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THE KINSALE HERRING Lead vocal, guitar and tinwhistle: Richard Harmony, Fiddle: Peter

An Irish sea song from the south coast.

LYRICS:

There was an old man who came from Kinsale
Sing aborum fane, sing aborum ling
And he had a herring, a herring for sale
Sing aborum fane, sing aborum ling
Sing man from Kinsale with a herring for sale
Sing aborum fane, sing aborum ling
And indeed I have more of my herring to sing
Sing aborum fane, sing aborum ling

And what do you think they made of his head?
The finest griddle that ever baked bread
Sing herring, sing head, sing griddle, sing bread

What do you think they made of his mouth?
The finest kettle that ever did spout
Sing herring, sing mouth, sing kettle, sing spout

And what do you think they made of his back?
A nice little man, his name it was Jack
Sing herring, sing back, sing man, sing Jack

And what do you think they made of his belly?
A nice little girl, her name it was Nelly
Sing herring, sing belly, sing girl, sing Nelly

And what do you think they made of his bones?
The finest hammer that ever broke stones
Sing herring, sing bones, sing hammer, sing stones

And what do you think they made of his bottom?
The finest old woman that ever spun cotton
Sing herring, sing bottom, sing woman, sing cotton

And what do you think they made of his tail?
Sing aborum fane, sing aborum ling
The finest ship that ever did sail
Sing aborum fane, sing aborum ling
Sing herring, sing tail, sing ship, sing sail
Sing aborum fane, sing aborum ling
And I have no more of my herring to sing
Sing aborum fane, sing aborum ling

NOTES: An Irish sea song from the south coast. This can be found in James N. Nealy, Irish Songs of the Sea. Stan Hugill, in one of his "Bosun's Locker" articles in Spin Magazine, tells about a sailor who sang a shanty version of this song.