The day I met O'Reilly it was 22 below
The sparks were flying off me pick, I was up to me neck in snow
His footsteps shook the basement slab, I saw the sky go black
As he roared out, ''I'm your ganger now, so dig until you crack.''

He was bigger than a dumper truck with legs like concrete piles
His face was like a ton of bricks, his teeth were six inch files
His eyes, they shone like danger lamps, his hands were tough as steel
But a man as small as that was never a match for Big McNeill

When the tea came round at dinner-time, he grabbed a gallon tin,
But I said, ''Better put that down, if you would save your skin.
You may be called O'Reilly but I will to you reveal
That the cup you've got your hands on, it belongs to Big McNeill.''

Well, he laughed at me and carried on as if I hadn't spoke
He said, ''A man from Dublin Town can always take a joke.''
But when he picked a shovel up, wee Jimmy gave a squeal 
''You'd better leave that teaspoon, it belongs to Big McNeill.''

Well, everything the ganger touched we said to leave alone
Or else McNeill would grind him up and make plaster of his bones
At last O'Reilly lost his head and said he'd make a meal
Out of any labourer in the squad, especially Big McNeill

Well, we said McNeill was sick in bed and told him where to go
The boys all downed their tools and went along to watch the show
And when we got to Renfrew Street, wee Jimmy danced a reel
To see him thundering at the door to fight the Big McNeill

When the ganger got inside he saw a monster on the bed
A mound as big as a stanchion base with a barrel size of head
He punched it and he thumped it and he hit about with zeal
'Til the missus cried: ''Don't hurt the child, or else I'll tell McNeill.''

He was bigger than a dumper truck with legs like concrete piles
His face was like a load of bricks, his teeth were six inch files
His eyes, they shone like danger lamps, his hands were tough as steel
But a man as small as that was never a match for Big McNeill