Of priests we can offer a charmin' variety, Far renowned for larnin' and piety: Still, I'd advance you, widout impropriety, Father O'Flynn as the flower of them all. CHORUS. Here's a health to you, Father O'Flynn, Slainte, and slainte, and slainte agin: Powerfulest preacher, and Tinderest teacher, and Kindliest creature in ould Donegal. Don't talk of your Provost and Fellows of Trinity, Famous for ever at Greek and Latinity, Dad and the divels and all at Divinity, Father O'Flynn 'd makes hares of them all. Come, I vinture to give you my word, Never the likes of his logic was heard Down from Mythology Into Thayology, Troth! and Conchology, if he'd the call. CHORUS--Here's a health to you, Father O'Flynn, etc. Och! Father O'Flynn, you've the wonderful way wid you, All ould sinners are wishful 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 conthroul: Checking the crazy ones, Coaxin' onaisy ones, Liftin' the lazy ones on wid the stick. CHORUS--Here's a health to you, Father O'Flynn, etc. And though quite avoidin' all foolish frivolity, Still at all seasons of innocent jollity, Where was the play-boy could claim an equality At comicality, Father, wid you? Once the Bishop looked grave at your jest, Till this remark set him off wid the rest: "Is it lave gaiety All to the laity? Cannot the clargy be Irishmen too?" CHORUS--Here's a health to you, Father O'Flynn, etc. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...THE ANGLER'S SONG by WILLIAM BASSE THE BOHEMIAN HYMN by RALPH WALDO EMERSON THE WILD RIDE by LOUISE IMOGEN GUINEY THE CANDLE INDOORS by GERARD MANLEY HOPKINS EPITAPHS OF THE WAR, 1914-18: BATTERIES OUT OF AMMUNITION by RUDYARD KIPLING THE OLD MAID by GEORGE BARLOW (1847-1913) MARTYRS TO THE MAN by WILLIAM ROSE BENET |