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A Town With No Beer
The Town With No Beer Lyrics By Billy Rickard. This song was written during the 1970s when
Dublin Bus and Guinness were on strike. If you're a native of Swords and aged 50 or more you will know the people mentioned
in the song. I'll go through them anyway. 2nd verse Mick Armstrong was the manager of The Big Tree now called The Estuary.
Lala O'Toole was a drinker in the bar. 3th verse Joe Ryan was the owner of Ryans Pub now knocked down and was beside the castle.
Berbie McGlynn was a drinker in Ryans. Next up is The Pound pub and Paschal McGrane owned the pub. Next up Brian Taylor used
to co own The Star and now owns The Slaughtered Lamb. Next is Mick Hannaway who used to work in The Central Bar and now is
the manager of The Star. Gerry O'Brien was the owner of The Cock Tavern pub now owned by Smiths. The Hawthorn was owned by Stephen
Larkin and the reference to ''Going Back To The Land'' is that Stephen came from Armagh and was a farmer there. Sadie
'OToole was co owner of O'Tooles pub along with Pat the brother who kept pigs at the back of the pub which is now called The
Lord Mayors
THE TOWN WITH NO BEER
Its lonesome at home by the telly at night With the Guinness all gone and no buses in sight With the thoughts of these car bombs we're all living in fear Sure its worse than the bogside this town with no beer
Well I said to myself some pints there must be
so I set out for north st down to the Big Tree,
Mick Armstrong said sorry I hate to
Be cruel I sold the last glass of Guinness to Lala OToole Across to the harp I met Larry himself
he shook his head and pointed up to the shelf
Joe Ryan said sorry you need not come in I have one pint of Guinness left for Berbie Mc Glynn
So up to the hollow and down to the Pound
But the kegs were all empty and no welcome I found, Paschal he said you have a nerve for to try
when I have plenty Of drink here you always pass by
Brian Taylor I met at the door of the Star
he gave me a sad smile and got into his car
At the Central Mick Hannaway was sweeping the floor he said the staff are all gone home and I'm closing the door
So I made my way across to Gerry O'Brien
he had no smithwicks or Guinness not even port wine
At the Hawthorn Hotel Stephen he shook my hand he said its all over I'm going back to the land
I made my way my up to the last pub in the town sure
My heart nearly sunk when I saw the blinds down poor Sadie she said sadly we have nothing but cigs and what more said poor Pat there's no slop for the pigs
So we're going through a bad time with these two major strikes
Our tongues hanging out goin 'round on push bikes
I long for the day, when auld Guinness we'll see
And we'll go home again on the 41B
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