O'Donoghue's - Andy Irvine

brummytom · 23-05-2009 2:50pm #1

Came across the song today, I love it! Andy Irvine's take on the old days. Great lyrics,, I've tried to transcribe them, most of the are right but the odd one or two might not be.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hLP92-enW6Q

It was August 1962 when I first set foot in O’Donoghue’s
A world of music, friends and booze opened up before me
I never could’ve guessed as I walked through the door
Just what the future had in store
A crossroads for my life I saw lying there to taunt me.

Well I was an actor, I played straight, I played at the Gaeity, played at the Gate
My mother in 1928 had trod those boards before me
I was getting tired of the company
An actor’s life did not suit me
I said, “Goodbye, you’ll never see me back here in Neary’s”

Johnny Moynihan in his frosty (?) coat was the first to play there in Merrion Row
He brought the bouzouki to Ireland you know, Way stormalong John
Paddy and Maureen O’Donoghue,
Ciarán Bourke, Luke Kelly, Ronnie Drew
Barney McKenna and me and you in the early 1960’s

Well Paddy and Maureen - very, very sound though she liked to camp on the moral highground
You had long hair, you were outward bound, Go down the road your bud red roses (?)
Ronnie Drew in his fine suit of blue
and a voice like gravel that’d cut you in two
We thought he was Dublin through and through, but he blew in from Dun Laoghaire

Joe Ryan and John Kelly in the front bar, their fiddles are from the County Clare
Joe Heany sings in the cold night air in the Lane way after closing
Our sea shanties in perfect tune
And Seamus Ennis in the afternoon
It was all over much too soon, Days of wine and roses

Well Banjo Barney calling the tune, Mary Jordon’s a whizz on the spoons
Well up the swanny and down the broom, Barney’s rising to it
They carry him bodily out the jacks
He empties his bladder and they carry him back
He swallows his pint and he’s right back on track, How the f*ck does he do it?

In the afternoon, you might find there Luke Kelly and his banjo and his red hair
Oh what times and an atmosphere; What more could a young man wish for?
How I’d spend my time was never in doubt,
This is what life was all about
A bowl of soup and a pint of stout; Agus fagaimid siud mar ata se.

Days never short of a witty phrase, Sonny Brogan loves the way he plays
Ted McKenna, God bless the days of Italian mandolinos
At closing time, we didn’t go far;
Just down the road to the packed coffee bar (?)
The usual suspects, there you are- have youse no homes to go to?

Putting up a note on the message board, ‘Sweeney’s Men have a Gig’ – Oh Lord!
We have to meet at twelve o’clock for the journey down to Galway
But the Sweeney band broke down at the door
And we didn’t get started ‘til a quarter past four
A merry tune of the dole and snore; Haul away me roses

It all came to an end in ’68, the rest of the world was lying in wait
I started out for a new landscape, set sail for the Pyrene mountains
From the old north wall, sailed away
And all me friends were there on the quay
‘I won’t be back for many’s the day, but it was bloody great while it lasted’

It was August 1962 when I first set foot in O’Donoghue’s
A world of music, friends and booze hastening towards me
I never could’ve guessed as I walked through the door
Just what the future had in store
A blue-print for my life I saw lying there before me.

Beanstalk · 24-05-2009 2:55am

Saw him play it live last year in Dublin and the guitarist with him (kate burke) said she'd been trying to get him to go to O'Donoghues with her cus she'd never been. Andy replied that he hadn't gone in years because he was so afraid it would have changed from how he'd remembered it back in the day, it showed how much the place meant to him, I thought it was really honest and cool. Great song too!

Whiskey Devil · 31-05-2009 1:09pm

I'm pretty sure there's a video on Youtube of him playing this song in O' Donoghues recently

Andy Irvine's solo albums are excellent - Way Out Yonder is one of my favourites.

I seen him in The Droichead Arts Centre a couple of years ago. Great night!

osammyboy · 06-11-2010 1:51pm

23-05-2009, 14:50 #1
brummytom
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Join Date: Apr 2009
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O'Donoghue's - Andy Irvine

Came across the song today, I love it! Andy Irvine's take on the old days. Great lyrics,, I've tried to transcribe them, most of the are right but the odd one or two might not be.

"I've made a few amendments to the words as I read them."

Quote:
It was August 1962 when I first set foot in O’Donoghue’s
A world of music, friends and booze opened up before me
I never could’ve guessed as I walked through the door
Just what the future had in store
A crossroads for my life I saw lying there to taunt me.

Well I was an actor, I played straight, I played at the Gaeity, played at the Gate
My mother in 1928 had trod those boards before me
I was getting tired of the company
An actor’s life did not suit me
I said, “Goodbye, you’ll never see me back here in Neary’s”

Johnny Moynihan in his fusty coat was the first to play there in Merrion Row
He brought the bouzouki to Ireland you know, Way storm along John
Paddy and Maureen O’Donoghue,
Ciarán Bourke, Luke Kelly, Ronnie Drew
Barney McKenna and me and you in the early 1960’s

Well Paddy and Maureen - very, very sound though she liked to camp on the moral highground
You had long hair, you were outward bound, Go down you blood red rosies.
Ronnie Drew in his fine suit of blue
and a voice like gravel that’d cut you in two
We thought he was Dublin through and through, but he blew in from Dun Laoghaire

Joe Ryan and John Kelly in the front bar, their fiddles are from the County Clare
Joe Heany sings in the cold night air in the Lane way after closing
Our sea shanties in perfect tune
And Seamus Ennis in the afternoon
It was all over much too soon, Days of wine and roses

Well Banjo Barney calling the tune, Mary Jordon’s a whizz on the spoons
Up the swanny and down the broom, Barney’s rising to it
They carry him bodily out the jacks
He empties his bladder and they carry him back
He swallows his pint and he’s right back on track, How the f*ck does he do it?

