Christy Moore - Lanigans Ball lyrics

In the town of Athy
One Jeremy Lanigan battered away till
He hadn't a shilling
His father died, made him a man again
Left him a farm and ten acres of ground
Myself, to be sure
Got invitations for the boys and
Girls I might ask having been asked
Friends and relations danced like bees
Around a sweet cask
There was lashings of drink
Wine for the ladies
Potatoes and cake bacon and tea
Nolans and Dolans and all the O'Gradys
Courting the girls and dancing away
While songs went round as plenty as water
The harps that are sounded
Through Tara's old hall
Biddie Grey and the rat catcher's daughter
Singing away 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
She stepped out
I stepped in again i stepped out
And she stepped in again
She stepped out, I stepped in again
Learning to dance for Lanigan's ball

They were doing all kinds of nonsensical
Dances all around in a whirligig
Julie and I soon banished their nonsense
Out on the floor for a reel and a jig
How the girls all got mad at me
For they thought the ceilings would fall
I spent six months in Brook's Academy
Learning to dance for Lanigan's ball
Well the boys were merry and
The girls all hearty
Dancing around in their couples and groups
An accident happened Terence McCarthy
He put his boot through Miss Finnerty's hoops
She fell down in a faint and cried
'Holy murder!'
Called her brothers and gathered them all
Carmody swore he'd go no further till
He got revenge at Lanigan's ball

Boys oh boys 'tis then there was ructions i
Got a belt from Phelim Mc Hugh
I replied to his introduction
Kicked up a terrible hullabaloo
Moloney the piper was near gettin' smothered
They leapt on his pipes, bellows
Chanter and all
Boys and girls all got entangled and that
Put an end to Lanigan's ball