O'Riley is Dead
a song
My dad came home one day, somewhere in 1970, from a long night at the bar with his good friend and business partner, Pat O’Riley. They had invented a short tune as a drinking song, which is the chorus of my offering below. Quite proud of themselves, they were. It stuck with me, and many years later, I decided to write a whole song around the twin brothers O’Riley, and here, it is.
.
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[Chorus]
O’Riley is dead and his brother don’t know it
His brother is dead and O’Riley don’t know it
They’re both of them dead and they’re lyin in bed
And neither one knows that the other one’s dead
[Verse 1]
He made a life fishing the waters of Maine
Trapping the lobster and cursing the rain
The ship he called home will not see him again
Now that O’Riley is dead.
[Verse 2]
So raise up your glasses boys, Give me a toast
He was free with his money and given to boast
It’s 2 in the morning I miss him the most
Now that O’Riley is dead
[Pre-Chorus]
Lend me your legs and we’ll take him to sea
Out to the deeps where he’s longin to be
Was only on water he ever felt free
But Will O’Riley is dead
[Chorus]
O’Riley is dead and his brother don’t know it
His brother is dead and O’Riley don’t know it
They’re both of them dead and they’re lyin in bed
And neither one knows that the other one’s dead
[Melodic Interlude]
[Verse 3]
His brother rests there in his bed quite alone
The fire that roared in the chimney is done
He’d miss Will for sure if he knew he was gone
but Tam O’Riley is dead
[Verse 4]
Tam lived a life that was far from the sea
Tapping the trees for the syrup you see
And he loved his brother as fierce as could be
now Tam O’Riley is dead
[Pre-Chorus]
We’ll bury old Tam where I know he’ll be pleased
To rest in the shade and fertilize trees
Was out in the forest he felt the most free
now Tam O’Riley is dead
[Chorus]
O’Riley is dead and his brother don’t know it
His brother is dead and O’Riley don’t know it
They’re both of them dead and they’re lyin in bed
And neither one knows that the other one’s dead
[Melodic Interlude]
[Verse 5]
They toiled it’s true but they were content
And both of them thought that their life was well spent
Together were born and together they went
The brothers O’Riley are dead
Chorus]
O’Riley is dead and his brother don’t know it
His brother is dead and O’Riley don’t know it
They’re both of them dead and they’re lyin in bed
And neither one knows that the other one’s dead
Style prompts
irish folk drinking song, jig, female voice; stretch the third line of each verse with wistfulness


Beautiful folk lore gorgeous song! Love the Irish ☘️ tune!
I keep picturing your dad and Pat coming home all pleased with themselves over that bar tune~ I’m sorry but that is such dangerous little-song energy cuz now my brain has decided it already knows the chorus.