Testo Lannigan's Ball

in the town of athy, one jeremy lannigan
battered away til he hadn't a pound
his father died and it made him a man again
left him a farm and ten acres of ground
he gave a grand ball to his friends and relations
who did not forget him when sent to the wall
If you'll only listen, I'll make your eyes glisten
at the rows and the ructions of lannigan'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 lannigan's ball
I stepped out and I stepped in again
I stepped out again, I stepped in again
I stepped out, I stepped in again
learning to dance for lannigan's ball

Myself to be sure got a free invitation
for all the nice girls and boys that I'd ask
in less tha a minute the friends and relations
were dancing as merry as bees round the cask
miss o'hara the nice little milliner tipp'd me a wink to give her a call
and soon we arrived with timothy galligan
just in time for lannigan's ball

chorus

they were doing all kind of nonsensical polkas
all round the room in a near whirligig
but julia and me soon banish'd the nonsense
and tipp'd them a twist of a real irish jig
Och Mavarone, 'twas she that was glad o' me
and danced til you'd think the ould ceiling would fall
For I spent a whole fortnight at burke's academy
larnin' a step for mr. lannigan's ball

chorus

the boys were all merry the girls were all hearty
dancing away in couples and groups
til an accident happened, young terrence mccarthy
Put his right leg on miss flaherty's hoops
the creature she fainted -- roared milia murder
called for her friends and gathered them all
Ned Carmody swore he'd go no further
but he'd have satisfaction at lannigan's ball

chorus

In the midst of the row miss kerrigan fainted
her cheeks all the while being red as the rose
some of the ladies declare 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
he tore the leg out from under the table
and smashed all the chaney (*china) at lanningan's ball

chorus

oh boys there was a ruction
myself got a kick from big phelim mccue
But I soon replied to this fine introduction
and kicked up a terrible phillabooloo
ould casey the piper was near being strangled
they squeezed up his pipes bellows chanters and all
the girls in their ribbons were all entangled
and that put an end to lannigan's ball