Story Behind the Song
A great old song about a party I wish I had attended!
Lyrics
LANIGANS BALL
1. In the town of Athy one Jeremy Lanigan
Battered away till he hadn't a pound.
His father died and made him a man again.
Left him a farm and ten acres of ground.
He gave a grand party for friends and relations
Who didn't forget him when come to the wall.
If you'll but listen, Ill make your eyes glisten
At the rows and ructions of Lanigans Ball.
2. Meself to be sure got free invitation
For all the nice girls and boys I might ask.
And just in a minute both friends and relations
Were dancin' 'round merry as bees 'round a cask.
Judy O'Daly, that nice little milner,
She tipped me a wink for to give her a call,
I soon arrived with Peggy McGilligan,
Just in time for Lanigan's Ball.
3. There was lashings of punch and wine for the ladies,
Potatoes and cakes, there was bacon and tea.
There were the Nolans, Dolans, O'Gradys,
A-courtin' the girls and a-dancin' away.
Songs they went round as plenty as water,
"The Harp that Once Sounded through Tara's Old Halls,"
"Sweet Nellie Gray" and "The Rat Catcher's Daughter,"
All singin' together at Lanigan's Ball.
4. They were doin' all kinds of nonsensical polkas,
All 'round the room in a whirlygig.
Julia and I we banished their nonsense,
And tipped them the twist of a reel and a jig.
Och mavrone! How the girls got all mad at me,
Danced 'till you'd think that the ceiling would fall.
For I'd spent three weeks at Brooks' Academy,
Learnin' new steps for Lanigan's Ball.
CHORUS:
Three long weeks I spent up in Dublin.
Three long weeks to learn nothing at all.
Three long weeks I spent up in Dublin,
Learnin' new steps for Lanigan's Ball.
She stepped out and I stepped in again.
I stepped out and she stepped in again.
She stepped out and I stepped in again,
Learnin' new steps for Lanigan's Ball.
5. Boys were all hearty, the girls they were merry
And danced all around in couples and groups.
'Till an accident happened. Young Terence McCarthy
Put his right leg through Miss Finerty's hoops.
Poor creature fainted and cried, "Meelia murther!"
And called for her brothers and gathered them all.
Carmody swore that hed go no further
'Till he had satisfaction at Lanigan's Ball.
6. In the midst of the row Miss Kerrigan fainted,
Her cheeks at the same time as red as a rose.
Some of the lads declared she was painted.
She took a small drop too much, I suppose.
Her sweetheart Ned Morgan, so powerful and able,
When he saw his fair colleen stretched out by the wall,
Tore the left leg from under the table
And smashed all the chaneys at Lanigan's Ball.
7. Boys, oh boys, twas then there was ructions.
Meself got a lick from big Phelam McHugh.
I soon replied to his introduction
And kicked up a terrible hullabaloo.
Old Casey the piper was near bein 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.
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