Father O'Flynn

It is generally believed that the original of A.P Graves, “Father O’Flynn” was Father Walsh, a native of Buttevant, County Cork and parish priest of Sneem for over thirty-seven years until his death in 1866. He was an enthusiastic musician and had compiled a manuscript collection of Irish music. An examination of Dr. Petrie’s collection attributes twenty-five melodies obtained from Father Walsh. The air to the song, written in jig-time is also known as ‘Top of the Cork road’ or the older English country dance-tune ‘The Yorkshire lasses’.

There are many versions of this song. The composition below, written in the vernacular, is from a penny ballad sheet, date unknown.

Of praists we can offer a charmin' variety
Far renowned for lernin' and piety,
Still I'd advance ye, widout impropriety,
Father O'Flynn as the flower of them all.
Here's a health to you Father O'Flynn
Slante, and Slante, and Slante again?
Powerfullest preacher, and tinderiest teacher,
And kindest creature in ould Dongal.

Don't talk of your Provest and fellows of Trinty
Famious for ever at Greek and Latinity,
Faix ! and the divils and all at Divinity,
Father O'Flynn'd make hares of them all !
Come, I venture to give you my word,
Never the likes of his lingo was heard,
Down from mythology into thayology,
Troth ! and conchology, if he'd the call.

Oeh ! Father O'Flynn you've a wonderful way wid you,
All ould sinners are wishing to pray wid you;
All the young childer are wild for to play wid you,
You've such a way wid you, Father avick.
Still, for all you've so gentle a soul,
Gad, you've your flock in the grandest control,
Checkin' the crazy one, coxin' onisy ones,
Liftin' the lazy ones wid the stick.

And tho' quite avoidin' all foolish frivolity,
Still at all seasons in innocent joillity,
Where was the play-boy could claim an equality
At comicality, Father, wid you ?
Once the Bishop looked grived at your jest
Till this remark set him off wid the rest
Is it lave gaity all to the laity ?
Cannot the Clargy be Irishmen too ?

Alfred Perceval Graves (1846-1931)