Jimmy O'Dea Monologues

Neddyk

Can anyone help me find the words of these recordings? They were all on 78s, made I think in the '40s or '50s. One in particular I remember about a day-trip to Irelands Eye. This used to be my mother's party-piece and I would love to have the lyrics.

Corsendonk

Not exactly what your looking for but might interest you.

Jimmy O'Dea

Thank Heavens, We Are Living In Rathgar!

Thank heavens, we are living in Rathgar
In these days of agitators,
Isms, schisms and dictators,
When one never knows whom one is talking to;
When we’ve princes picking winners
And we’ve plumbers at golf dinners,
It’s so difficult to really say who’s who.
Even at our rugby dances
One’s beset by vulgar glances,
And our finer sensibilities are shocked.
‘pon my soul I’m not romancing,
We are more danced against than dancing,
And the flappers come and tell you they’re half cocked.
So, thank heavens, we are living in Rathgar.
O the solid, quiet refinement of Rathgar,
Where we have our evening dinners,
Where we never hear of Shinners,
And even those who can’t afford it have a car.
There are some quite decent suburbs, I am sure.
O Rathmines is not so bad or Terenure.
O we’ve heard of spots like Inchicore,
But really don’t know where they are;
For, thank heavens, we are living in Rathgar.
Someone must live in Kilmainham,
So it’s hardly fair to blame ‘em,
And in Dartry they are almost civilised.
But in Fairview, goodness gracious,
Fellows tennis in their braces;
In Drumcondra all their shirts are trubenised.
Although it’s worth relating,
It’s really devastating,
At Baldoyle I saw my butcher in the ring.
So what with cinemas unsightly,
And the Gaiety gone twice nightly,
It’s no wonder that we’re proudly forced to sing …
That, thank heavens, we are living in Rathgar.
O the solid, quiet refinement of Rathgar.
In Killester they eat cockles
And those fearful things - pigs knuckles;
But you’ve never heard of tripe in Grosvenor Square.
O those accents on the Northside quite appall,
But they never get beyond Rathmines Town Hall.
They’ve so many kids in Kimmage
That they say life’s just a scrimmage …
(Oh I’m tired - I’m going to the Buttery to have one …)
So, thank heavens, we are living in Rathgar.

Recording of O'Dea singing the Rathgar song can be found below. also his rendition of "The Vampire of Inchicore"
http://www.roguery.com/music/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cpFOVxjIVBA

Dublin City council also holds the Jimmy O'Dea Collection
Link

RTE Radio Documentary The O'Dea Story
Link
Sketches include:
"BUYING THE FURNITURE"
"THE LAST DRINK"
"SIXPENCE EACH WAY"
"MULLIGAN IN COURT"
"BRIGHTER BROADCASTING"
"DOLORES AND ROSIE"
"MR DIOR"
"THE LAST RAILWAY"

Neddyk

Thanks for that Corsandonk. An interesting collection but unfortunately not quite what I am looking for. I have since found out that the piece I am looking for is probably much older than I indicated. There is are references in Phillip B Ryan's book to two recordings

• on Dominion Records " A Romance Of Ireland's Eye" recorded April 1929, released June 1929.
• on Parlophone Records "Irelands Eye" E3817 MR1369 recorded March 1931

I think one or other of these is probably the piece I was looking for.
Thanks again for your kind efforts.

Corsendonk

Have you tried getting in touch with Brendan Balfe? His knowledge of the RTE sound archive is next to none apparently.