Val Doonican-O'Rafferty's Motor Car (with lyrics)

Val Doonican sings this well good it is written by Tommie Connor.
This finishes a trilogy of Val Doonican songs which I enjoyed when young and hope others have discovered and will also reap benefit from. The pictures I have added are mostly gleaned from the tinternet via Google Images. Paint Shop Pro 10 has helped me adjust and add to them. The motor that has been adapted for O'Rafferty's motor car was a Ford Model "A"
Roadster through the years of 1929-32 ... I think.
The map where it shows the shaky road between Dublin and Cork is pretty accurate ... and the pics of O'Connell Street are from ... I guess the 20's and 30's ... the GPO being an up to date photograph. As I have said before ... Hope you get a smile and some pleasure out of this.
Post Script ... Look out for Paddy McGinty's Goat and Delaney's Donkey, the other two of Val Doonican songs. Rock on Val ...
I thought it interesting to show the lyrics ... so ...
O'Rafferty's Motor Car
(Tommie Connor)
Now Dinny O'Rafferty's motor car
Is the greatest I declare
It's made up of bits and pieces
That he's picked up here and there
The engine must be ages old
But it's still got lots of power
With a gallon of stout in the petrol tank
It does ninety miles an hour
What a wonderful motor car
It's the greatest ever seen
It used to be black as me father's hat
Now it's forty shades of green
On TV and the radio
And in every public bar
The burning question of the day
Is O'Rafferty's motor car
Now two of the wheels are triangular
And the third one's off a pram
The fourth is the last remaining wheel
From off a Dublin tram
The number plate's in Gaelic
And the plug's won't even spark
And the chassis came off a tinker's cart
That collapsed in Phoenix Park
Now go for a ride in that motor car
And you'll end up with the shakes
The road from Cork to Dublin
Is a vale of pains and aches
When traffic lights turn red ahead
Then you'd best jump out the door
For the moment that Dinny treads on the break
Then his foot goes through the floor
What a wonderful motor car
It's the greatest ever seen
It used to be black as me father's hat
Now it's forty shades of green
On TV and the radio
And in every public bar
The burning question of the day
Is O'Rafferty's motor car
Now if you could see the upholstery
Then your eyes would start to pop
It's nothing but empty beer crates
With a load of sacks on top
The windscreen's gone to Lord knows where
And there's mothballs in the horn
And I reckon he'd only get half a quid
If he took it to the pawn
Now Dinny was driving around last week
When the engine did the splits
It went up in smoke and nearly blew
O'Connell Street to bits
They searched around for Dinny and found
That he'd landed up by heck
Away on top of the GPO
With his L-plates round his neck
What a wonderful motor car
It's the greatest ever seen
It used to be black as me father's hat
Now it's forty shades of green
On TV and the radio
And in every public bar
The burning question of the day
Is O'Rafferty's motor car

[@thekidinthecorner5854]

Its 2023 and I still listen to this song daily even though its 5 years older than me

[@basilsearle3485]

Fantastic I love val Doonican sorry hes gone bless him singing in heaven now

[@dougnewsam6905]

Brings back memories of my daughter driving around our living room in her pedal car and we are singing this song. Best days i ever lived.

[@jacquelinefox2632]

How do i know this?

[@iamsally]

Having travelled halfway round the world, I can safely say that this is still the best thing I have ever seen. By far.

[@joannagodfrey5111]

The great Val Doonican, the only man who could smile and sing at the same time

[@angelacassidy7956]

Me and my hubby really love this song the more you listen to it .the more it grows on you love val doonican x

[@StoneGossardsGuitarPick]

2022 and this song still remains in my heart

[@johnrowland3105]

Never really appreciated this stuff when i was younger. I always thought he was a bit twee. What with the rocking chair and and the jumpers. BUT boy could this guy give you a giggle with some of the songs!!!

[@Glenn1967ful]

RIP Val Doonican, a real gent and a good singer, I had a version of this car called an Austin Montego that was amost as bad and blew up at a pair of traffic lights. I got £ 30 scrap for it.

[@GaryOBrien-sx6em]

It’s 2024 and I have just by chance found this song and love it.

[@jacquelinefox2632]

Its coming up winter. Make sure you and your family are warm.. And have the best music. 🎤❤️🎼👨‍👩‍👦🎶🦊💖💖💖💖💖💖😘😘

[@johnrowland3105]

How wonderful ! This is one of the songs i remember from his days of being a regular Saturday night fixture on BBC 1 when i was a child during the early 70's. And bravo on the visuals to accompany it ! Beautifully done ! Some of his songs i always found quite 'haunting'. 'Jennifer's Rabbit' still with me to this day !

[@ruthtruthinireland]

38 years ago my brother and I knew this off by heart and would sing it in the car and annoy the livin' daylights out of our parents!

[@jacquelinefox2632]

Greatest car you ever saw... Quinell.... Xxxxx J 🎶🎼🎤🦊

[@ellenstoodley7417]

Can't believe people don't listen to these fun songs

[@christinewyndham-woodroffe9422]

Ha ha I remember watching the Val Doonican show when I was a kid. Brilliant songs, love Delaney's Donkey and Paddy McGinty's Goat too.

[@geoffvizard4919]

R.I.P. to the great Val Doonican, a lovely entertainer !

[@bizzylizzy1uk]

Rest in Peace Val, the heavens have a new angel, God bless you for all the songs I have listened to over the years, you were part of my childhood, and I will treasure the album I have always Good night Val and sweet dreams for all eternity

[@yazzphoto]

LOVE Val Doonican's old comedy songs. The stuff of my childhood. Thank you!