Eanáir - The Old Man From Over The Sea

There was an old man came over the sea

Aye, but I'll not have him

There was an old man came over the sea

Came snivelling, snuffling, over on me

With his long grey beard, with his long grey beard

A‐shivering and shaking.

My mother she told me to bid him come in

Aye, but I'll not have him

My mother she told me to bid him come in

And he giggled and dribbled all over his chin

With his long grey beard, with his long grey beard

A‐shivering and shaking.

My mother she told me to give him a stool

Aye, but I'll not have him

My mother she told me to give him a stool

Well, I gave him a stool, and he sat like a fool

With his long grey beard, with his long grey beard

A‐shivering and shaking.

My mother she told me to give him some cake

Aye, but I'll not have him

My mother she told me to give him some cake

And the silly old fool wriggled just like a snake

With his long grey beard, with his long grey beard

A‐shivering and shaking.

My mother she told me to pass him the sugar

Aye, but I'll not have him

My mother she told me to pass him the sugar

And he shrivelled and shovelled it down like a bugger

With his long grey beard, with his long grey beard

A‐shivering and shaking.

My mother she told me to take him to bed

Aye, but I'll not have him

My mother she told me to take him to bed

And the daft old devil nigh stood on his head

With his long grey beard, with his long grey beard

A‐shivering and shaking.

My mother told me to show him what to do

Aye, but I'll not have him

My mother told me to show him what to do

But the silly old cod couldn’t learn how to screw

With his long grey beard, with his long grey beard

A‐shivering and shaking.

My mother she told me to bid him farewell

Aye, but I'll not have him

My mother she told me to bid him farewell

Well, I bid him farewell and I wished him in Hell

With his long grey beard, with his long grey beard

A‐shivering and shaking.

There was an old man came over the sea

Aye, but I'll not have him

There was an old man came over the sea

Came snivelling, snuffling, over on me

With his long grey beard, with his long grey beard

A‐shivering and shaking.

      The song evokes themes of memory, distance, and the enduring marks left by migration. Its title suggests a figure shaped by journeys, separation, and experiences carried across generations. The song’s atmosphere feels reflective, inviting listeners to consider belonging, identity, and the passage of time. The old man becomes a symbol of history, resilience, and the emotional weight of distant shores.