Any afternoon, you might find there Luke Kelly and his banjo and his red hair
Oh what times and an atmosphere; What more could a young man wish for?
How I’d spend my time was never in doubt,
This is what life was all about
A bowl of soup and a pint of stout; Agus fagaimid siud mar ata se.

Dave Smith never short of a witty phrase, Sonny Brogan loves the way he plays
Ted McKenna, God bless the days of Italian mandolinos
At closing time, we didn’t go far;
Just down the road to the Pike coffee bar
The usual suspects, there you are- have youse no homes to go to?

Putting up a note on the message board, ‘Sweeney’s Men have a Gig’ – Oh Lord!
We have to meet at twelve o’clock for the journey down to Galway
But the Sweeney band broke down at the door
And we didn’t get started ‘til a quarter past four
To the merry tune of the Dolan snore; Haul away me rosies

It all came to an end in ’68, the rest of the world was lying in wait
And I started out for a new landscape, set sail for the Pyrene mountains
From the old north wall, sailed away
And all me friends were there on the quay
‘I won’t be back for many’s the day, but it was bloody great while it lasted’

It was August 1962 when I first set foot in O’Donoghue’s
A world of music, friends and booze hastening towards me
I never could’ve guessed as I walked through the door
Just what the future had in store
A blue-print for my life I saw lying there before me.

BionicIguana · 11-11-2010 6:42am

A suggestion for one more change:

It was August 1962 when I first set foot in O’Donoghue’s
A world of music, friends and booze opened up before me
I never could’ve guessed as I walked through the door
Just what the future had in store
A crossroads for my life I saw lying there to taunt me.

Well I was an actor, I played straight, I played at the Gaeity, played at the Gate
My mother in 1928 had trod those boards before me
I was getting tired of the company
An actor’s life did not suit me
I said, “Goodbye, you’ll never see me back here in Neary’s”

Johnny Moynihan in his fusty coat was the first to play there in Merrion Row
He brought the bouzouki to Ireland you know, Way storm along John
Paddy and Maureen O’Donoghue,
Ciarán Bourke, Luke Kelly, Ronnie Drew
Barney McKenna and me and you in the early 1960’s

Well Paddy and Maureen - very, very sound though she liked to camp on the moral highground
You had long hair, you were outward bound, Go down you blood red rosies.
Ronnie Drew in his fine suit of blue
and a voice like gravel that’d cut you in two
We thought he was Dublin through and through, but he blew in from Dun Laoghaire

Joe Ryan and John Kelly in the front bar, their fiddles are from the County Clare
Joe Heany sings in the cold night air in the Lane way after closing
Our sea shanties in perfect tune
And Seamus Ennis in the afternoon
It was all over much too soon, Days of wine and roses

Well Banjo Barney calling the tune, Mary Jordon’s a whizz on the spoons
Up the swanny and down the broom, Barney’s rising to it
They carry him bodily out the jacks
He empties his bladder and they carry him back
He swallows his pint and he’s right back on track, How the f*ck does he do it?

Any afternoon, you might find there Luke Kelly and his banjo and his red hair
Oh what times and an atmosphere; What more could a young man wish for?
How I’d spend my time was never in doubt,
This is what life was all about
A bowl of soup and a pint of stout; Agus fagaimid siud mar ata se.

Dave Smith never short of a witty phrase, Sonny Brogan loves the way he plays
Ted McKenna, God bless the days of Italian mandolinos
At closing time, we didn’t go far;
Just down the road to the Pike coffee bar
The usual suspects, there you are- have youse no homes to go to?

Putting up a note on the message board, ‘Sweeney’s Men have a Gig’ – Oh Lord!
We have to meet at twelve o’clock for the journey down to Galway
But the Sweeney van broke down at the door
And we didn’t get started ‘til a quarter past four
To the merry tune of the Dolan snore; Haul away me rosies

It all came to an end in ’68, the rest of the world was lying in wait
And I started out for a new landscape, set sail for the Pyrene mountains
From the old north wall, sailed away
And all me friends were there on the quay
‘I won’t be back for many’s the day, but it was bloody great while it lasted’

It was August 1962 when I first set foot in O’Donoghue’s
A world of music, friends and booze hastening towards me
I never could’ve guessed as I walked through the door
Just what the future had in store
A blue-print for my life I saw lying there before me.

gleesoneoin · 05-09-2011 5:29pm

hiya, anyone able to either transcribe the music for this song or direct me to somewhere that has them ?

thanks

eoin

pauliewallie · 06-09-2011 3:06pm

great song. thanks for posting the lyrics.
have seen andy irvine a few times and he is always great.

Exile 1798 · 06-09-2011 4:40pm

Seen him a few times and have heard him perform this wonderful song.

Andy Irvine is a gem. If you ever get a chance to see him solo, do so, especially if you can catch him in a pub or small venue.

O'Donoghue's - Andy Irvine

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