OUL BARNEY

I was sitting by the griosog, Man these winter nights bes coul,

                And I like to take things easy for I’m getting brave an oul.

And a man bes quare and lonesome, when his blood bes getting thin—

                Troth, a was as pleased as Punch when oul Barney More dropped in.

Now Barney was me neighbour this forty years or more;

                It woule fill a book the knowledge our Barney has in store.

Of the men in Ireland’s history, you woght to hear him tell,

                Man, he has them on his fingers from MaoNessa to Parnell.

Now Barney got a Failte of that you may be sure.

                I riz and crushed an empty bag Behind the kitchen door;

Then filled the pipe and lit it and made sure it wouldn’t choke.

                Then I handed it to Barney saying,” Sheod, Barney, Smoke.”

There’s a thing I always noticed and I’ll tell it now to you,

                Our Barney chats far better when he’s had a reek or two.

So I let him smoke a minute, he can pull, there’s no mistake;

                As tobacco’s dear and money scarce I thought ‘twas time to speak.

Say’s I , love got a paper from my sister Mary Kate,

                It’s says that England’s winning, they have Hitler nearly bate,

Oul Barney laughed and shook his head, says he, “ My decent chap,

                If you nearly got to Heaven, do you know where you might stap?”

The two of us kept chatting but we couldn’t right agree;

                Our Barney’s danged contrary when it fits himself to be.

So says I, “ Will Davey give the Ports?”, man dear he let a shout;

                “Will Davey give the Ports?” says he;,”no not while I’m about”

Says I, “ Hould on, be sisy, I’ve a notion of my own.

                That Davey might do something, if we left the man alone.

Him and Churchill might fix up , a settlement of sorts –

                If they gave us the Six Counties we might let them take the Ports”.

By Japers, I was shaking, and I’m not so aisy scared,

                For he riz his fist above my head ,  and hit the table hard.

“ Give them the Ports, and let them pay, with something that’s our own?

                “ You ought to be ashamed”, says he, “ and you come from Tyrone”.

I thought I’d try and soothe him, so I filled the pipe again.

                I have my doubts Oul Barney would be more or less Sinn Fein;

And I’ll have to watch my company, the more Oul Barney’s rale,

                There’s an empty cell in Belfast and I’m oul for going to Jail.