Kid's Songs, Lullabies and Nursery Rhymes For Your Little Stars

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There was an old man called Michael Finnegan
He grew whiskers on his chinnegan
The wind came up and blew them in again
Poor old Michael Finnegan, begin again

There was an old man called Michael Finnegan
He kicked up an awful dinnegan
Because they said he could not sing again
Poor old Michael Finnegan, begin again

There was an old man called Michael Finnegan
He went fishing with a pinnegan
He caught a fish and dropped it in again
Poor old Michael Finnegan, begin again

There was an old man called Michael Finnegan
He grew fat and then grew thin again
Then he died and had to begin again
Poor old Michael Finnegan, begin again

There was an old man called Michael Finnegan
He grew whiskers on his chinnegan
The wind came up and blew them in again
Poor old Michael Finnegan, begin again

There was an old man called Michael Finnegan
He grew fat and then grew thin again
Then he died and had to begin again
Poor old Michael Finnegan, begin again

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Origins of "Michael Finnegan"

This song dates from the First World War, and refers to a bearded Irish soldier named Michael Finnegan, serving in the British army around this time. "Songs and Slang of the British Soldier: 1914-1918, 2nd ed." (Eric Partridge Ltd. Scholartis Press, 1930), quotes the following lyrics:

Poor old Michael Finnegan,
He grew whiskers on his chinnigan.
Shaved them off and they grew in ag'in,
And that's the end of poor Michael Finnegan.

There was a man named Michael Finnegan,
Had a wife called Biddy Finnegan,
She chased him out, then chased him in agin
Which confused Michael Finnegan, begin agin.

There was a man named Michael Finnegan,
Had a daughter, Katherine Finnegan,
She had her a job as a manniquinnagin,
Pretty Katherine Finnegan, begin agin.

After the war, the song caught on, and altered over time to become a "unboundedly long song" sung with and by children, which can continue with numerous improvised variations until the singer decides (or is forced) to stop.

Each four-line verse starts with the line "There was an old man named Michael Finnegan" and ends with the words "Poor old Michael Finnegan (begin ag'in)", leading to another verse. The earliest documented reference to the song in this format is in "The Oxford Song Book, Vol.2", collected and arranged by Thomas Wood (Oxford University Press, 1927).

The song tends to be sung by schoolchildren. It is a popular song often sung around a campfire or during scouting events.

Origins text ©2011 TwinkleTrax Children's Songs.