The Praties

Lyrics

Lannigan’s Ball

In the town of Athy one Jeremy Lanigan
Battered away 'til he hadn't a pound.
His father he died it made him a man again
Left him a farm and ten acres of ground.

Well he threw a grand party for friends and relations
Who didn't forget him when ‘up to the wall’
If you'll just listen I'll make your heart glisten
To rows and ‘ructions at Lannigan's Ball

Well now, m’self to be sure got free invitation,
To all the nice boys and girls I might ask,
In less in a minute the friends and relations
Were dancing as merry as bees 'round a cask.

For there were lashings of punch and wine for the ladies,
Potatoes and cakes; and bacon and tea,
There were the Nolans, Dolans, and O'Gradys
Courting the girls and dancing away

Six long months I spent in Dublin,
(Six longs months doing nothing at all)
Six long months I spent in Dublin,
(Learning to dance for Lannigan's ball)

She stepped out (and I stepped in again)
And I stepped out (and she stepped in again)
She stepped out (and I stepped in again)
Learning to dance for Lannigan's ball

They were doing all kinds of nonsensical polkas
All around in a whirli ni gig
DeAnna and I, soon banished their nonsense
By taking the floor with Ed Kelly’s Jig.

Well now, how the girls got mad as they danced
'til we thought that the ceiling would fall.
I spent six months at Brooks' Academy
Learning to dance for Lannigan's Ball.

Six long months I spent in Dublin,
(Six longs months doing nothing at all)
Six long months I spent in Dublin,
(Learning to dance for Lannigan's ball)

She stepped out (and I stepped in again)
And I stepped out (and she stepped in again)
She stepped out (and I stepped in again)
Learning to dance for Lannigan's ball

The boys were all merry the girls were all hearty
Dancing around in couples and groups
The accident happened when Terrance McCarty
Put his left foot in Mc Finnity’s hoop

Well the creature she fainted, she screamed bloody murder
She called for her brothers and gathered they all
Carney swore that he’d go no further
Till he got revenge at Lannigans Ball

Six long months I spent in Dublin,
(Six longs months doing nothing at all)
Six long months I spent in Dublin,
(Learning to dance for Lannigan's ball)

She stepped out (and I stepped in again)
And I stepped out (and she stepped in again)
She stepped out (and I stepped in again)
Learning to dance for Lannigan's ball

Then Paddy auld boy ‘twas then there was ructious
And I got a kick from Phelim McHugh
I soon replied to his fine introduction
I kicked up a terrible hullabaloo

Well now, Murphy, the piper was near getting strangled,
They leapt on his pipes, and the chanters and all
The boys and girls, they got all entangled
And that put an end to Lannigan’s Ball

Six long months I spent in Dublin,
(Six longs months doing nothing at all)
Six long months I spent in Dublin,
(Learning to dance for Lannigan's ball)

She stepped out (and I stepped in again)
And I stepped out (and she stepped in again)
She stepped out (and I stepped in again)
Learning to dance for Lannigan's ball

Arrangement by The Praties © 2019 All Rights Reserved