Lyrics of Lanigan's ball

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 threw a grand party to friends and relations
Who didn't desert him when it comes to the will,
And if you'll but listen i'll make your eyes glisten
And spin you a tale of lanigan's ball

Six whole months i spent in dublin,
Six whole months doing nothing at all
Six whole months i spent in dublin,
Learning to dance for lanigan's ball
I stepped out and he stepped in again
He stepped out and i stepped in again
I stepped out and he stepped in again
Learning to dance to lanigan's ball

Myself 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 dancing as 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 whole months i spent in dublin,
Six whole months doing nothing at all
Six whole months i spent in dublin,
Learning to dance for lanigan's ball
I stepped out and he stepped in again
He stepped out and i stepped in again
I stepped out and he stepped in again
Learning to dance to lanigan's ball

They were doing all kinds of nonsensical polkas
Around the room in a whirligig
But julia and i, we banished their nonsense
And gave them a taste of a real irish jig.
Oh, how the girls got all mad at me
Danced 'til we thought that the ceiling would fall.
For i spent three weeks at brooks' academy
Learning new steps for lanigan's ball.

Six whole months i spent in dublin,
Six whole months doing nothing at all
Six whole months i spent in dublin,
Learning to dance for lanigan's ball
I stepped out and he stepped in again
He stepped out and i stepped in again
I stepped out and he stepped in again
Learning to dance to lanigan's ball!