In the town of Athy
one Jeremy Lanigan
Battered away 'til
he hadn't a pound
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 didn't forget him
when it comes
to the will
And if you'll but listen
I'll make your eyes glisten
Of the rows and the
ructions of
Lanigan's Ball
Myself to be sure
got a free invitation,
For all the nice girls
and boys I might ask
And just in a minute
both friends and relations
Were dancing 'round
merry as bees
'round a cask
There were lashings of
punch and wine
for the ladies
Potatoes and cakes
there was bacon
and tea
There were the
Nolans, Dolans, O'Gradys
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
All 'round the room
in a whirligig
Julia and I, we
banished their nonsense
And tipped them the
twist of a reel and a jig
Oh how the girls
got all mad at me
Danced 'til you'd think
the ceiling would fall
For I spent three weeks
at Brooks' Academy
Learning new steps
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 out
And I stepped out
Learning new steps
for Lanigan's Ball
And I stepped out
And I stepped out
And I stepped out
Learning new steps
for Lanigan's Ball
Boys were all merry and
the girls they were hearty
and danced all around in
couples and groups till an
accident happened to
Terrance McCarthy
Put his right leg
through miss
Finnerty's hoops
Poor creature fainted
and cried
Meelia murther
Called for her brothers
and gathered them all
Carmody swore that
he'd go no further
Till he had 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
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
'twas then there
were runctions
Myself got a lick from
big Phelim McHugh
I soon replied to
his kind introduction
And kicked up a
terrible hullabaloo
Old Casey, the piper
was near being strangled
They squeezed up his pipes
bellows, chanters and all
The girls, in their ribbons
they got all 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
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 out
And I stepped out
Learning new steps
for Lanigan's Ball
And I stepped out
And I stepped out
And I stepped out
Learning new steps
for Lanigan's Ball