Top Traditional Fun Songs for St. Patrick's Day

Growing up Irish was harsh sometimes, but when it came to holidays, it was fun for all. We always sang the clean versions of songs due to mixed company. If you search, you can find racy stanzas, or make them up yourself after some drinking. There are no deep meanings, just straightforward fun.

I can't eat corned beef and cabbage anymore. I can't even eat Irish soda bread due to my aging digestive tract. But I can still sing with gusto (not well, just loud), especially after a few pints of Irish Whiskey. There are many more Irish songs than listed here, but these are the ones my family has celebrated since at least the early 1900's. I have largely quoted the refrains or most well-known stanzas.

More of the lyrics are available on line along with the music so you can hear them. We still have most of the original sheet music from my parents and grandparents.

#1-McNamara's Band
Oh, me name is McNamara I'm the leader of the band. Although we're few in number we're the finest in the land. We play at wakes and weddings and at every fancy ball. And when we play at funerals we play the March of Saul. Oh, the drums go bang and the cymbals clang and the horns they blaze away. McCarthy pumps the old kazoo while I have the pipes to play and hennessy-tennesy tootles the flute and the music is something grand. A credit to Old Ireland is McNamara's Band.

#2-Who Threw the Overalls in Mrs. Murphy's Chowder
Who threw the overalls in Mrs. Murphy's Chowder? Nobody spoke so he shouted all the louder "it's an Irish trick its true I can lick the Mick you threw the overalls in Mrs. Murphy's chowder. (She washed them [in the tub] yesterday and forgot to take them out).

#3-Dear Old Donegal
It seems like only yesterday I sailed from out of Cork. A wanderer from Erin's Isle I landed in New York. There wasn't a soul to greet me there, a stranger on their shores, but Irish luck was with me there and riches came galore. And now I'm going back again to dear old Emerals's Isle, my friends will meet me on the pier and greet me with a smile. Their faces sure I've almost forgot I'd been so long away, but me mother will introduce me there and this to me will say: Shake hands with your Uncle Mike me boy and there's your sister Kate. And there's the girl you used to swing down by the garden gate. Shake hand with all the neighbors and kiss the colleens all. You're as welcome as the flowers in May as dear old Donegal.

MEET: (now you can fill in all the Irish names you know or can think of, but these are the ones most often used) Branigan, Fannigan, Milligan, Gilligan, Duffy, McCuffy, Malachy, Mahone, Rafferty, Lafferty, Donnelly, Connelly, Dooley, O'Hooley, Muldowney, Malone, Madigan, Cadigan, Lanihan, Flanihan, Fagan, O'Hagan, O'Hoolihan, Flynn, Shanihan, Manihan, Fogarty, Hogarty, Kelly, O'Kelly, McGuinness, McGuinn.

#4-With My Shillelagh Under Me Arm
With my shillelagh under me arm and a twinkle in me eye, I'll be off to Tipperary in the morning. With me shellelagh under me arm and a turra lurra li, I'll be
welcome in the home where I was born in. My mother told the neighbors I'm gonna settle down. Still the fluters coming out To play me round the town.
With a shillelagh under me arm And a turra lurra li, I'll be welcome in the home where I was born in.

#5-It's a Great Day for the Irish
It's a great day for the Irish. It's a great day for fair. The side-walks of New York are thick with Blarney. For shure you'd think New York was Old Killarney.
It's a great day for the Irish. It's a great day for fair. Begosh there's not a cop to stop a raiding, Begorrah all the cops are out parading.
It's a great day for the Shamrock, for the flags in full array. We're feeling so inspirish, shure because for all the Irish, It's a great, great day.

#6-Peggy O'Neal- with "Patter"
(Patter is sung twice as fast against the regular line of music. The best known recent song is from the "Jesus Christ Superstar" musical.)
Peggy O'Neil was a girl who could steal any heart, anywhere, any time. And I'll put you wise how you'll recognize that wonderful girl of mine. If her eyes are blue as skies, that' sPeggy O'Neal. If she's smiling all the while, that's Peggy O'Neal. If she walks like a sly little rouge, if she talks with a cute little brouge, sweet personality, full of rascality that's Peggy O'Neal.

(Patter:) Annie Roonie set a fella looney but a million fellas get to feelin spoony when they meet Peggy O'Neal. There was nothing slow with Molly O but still and all I know that she never stand to show with sweet Peggy O'Neal. Rose O'Grady was a perfect lady with a simple winning baby smile. Peggy isn't simple that is why she drives a million other fellas wild. So if you meet a girl that's sweeter than Bedelia and you know you want to say I'd love to steal ya that's Peggy O'Neal.

#7-My Grandfather's Clock
My grandfather's clock was too big for the shelf so it stood ninety years on the floor. It was taller by height than the old man himself but it weighed not a penny-weight more. It stopped, short, never to go again when the old, man died.

#8-Has Anybody Here Seen Kelly?
Has anybody here seen Kelly? K-E-double L-Y. Has anybody here seen Kelly? Have you seen him smile? Sure his hair is red his eyes are blue. And he's Irish through and through. Has anybody here seen Kelly? Kelly from the Emerald Isle.

#9-If You're Irish Come Into the Parlour
If you're Irish, come into the parlour, there's a welcome there for you. If your name is Hennessy or Pat, as long as you come from Ireland there's a welcome on the mat. If you come from the mountains of Moor or Kilarney's lake so blue, whoever you are we'll make a fuss, whoever you are you're one of us, if you're Irish this is the place for you.

#10-HARRIGAN
H-A-double R-I-G-A-N spells Harrigan. Proud of all the Irish blood that's in me. Devil-a-man can say a word agin' me. H-A-double R-I-G-A-N your see. It's a name that a shame never has been connected with. Harrigan, that's me.