OF VERSE

AMERICAN AND ENGLISH

1580-1918

With an Appendix Containing a Few Well-known Poems
in Other Languages

SONS OF THE EMERALD ISLE

FATHER O'FLYNN

Of priests we can offer a charmin' variety,
Far renowned for larnin' 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,
Sláinte, and sláinte, and sláinte agin;
Powerfulest preacher, and
Tinderest teacher, and

Kindliest creature in ould Donegal.

Don't talk of your Provost and Fellows of Trinity,
Famous forever at Greek and Latinity,
Faix! and the divels and all at Divinity-
Father O'Flynn'd make hares of them all!

Come, I vinture to give ye my word,

Niver the likes of his logic was heard,
Down from mythology

Into thayology,

Troth! and conchology if he'd the call.

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 control,

Checking the crazy ones,

Coaxin' onaisy ones,

Liftin' the lazy ones on wid the stick.

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