Brian OLinn

Lyrics as collected by Colm O Lochlainn

Brian O Linn had no breeches to wear,
He got an old sheepskin to make him a pair
With the fleshy side out and the woolly side in
“They’ll pleasant and cool,” says Brian O Linn.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Brian O Linn had no shirt to his back
He went to a neighbour’s, and borrowed a sack
Then he puckered the meal bag up under his chin -
“Sure, they’ll take them for ruffles,” said Brian O Linn.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

oxsters = armpits

Brian O Lynn was hard up for a coat
He borrowed a skin of a neighbouring goat,
With the horns sticking out from his oxtsters, and then,
“Sure, they’ll take them for pistols,” says Brian O Lynn.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Brian O Linn had no hat to put on,
So he got an old beaver to make him a one,
There was none of the crown left and less of the brim,
“Sure there’s fine ventilation,” says Brian O Lynn.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Brian O Linn had no brogues to his toes,
He hopped on two crab shells to serve him for those.
Then he split up two oysters that match’d like a twin,
“Sure, they’ll shine out like buckles,” says Brian O Linn.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Brian O Linn had no watch to put on,
So he scooped out a turnip to make him a one.
Then he planted a young cricket in-under the skin -
“Sure, they’ll think it’s a-ticking’,” says Brian O Linn.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Brian O Linn to his house had no door,
He’d the sky for a roof and the bog for a floor
He’d a way to jump out and a way to swim in,
“‘Tis a fine habitation,” says Brian O Linn.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Brian O’Linn went a courtin’ one night,
He set both the mother and daughter to fight;
To fight for his hand they both stripped to the skin,
“Sure I’ll marry you both,” says Brian O Linn.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Brian O Linn, his wife and wife’s mother,
They all lay down in the bed together,
The sheets they were old and the blankets were thin,
“Lie close to the wall,” says Brian O Linn.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Brian O Linn, his wife and wife’s mother,
Were all going home o’er the bridge together,
The bridge it broke down and they all tumbled in,
“We’ll go home by water,” says Brian O Linn.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~