The Old Orange Flute

Lyrics

[Verse 1] In the County Tyrone, near the town of Dungannon There was many a ructions that meself had a hand in Bob Williamson lived there, a weaver by trade And all of us thought him a stout Orange blade On the Twelfth of July as it yearly did come Bob played on his old flute to the sound of the drum You can talk of your harp, your piano or lute But nothing compare with the Old Orange Flute [Chorus] Toora-loo, Toora-loo! Sure, it's 6 miles from Bangor to Donaghadee [Verse 2] Ah but Bob, the deceiver, sure he took us all in And he married a Papist called Bridget McGinn Turned Papist himself and forsook the old cause That gave us our freedom, religion and laws Now, boys of the place made some comment upon it And Bob had to fly to the province of Connaught Well he fled with his wife and his fixings to boot And along with the latter his Old Orange Flute [Chorus] Toora-loo, Toora-loo! Sure, it's 6 miles from Bangor to Donaghadee [Verse 3] At the chapel on Sunday to atone for past deeds He said Pater and Aves and he counted his beads 'Til after some time, at the priest's own desire Bob went with his old flute to play in the choir Well he went with his old flute to play in the Mass But the instrument shivered and sighed, oh, alas And blow as he would, though it made a great noise Oh, the flute would play only "The Protestant Boys" [Chorus] Toora-loo, Toora-loo! Sure, it's 6 miles from Bangor to Donaghadee [Verse 4] At the council of priests that was held the next day They decided to banish the old flute away They couldn't knock heresy out of it's head So they bought Bob a new one to play in it's stead Now the old flute it was doomed and its fate was pathetic Was fastened and burned at the stake as heretic As the flame roared around, sure they heard a quare noise Was the old flute still playing "The Protestant Boys" [Chorus] Toora-loo, Toora-loo! Sure, it's 6 miles from Bangor to Donaghadee