Michael Finnegan (song)

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Michael Finnegan is an example of an unboundedly long song, which can continue with numerous variations until the singer decides (or is forced) to stop. Like most other unboundedly long songs, this song tends to be sung by schoolchildren. It is a popular song often sung around a campfire or during scouting events. The origin of the words and music is unknown.

Each four-line verse starts with the line "I knew a man named Michael Finnegan" and ends with the words Finnegan-begin-again, leading to another verse. For example:

There was an old man whose named Michael Finnegan
He had whiskers on his chin-igan
They grew out and they grew in-igan
Poor old Michael Finnegan! Begin again...

There was an old man named Michael Finnegan
He went fishing with a pin-again
Caught a fish and threw it in-again
Poor old Michael Finnegan! Begin again...

The song's final verse mocks its own repetitiveness:

There was an old man named Michael Finnegan
He grew fat and then grew thin-again
Then he died and had to begin again-
Poor old Michael Finnegan! Begin again...

An alternative ending is:

Poor old Michael Finnegan! Stop!

[edit] References in popular culture

In Cheaper by the Dozen 2, the Baker family sings it around the campfire.
In the 1989 children's film Wee Sing in Sillyville, this song is sung by the Blue Twirlypops. They not only refuse to stop singing it, but feel they have to.
In Neil Jordan's film Mona Lisa, Cathy sings the song endlessly in George's car.
The Futurama episode Brannigan Begin Again, is named after that song.