Dear Old Donegal

"Dear Old Donegal" is a traditional Irish folk song popularized by American singer Bing Crosby and written by Steve Graham. The song has an 'upbeat' rhythm and is meant to be the words of a poor Irishman who has to leave his homeland to go to America, however, he gets to return to his native County Donegal after becoming successful in the United States. The unlikely first lines are "It seems like only yesterday / I sailed from out of Cork", as, for someone from Donegal,leaving from Cork is akin to travelling from Boston to San Diego rather than New York to travel to Ireland. Derry would be the most likely port of departure from Donegal. ^[1]

Dear Old Donegal was also performed by Judy Garland, Zina Bethune, and Vic Damone as part of the All-Purpose Holiday Medley on The Judy Garland Show in 1963.^[2]. It was parodied by Allan Sherman on his album "My Son, the Folk Singer", as "Shake Hands With Your Uncle Max", using Jewish references rather than Irish. The tune of the song was used in the US comedy Family Guy for the song "Drunken Irish Dad", which was sung by Peter Griffin in the episode "Peter's Two Dads". The song was even nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Original Music and Lyrics at the 59th Primetime Emmy Awards.^[3]

Recordings

• Bing Crosby
• Mike Douglas, whose version appeared on an episode of Space Ghost
• Shirley Ross, performed on Command Performance in 1943
• Dennis Morgan, performs it in the film My Wild Irish Rose (1947)
• Connie Francis
• Josef Locke
• Ruby Murray
• Paddy Noonan
• Paul O'Keefe
• Dennis Day

Lyrics

Chorus only

Shake hands with your Uncle Mike, me boy,

And here's your sister, Kate.

And sure there's the girl you used to swing

Down by the garden gate.

Shake hands with all your neighbours,

And kiss the colleens all

You're as welcome as the flowers in May

To dear old Donegal.

References

1. ^ "Song Lyrics: Dear Old Donegal". Triskelle.eu. 2007-03-28. http://www.triskelle.eu/lyrics/dearolddonegal.php?index=080.010.020.040. Retrieved 2009-04-01. 
2. ^ Larsen, Ken (2007). "Judy Garland TV Songs". Judy Garland Database. http://www.jgdb.com/jgtv1.htm. Retrieved 2009-04-01. 
3. ^ "Outstanding Animated Program (for Programming Less Than One Hour)". Emmys.org. 2007. http://www.emmys.org/awards/2007pt/59thnominations.php. Retrieved 2008-01-14.