Paddy McGinty’s Goat
AKA | |
First Published | 1917 |
Writer/composer | Weston / Lee | Roud | RN18235 |
Music Hall Performers | The Two Bobs |
Folk performances | Source Singers Quinn, Frank 1926 USA : New York Kennelly, John 1961 Ireland : Co. Cork Hatton, Bill 1964 Canada : British Columbia McDonald, Simon 1967 Australia : Victoria Lomon, Frank / Anne 1970 Canada : British Columbia Coffey, Dave 1972 Canada : Newfoundland Brazil, Danny 1993 England : Gloucestershire Boyle, Vincie 2003 Ireland : Co. Clare |
Mister Patrick McGinty, an Irishman of note Came into a fortune, so bought himself a goat Said he, 'Sure, of goat's milk I mean to have my fill But when he got his nanny home he found it was a bill. And now all the ladies who live in Killaloo Are all wearing bustles like their mothers used to do They each wear a bolster beneath the petticoat And leave the rest to providence and Paddy Mc Ginty's goat. Missis Burke to her daughter said, 'Listen Mary Jane Now who was the man you were cuddling in the lane He'd long wiry whiskers all hanging from his chin.' 'Twas only Pat McGinty's goat,' she answered with a grin. Then she went away from the village in disgrace She came back with powder and paint upon her face She'd rings on her fingers and she wore a sable coat You bet your life they never came from Paddy McGinty's goat. Little Nora McCarthy the knot was going to tie She washed all her trouseau and hung it out to dry Then up came the goat and saw the bits of white He chewed up all her falderals, and on her wedding night, Oh turn out the gas quick,' she shouted out to Pat For though I'm your bride, sure I'm not worth looking at I've got two of everything I told you when I wrote But now I've one of nothing all through Paddy McGinty's goat. Mick Riley he went to the races t'other day He won twenty dollars and shouted 'Hip- Hooray.' He held up the note shouting 'Look at what I've got.' The goat came up and grabbed at it and swallowed all the lot He's eaten my banknote,' said Micky with the hump They ran for the doctor, he brought a stomach pump He pumped and he pumped for that twenty dollar note But all he got was ninepence out of Paddy McGinty's goat. Sure, but ould Paddy's goat had a wondrous appetite And one day for breakfast he had some dynamite A big box of matches then he swallowed all serene Then out he went and swallowed up a quart of paraffin. He sat by the fireside and didn't care a hang He swallowed a spark, and then exploded with a bang And when you go to heaven you can bet a dollar note The angel who has the whiskers on is Paddy McGinty's goat.
A comic Irish song written by two Englishmen – the phenomenon that was Weston and Lee – and sung by two Americans (The Two Bobs) on the British music hall stage in the early part of the 20th century. It was revived by middle-of-the-road Irish popster Val Doonican, who recorded it in 1964. It was known in the folk world throughout the English-speaking world before this time, but it may well be that Doonican is responsible for its popularity today.
Sources:
- Entries in the Roud Indexes at the Vaughn Williams Memorial Library: https://archives.vwml.org/search/all:single[folksong-broadside-books]/0_50/all/score_desc/extended-roudNo_tr%3A18235
- Kilgarrif Sing Us
- Lyrics: Monologues.co.uk