Music and lyrics by Richie Kavanagh
(Richie) …”Johnny!”
(Johnny) …”Ya”
( Richie)…”Did ya like going to school Johnny?”
( Johnny)… “No”
( Richie)…”What was your teacher like?”
Chorus
He was a great big long lank of a loody of a man.
He had an auld Austin, it was like a battered can.
He was my primary teacher, he came from Donegal.
He was awful contrary an’ from him we learnt dam all.
O’ every single morning, we’d line up again the wall.
Then we’d march in a long an’ up along the hall.
The teacher he would strike a match, the fire he’d set a light.
Then the whole lot of us, our prays we would recite.
Chorus
He was a great big long lank of a loody of a man.
He had an auld Austin, it was like a battered can.
He was my primary teacher, he came from Donegal.
He was awful contrary an’ from him we learnt dam all.
The teacher had a great big fire, beside him in the grate.
Not a lot a good to us in the back row off the seat.
You’d be sitting up the front, if you were the teachers pet.
If ye didn’t do your lesson, wut a stick you would be bet.
Chorus
He was a great big long lank of a loody of a man.
He had an auld Austin, it was like a battered can.
He was my primary teacher, he came from Donegal.
He was awful contrary an’ from him we learnt dam all.
He’d be shoutin’ he’d be roarin’ at us all the whole day long.
He’d even start shoutin’ when nothing would be wrong.
If you were good at Irish, he’d be very fond of you.
And if ye didn’t understand it, try an’ bate it into you.
Chorus
He was a great big long lank of a loody of a man.
He had an auld Austin, it was like a battered can.
He was my primary teacher, he came from Donegal.
He was awful contrary an’ from him we learnt dam all.
He was awful contrary an’ from him we learnt dam all.