The O'Rourkes In Song & Poetry

BUY An Irish Odyssey- A History of the Family of O'Rourke by Stephen Vincent O'Rourke -

A detailed account of the history surrounding the O'Rourke surname.. If your surname is O'Rourke or one of its' variant spellings or if you are friends with an O'Rourke, you owe it to yourself to buy this unique book. Written, researched and edited by Irish-American Stephen Vincent O'Rourke, this book is the first history of the family written by one of it's own

.Higginson Books of Salem, MA is offering this title on a print-to order book as a softcover ($24.50) or hardcover ($36.50). To place an order simply click on the link above, scroll down to item MP00125, and add it to your shopping cart. Both versions are in large format (8 1/2 by 11).

Perhaps the most famous is 'Plearaca 'na Ruairc' or O'Rourkes Revel Rout- a song that was was composed by blind harper Turlough O'Carolan with lyrics by his friend Aodh Mac Gabhrain (Hugh MacGauran) of Leitrim. The words were later set to poetry by Jonathan Swift in 1721. The following in a 1782 translation by Charles Wilson

O'Rourke's Revel Rout (O'Carrol & McGauran)

O'Rourke's revel rout let no person forget
Who has been, who will be,or never has yet

See seven score hogs in the morning we slay
With bullocks and sheep for the feasting each day

Hundred pails usquebaugh drunk in madders like wort
In the morning we rise and with us was the sports

My breeches is stole, my pipe it is broke
My pocket is picked, where the devil's my cloak?

My kercher I've lost and my mantle's not on
Seven blessings be with them, my friends are all gone

Come, strike up the harp, your music in haste
A swill of your liquor, how quiet the feast

A-shaking their feathers, just roused their slumber
By the noise of the harp and of feet without number

The sons of O'Rourke bounced up in a throng
Each man with his woman and danced to the song

Till the ground shaking under partook of their cogues
Which as they quick trotted glig-glugged in their brogues

Long life and god health to you, Loughlin O'Enegan
By my hand, you dance bravely, Margery Grinigan!

Here's to you, dear mother, I thank you, dear Pat

Come shake us down rushes an excellent bed
And over us next the winnow-cloth spread

Dear Anna, some snuff, to keep me awake
And a little to drink as long as I speak

Good heaven how strange! What must people think?
After filling their skins thus to fight in their drink!

Such stabbing, such gashing, such tugging and strife
Half and arm at least the length of each knife!

What sounding, rebounding, a hundred heads broke!
My father he built the monastery of Lusk
With Boyle, Sligo, Galway and Carrickdrumrusk

Betagh of Moynalty and the Earl of Kildare
I was nursed by their mother-ask that woman there!

"Who raised this alarm?" says one of the clergy
A-threatening severely, "Cease fighting, I charge ye!"

A good knotted staff, the full of his hand
Instead of the spiridis backed his command

So falling to thresh fast as he was able
A trip and a box fetched him under the table

Then rose a big friar to settle them straight
But the back of the fire was quickly his fate!

From whence he cried out, "Do ye thus treat your pastors?
Ye, who scarcely were bred to the Seven Wise Masters!

That when with he Pope I was getting my lore
Ye were roasting potatoes not far from Sheemore!"

O'ROURKE's Reel, also known as “The Wild Irishman .” This old folk song originated in County Sligo, Roscommon, west Kerry. It was a popular record in 1934, recorded by Michael Coleman on Decca Records.

Coming soon the complete 'The Valley Lay Smiling Before Me', Sir Thomas Moore's lamentation for King Tiernan O'Rourke.

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