Lanigan's Ball

(album: The Time Has Come - 1983)

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 getting 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