Arkansas Blog

HOT SPRINGS NATIONAL PARK, Arkansas —  A tune called “There’s No One as Irish as Barack O’Bama “ was selected today as the Official Theme Song of the First Ever Sixth Annual World’s Shortest St. Patrick’s Day Parade March 17 in downtown Hot Springs.

“Parade organizers listened to the song on You Tube and immediately voted unanimously to make this the theme song of this year’s parade,” said Steve Arrison, CEO of the Hot Springs Convention and Visitors Bureau and one of the organizers of the original parade, which is held each year on Bridge Street, America’s shortest street in everyday use.

“It’s got a great chorus that goes, ‘O’Leary, O’Reilly, O’Hare and O’Hara; there’s no one as Irish as Barack O’Bama,” Arrison said.

The explanation for the tune also was posted on the Internet:

“Moneygall is a small village in County Offaly, Ireland, It has a population of approximately 300 people. Moneygall has a Roman Catholic church, five shops, a post office, a police station and two pubs. President-elect [now president] of the United States of America Barack Obama's great great great grandfather, Falmouth Kearney, emigrated from Moneygall to New York City at the age of 19 in 1850 and eventually resettled in Tipton County, 
Ind. Kearney's father had been the village shoemaker, then a wealthy skilled trade.”

The song, written by Hardy Drew, pronounces the president’s first name as BARE-ack and runs on for seven verses and eight choruses:


O'Leary, O'Reilly, O'Hare and O'Hara

There's no one as Irish as Barack O'Bama


You don't believe me, I hear you say

But Barack's as Irish, as was JFK

His granddaddy's daddy came from Moneygall

A small Irish village, well known to you all



Toor a loo, toor a loo, toor a loo, toor a lama

There's no one as Irish As Barack O'Bama



He's as Irish as bacon and cabbage and stew

He's Hawaiian he's Kenyan, American too

He’s in the White House, He took his chance

Now let’s see Barack do Riverdance



Toor a loo, toor a loo, toor a loo, toor a lama

There's no one as Irish As Barack O'Bama



From Kerry and cork to old Donegal

Let’s hear it for Barack from old Moneygall

From the Lakes of Killarney to old Connemara

There’s no one as Irish as Barack O’Bama



O'Leary, O'Reilly, O'Hare and O'Hara

There's no one as Irish as Barack O'Bama

From the old Blarney Stone to the great hill of Tara

There's no one as Irish as Barack O'Bama



2008 the White House is green,
They’re cheering in Mayo and in Skibereen.

The Irish in Kenya, and in Yokahama

Are cheering for President Barack O’Bama



O'Leary, O'Reilly, O'Hare and O'Hara

There's no one as Irish as Barack O'Bama



The Hockey Mom’s gone, and so is McCain

They’re cheering in Texas and in Borrisokane,


In Moneygall town, the greatest of drama,
For our Famous President Barack O’Bama



Toor a loo, toor a loo, toor a loo, toor a lama

There's no one as Irish As Barack O'Bama



The great Stephen Neill, a great man of God,

He proved that Barack was from the Auld Sod

They came by bus and they came by car,
To celebrate Barack in Ollie Hayes’s Bar



O'Leary, O'Reilly, O'Hare and O'Hara

There's no one as Irish as Barack O'Bama

This year’s parade begins at 6 p.m. on Bridge Street in the downtown area. The celebrity grand marshal will be “Cheers” star John Ratzenberger, and there will be an appearance before, during and after the parade by The Famous San Diego Chicken.

Parade entries are being accepted for floats, marching groups, musical groups and others.

For more information call Leysa Robertson at 501-321-2027.