Paddy

It also is slang positive and negative for an Irishman...and this is the origin. The Irish came to England en masse from two origins. The potato famine in the 1800's when starvation was real, many found passage to the U.S., Canada, on ship work to anywhere in the world there was food. Also cheap workers were needed for cutting by pick and shovel the canal and rail network. They came in their thousands and many settled along the way. Positively many were shortened from Patrick to Pat or Paddy and it became a euphemism for the persons Irish origins. Then the Irish were well known for enjoying a drink and having a short tempered fuse and kicking off. They caused fights, were well built brawny men through physical labour work...and thirsty when ale quenched thirst, water was polluted. Police came in closed dark wagons...horse and cart at first, nick named paddy wagons as they carried more Irish than English. Appeasing an Irishman by giving him something positive to try and defuse his temper is where the rhyme song came from This old man, he played one (as in fought one) He played Knick knack on my drum (first called bum) Knick Knack paddy whack, give the man a bone (appease him, give him something to calm him) This old man came rolling home (as in drunk)