Galway Races

As I went down to Galway Town To seek for recreation On the seventeenth of August My mind bein' elevated There were multitudes assembled With their tickets at the station My eyes began to dazzle As I'm off to see the races With me whack-fol the do-fol the Diddly-idle-day There were passengers from Limerick And passengers from Nenagh And passengers from Dublin And men from Tipperary There were passengers from Kerry And all quarters of our nation Our member, Mr. Hearst For to see the Galway Races With me whack-fol the do-fol the Diddly-idle-day There were multitudes from Aran And the members of the New Quay shore And boys from Connemara And the Claire unmarried maidens There were people from Cork City Who were loyal, true, and faithful Who brought home Fenian prisoners From diverse foreign nations With me whack-fol the do-fol the Diddly-idle-day It's there you'll see confectioners With sugar sticks and dainties With lozenges and oranges With lemonade and raisins The gingerbread and spices To accommodate the ladies And big cubeen for thruppence To be pickin' while you're able With me whack-fol the do-fol the Diddly-idle-day It's there you'll see the gamblers The thimbles and the garters The spotting wheel of fortune With the four and twenty quarters There was others without scruple Pelting wattles at poor Maggie And her father's well contented As he's lookin' at his daughter With me whack-fol the do-fol the Diddly-idle-day It's there you'll see the pipers And the fiddlers competin' The nimble footed dancers A-trippin' 'round the daises There was other cryin' cigars And lights and bills for all the races The colors of the jockeys And the prize and horses' ages With me whack-fol the do-fol the Diddly-idle-day (It's there you'll see the jockeys And they're mounted out so stately The pink, the blue, the orange, the green The emblem of our nation) When the bell was rung for starting All the horses seemed impatient I thought they never touched the ground Their speed was so amazin' With me whack-fol the do-fol the Diddly-idle-day There was half a million people there From all denominations The Catholic, the Protestant The Jew, the Presbyterian There was yet no animosity No matter your persuasion But failte and hospitality Inducin' fresh acquaintance With me whack-fol the do-fol the Diddly-idle-day With me whack-fol the do-fol the Diddly-idle-day With me whack-fol the do-fol the Diddly-idle-day