Folk and Traditional Song Lyrics:
Mick Sullivans Mad Clock

Mick Sullivan's Mad Clock

Mick Sullivan's Mad Clock

This clock of Mick Sullivan's down in the bog
It gave up keeping time when he started on grog
It took to carousing and drinking strong wine
And it often struck eight when it should have struck nine!

CHO: Radly fol de lol lol, Radly fol del lal aye

It often struck nine when it should have struck eight
And it often struck twelve when it wasn't so late
It started up once in the middle of the night
And kept hammering away till the broad morning light

When it went to the devil Mick took it down
And he yoked up the pony to take it to town
He wanted it fixed by a man in Tralee
But that very same day he was off on the spree

He then got it fixed by a man in Pound Lane
And on the way home sure the clock went insane
It struck every one on the road that it met
And I heard that it struck Micky Arthur to death

When Micky got it home sure he stood it up straight
And he oiled up the springs so the hammers could bate
He dusted it down and adjusted the gongs
And he tightened the screws with the paws of the tongs

Still it stopped one fine day in the month of July
And those that were watching they couldn't say why
From the nail on the wall it suddenly dropped
To the the flag of the fire and twas there sure she stopped

He then hung it up on a sixpenny nail
And he sent for a weapon, they call it a flail
When I went to stop him he told me "Watch out!"
He said "I will smash it without any doubt"

Then he called out for Tommy for to go and to run
And go and tell Paddy to bring down the gun
Paddy came down and he opened it out
He said "It gets too much old knocking about!"

Then he went to the door and he shouted aloud
To call in the neighbours or some kind of crowd
And those that had weapons bring arms or sticks
And those that had nothing could rain it with kicks

The neighbours came round with stick and with club
The houses were empty and so was the pub
They all gathered round it with stick and with rock
And they soon put an end to Mick Sullivan's mad clock.

MR
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