Macnamara's Band Lyrics

My name is McNamara, I'm the Leader of the Band,
And tho' we're small in number we're the best in all the land.
Oh! I am the Conductor, and we often have to play
With all the best musicianers you hear about to-day.

[Chorus: When the drums go bang, the cymbals clang, the horns will blaze away, MacCarthy puffs the ould bassoon while Doyle the pipes will play; Oh! Hennessy Tennessy tootles the flute, my word 'tis something grand, Oh! a credit to Ould Ireland, boys, is McNamara's Band]

We play at wakes and weddings, and at every county ball,
And at any great man's funeral we play the "Dead March in Saul,"
When the Prince of Wales to Ireland came, he shook me by the hand,
And said he'd never heard the like of "McNamara's Band."