McCarthy's Party
Larry Kearns vocal; John Howarth vocal, banjo, bones; Gerry Kearns vocal, guitar, bass drum.
McCarthy’s Party
Oh a noble man you’ll see, If you only look at me,
For the other night I met McCarthy,
Going on his way, he to me did say,
Why don’t you come down to our party.
Our house to be sure, will be crowded to the door,
For everyone will be gay and hearty,
The Tower’s , Burk’s and Baily’s will be there with their shillelagh’s,
Down at McCarthy’s Party.
(Chorus)
At McCarthy’s party, everyone was hearty,
‘Till someone hit, Mallony on the nose
With a handle of a broom, O’Hara swept the room,
Then a row a roar it was murder
Geary and his cousin paralysed a half a dozen,
They hit both swift and hard, and a number of the boys
Will never make noise, because their lying in the old church yard.
What began the row? Well I’ll tell it to you now,
For Burk you see was a bit of a dandy,
Mallony he got up, an’ said he was a pup
Told him straight as he wasn’t worth candy,
Murphy took a look, the frying pan he took,
Poor Mallony’s nose came handy,
Give him such a clatter, where, right across the snatter,
Where, down at McCarthy’s party.
(Chorus)
At McCarthy’s party, everyone was hearty,
‘Till someone hit, Mallony on the nose
With a handle of a broom, O’Hara swept the room,
Then a row a roar it was murder
Geary and his cousin paralysed a half a dozen,
They hit both swift and hard, and a number of the boys
Will never make noise, because their lying in the old church yard.
A lady she did try, she tried to pacify, (Troth)
For she was a fine old creature,
Singing like a bull, she was beautiful,
Madam Hammond, couldn’t imitate her,
She opened up her mouth,
North, east, west an’ south,
For all the world like an alligator,
She couldn’t get it shut,
So Murphy put his foot, where,
Down at McCarthy’s party.
(Chorus)
At McCarthy’s party, everyone was hearty,
‘Till someone hit, Mallony on the nose
With a handle of a broom, O’Hara swept the room,
Then a row a roar it was murder
Geary and his cousin paralysed a half a dozen,
They hit both swift and hard, and a number of the boys
Will never make noise, because their lying in the old church yard.
McCarthy’s Party
Oh a noble man you’ll see, If you only look at me,
For the other night I met McCarthy,
Going on his way, he to me did say,
Why don’t you come down to our party.
Our house to be sure, will be crowded to the door,
For everyone will be gay and hearty,
The Tower’s , Burk’s and Baily’s will be there with their shillelagh’s,
Down at McCarthy’s Party.
(Chorus)
At McCarthy’s party, everyone was hearty,
‘Till someone hit, Mallony on the nose
With a handle of a broom, O’Hara swept the room,
Then a row a roar it was murder
Geary and his cousin paralysed a half a dozen,
They hit both swift and hard, and a number of the boys
Will never make noise, because their lying in the old church yard.
What began the row? Well I’ll tell it to you now,
For Burk you see was a bit of a dandy,
Mallony he got up, an’ said he was a pup
Told him straight as he wasn’t worth candy,
Murphy took a look, the frying pan he took,
Poor Mallony’s nose came handy,
Give him such a clatter, where, right across the snatter,
Where, down at McCarthy’s party.
(Chorus)
At McCarthy’s party, everyone was hearty,
‘Till someone hit, Mallony on the nose
With a handle of a broom, O’Hara swept the room,
Then a row a roar it was murder
Geary and his cousin paralysed a half a dozen,
They hit both swift and hard, and a number of the boys
Will never make noise, because their lying in the old church yard.
A lady she did try, she tried to pacify, (Troth)
For she was a fine old creature,
Singing like a bull, she was beautiful,
Madam Hammond, couldn’t imitate her,
She opened up her mouth,
North, east, west an’ south,
For all the world like an alligator,
She couldn’t get it shut,
So Murphy put his foot, where,
Down at McCarthy’s party.
(Chorus)
At McCarthy’s party, everyone was hearty,
‘Till someone hit, Mallony on the nose
With a handle of a broom, O’Hara swept the room,
Then a row a roar it was murder
Geary and his cousin paralysed a half a dozen,
They hit both swift and hard, and a number of the boys
Will never make noise, because their lying in the old church yard.
This is not the first time that McCarthy’s Party has been recorded and folk might wonder why the Oldham Tinkers are singing an Irish song. There are many answers. One is the ‘Irish Connection’
the lads are second-generation Irish. Also in the environment in which John, Gerry and Larry were reared, Irish songs and customs were far from uncommon. In addition, McCarthy’s Party became the hallmark of St Mary’s Amateur Rugby League Club, when it functioned, and was even adopted by St Anne’s Amateur Rugby League Club. Whenever ex-players congregated socially, the gathered multitude is treated to McCarthy’s Party, accompanied by enthusiastic actions and much elbow power on the backs of chairs. The surnames heard in this version of the song are those of the lads who played for St Mary’s in the 1950’s.
the lads are second-generation Irish. Also in the environment in which John, Gerry and Larry were reared, Irish songs and customs were far from uncommon. In addition, McCarthy’s Party became the hallmark of St Mary’s Amateur Rugby League Club, when it functioned, and was even adopted by St Anne’s Amateur Rugby League Club. Whenever ex-players congregated socially, the gathered multitude is treated to McCarthy’s Party, accompanied by enthusiastic actions and much elbow power on the backs of chairs. The surnames heard in this version of the song are those of the lads who played for St Mary’s in the 1950’s.
McCarthy's Party
Larry Kearns vocal; John Howarth vocal, banjo, bones; Gerry Kearns vocal, guitar, bass drum.
That Lancashire Band 12TS399 stereo
The Oldham Tinkers
First published by TOPIC 1979
Produced by Tony Russell
Recorded by John Brierley, Cargo Recording Studio, Rochdale, April 1979
Notes by Larry Kearns
Released under licence from Topic Records Ltd, England
That Lancashire Band PIERCD 504
Re issued in 2000 by Pier Records
Pier Records is a Wooden Hill Recordings Ltd Label
Larry Kearns vocal; John Howarth vocal, banjo, bones; Gerry Kearns vocal, guitar, bass drum.
That Lancashire Band 12TS399 stereo
The Oldham Tinkers
First published by TOPIC 1979
Produced by Tony Russell
Recorded by John Brierley, Cargo Recording Studio, Rochdale, April 1979
Notes by Larry Kearns
Released under licence from Topic Records Ltd, England
That Lancashire Band PIERCD 504
Re issued in 2000 by Pier Records
Pier Records is a Wooden Hill Recordings Ltd Label