(Performed by The Brobdingnagian Bards on Songs of Ireland)
(Performed by Howl-O on Ren-Ditions)
(Performed by Poxy Boggards on Barely Legal)

Tim Finnegan lived in Walkin Street,
A gentle Irishman mighty odd
He had a brogue both rich and sweet,
An' to rise in the world he carried a hod
You see he'd a sort of a tipplers way
For the love for the whiskey he was born
To help him on his way each day,
he'd a drop of the craythur every morn

Whack fol de dah now dance to yer partner
round the flure yer trotters shake
Wasn’t it the truth, I tol’ ye,
Lots of fun at Finnegan's Wake

One morning Tim got rather full,
His head felt heavy which made him shake
He fell from a ladder and broke his skull
They carried him home his corpse to the wake
They rolled him up in a nice clean sheet,
And laid him out upon the bed
A bottle of whiskey at his feet
And a barrel of porter at his head

His friends assembled at the wake,
Missus Finnegan called for lunch
First she brought in tea and cake,
Then pipes, tobacco and whiskey punch
Biddy O’Brien began to bawl,
"Such a nice clean corpse, did you ever see,
Tim, mo mhuirnín, why did you die?",
"Will ye hold your gob?" said Paddy McGee

Then Maggie O'Connor took up the job,
"O Biddy" says she "you're wrong, I'm sure"
Biddy she gave her a belt in the gob
And sent her sprawling on the floor
Then the war did soon engage,
T'was woman to woman and man to man
Shillelagh law was all the rage
And a row and a ruction soon began

Mickey Maloney ducked his head
When a bucket of whiskey flew at him
It missed, and falling on the bed,
The liquor scattered over Tim
The corpse revives! See how he rises!
Timothy risin’ from the bed
Sayin “Whirl your whiskey round like blazes!
Thanam o'n Dhoul, do ye think I'm dead?"

Background from Daniel Womack: Probably written in the 1850s, it is famous for being the basis of James Joyce's novel, Finnegans Wake.
The Gaelic phrase “mo mhuirnín” found in the penultimate line of the third verse means “My Darling”. Understanding this phrase helps one understand the rest of the story.
”Thanam o'n Dhoul” or “in the ainm an Diabhal” is another phrase meaning, “In the name of the devil”. The phrase “T’underin’ Jaysus” is often used instead. Like many traditional folk songs, many words or phrases in this song change from performer to performer but the story almost always remains the same.

If there is anything I've missed, any information that you know to be incorrect, or if there is a song you've heard on the podcast that you would like to see included, please do not hesitate to contact me at lyrics@renaissancefestivalmusic.com.