
,
But in
spite
of your
mirth
you are able
To
chalk
down each tankard,
And if a man drank hard
On
tick
- oh! we'd have such a
Babel
!
You
bow
to the floors very level
When customers enter to
revel
,
But if one in shy
raiment
Takes a drink without
payment
,
You score it against the poor
devi
l.
When quitting your house rather
heady
,
They'll get
nought
without more of "
the ready
".
You leave them to
stumble
And
stagger
and
tumble
Into
dykes
as folks will when unsteady.
Two
vintners
late went about
killing
Men's fame by their
vile
Jack-and-Gilling
;
Now
Tuomy
I tell you
I know very well you
Would, too, sell us all for a shilling.
The Old Bards
never vainly shall
woo
me,
But your
tricks
and your
capers
, O'Tuomy,
Have nought in them
winning
-
You
jest
and keep
grinning
,
But your thoughts are all
guileful
and
gloomy
!
Andrew Magrath
(
1723
-179?)
Another Drinking Song
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