Lanigan's Ball

In the town of Athy one Jeremy Lanigan Battered away till he hadn't a pound And his father he died and made him a man again, Left him a farm and ten acres of ground He gave a grand party to friends and relations Who did not forget him when come to the wall If you'd only listen, I'll make your eyes glisten At the rows and ructions of Lanigan's ball Myself to be sure to got free invitations For all the nice girls and boys I might ask In less than a minute both friends and relations Were dancing as merry as bees round a cask Lashing of punch and wine for the ladies Potatoes, cakes, there was bacon and tea There were the Nolans, Dolans, O'Grady's Courting the girls and dancing away Six long months I spent in Dublin Six long months doing nothing at all Six long months I spent in Dublin Learning to dance for Lanigan's ball They were doing all kinds of nonsensical polkas Round the room in a whirly gig But Julia and I soon banished their nonsense And tipped them a twist of a real Irish jig Oh how the girl she really got mad and me Danced that you'd think that the ceiling would fall For I spent three weeks at Brooks Academy Learning to dance for Lanigan's ball Six long months I spent in Dublin Six long months doing nothing at all Six long months I spent in Dublin Learning to dance for Lanigan's ball And I stepped out - and I stepped in again Learning to dance for Lanigan's ball The boys were as merry, the girls all hearty Dancing around in couples and groups Till an accident happened, young Terence McCarthy He put his right leg through Miss Finerty's hoops The creature she fainted and cried "Meelia Murther" And called for her brothers and gathered them all Carmody swore that he'd go no further, Till he'd satisfaction at Lanigan's ball Six long months I spent in Dublin Six long months doing nothing at all Six long months I spent in Dublin Learning to dance for Lanigan's ball Boys, oh boys, 'tis there was ructions Myself got a kick from big Phelim McHugh And I soon replied to his kind introduction And kicked him a terrible hullabaloo Casey the piper was nearly being strangled They squeezed up his pipes, bellows, chanters and all And the girls in their ribbons they all got entangled And that put an end to Lanigan's ball Six long months I spent in Dublin Six long months doing nothing at all Six long months I spent in Dublin Learning to dance for Lanigan's ball And I stepped out - and I stepped in again Learning to dance for Lanigan's ball