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Published in NY in 1863 with words attributed to Tony Pastor as sung by Dan Bryant and Bryant's Minstrels.
Nate likes a version by The Jolly Beggarmen. The Jolly Beggarmen were a Dublin based band active in the 1970s and played mainly in Ireland and much of the music was recorded in the pubs. Like the Clancys they also did a bunch of Rebel tunes - more about them on this thread on mudcat
Lanigan's Ball
by trad
In the [Am] town of A-thy one Jeremy Lannigan [G]
battered away till he hadn’t a pound.
His [Am] father he died, made him a man again,
left him a [E7] farm and ten [Am] acres of ground.
He gave a grand party for friends and relations
who wouldn’t forget him when come to the wall.
If you will listen, I’ll make your eyes glisten
at rows and ructions at Lanigan’s Ball.
( Chorus
[Am] Six long months I [G] spent in Dublin,
[Am] six long months doin’ [E7] nuthin at all.
[Am] Six long months I [G] spent in Dublin
[Am] learning to [E7] dance for [Am] Lanigan’s Ball.
I stepped out, I stepped in again, I stepped out, I stepped in again.
I stepped out, I stepped in again, learning to dance for Lanigan’s Ball. )
Meself to be sure got free invitations
for all the nice girls and boys I might ask
Just in a minute both friends and relations
were dancing as merry as bees ‘round a cask
There was lashings of punch, wine for the ladies;
potatoes and cakes, there was bacon and tay
There were the Nolans, the Dolans, O’Gradys
courting the girls and dancing away.
They were doing all kinds of nonsensical polkas,
all ‘round the room in a whirligig
Till Julie and I soon banished their nonsense
and tipped them a twist of a real Irish jig
O how that girl she got mad at me and we
danced till we thought that the ceilings would fall
For I spent three weeks at Brook’s Academy
learning to dance for Lanigan’s Ball.
(Chorus)
The boys were all merry, the girls all hearty
dancing together in couples and groups
Till an accident happened, young Terrance McCarthy;
he put his right leg through Miss Finnerty’s hoops
The creature she fainted and called ‘melia murder’;
called for her brothers and gathered them all
Carmody swore that he’d go no further;
he’d get satisfaction at Lanigan’s Ball
In the midst of the row Miss Kerrigan fainted;
her cheeks at the same time as red as a rose
Some of the boys decreed 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 streched by the wall
He tore the left leg from under the table
and smashed all the dishes at Lanigan’s Ball
(Chorus)
Boys, O boys tis then there was ructions;
I took a leg from young Phelim McHugh
But soon I replied to his fine introductions
and kicked him a terrible hullaballoo
Old Casey the piper he nearly got strangled;
they squeezed up his pipes, bellows, chanters and all
The girls in their ribbons they all got entangled
and that put an end to Lanigan’s Ball
(Chorus)
battered away till he hadn’t a pound.
His [Am] father he died, made him a man again,
left him a [E7] farm and ten [Am] acres of ground.
He gave a grand party for friends and relations
who wouldn’t forget him when come to the wall.
If you will listen, I’ll make your eyes glisten
at rows and ructions at Lanigan’s Ball.
( Chorus
[Am] Six long months I [G] spent in Dublin,
[Am] six long months doin’ [E7] nuthin at all.
[Am] Six long months I [G] spent in Dublin
[Am] learning to [E7] dance for [Am] Lanigan’s Ball.
I stepped out, I stepped in again, I stepped out, I stepped in again.
I stepped out, I stepped in again, learning to dance for Lanigan’s Ball. )
Meself to be sure got free invitations
for all the nice girls and boys I might ask
Just in a minute both friends and relations
were dancing as merry as bees ‘round a cask
There was lashings of punch, wine for the ladies;
potatoes and cakes, there was bacon and tay
There were the Nolans, the Dolans, O’Gradys
courting the girls and dancing away.
They were doing all kinds of nonsensical polkas,
all ‘round the room in a whirligig
Till Julie and I soon banished their nonsense
and tipped them a twist of a real Irish jig
O how that girl she got mad at me and we
danced till we thought that the ceilings would fall
For I spent three weeks at Brook’s Academy
learning to dance for Lanigan’s Ball.
(Chorus)
The boys were all merry, the girls all hearty
dancing together in couples and groups
Till an accident happened, young Terrance McCarthy;
he put his right leg through Miss Finnerty’s hoops
The creature she fainted and called ‘melia murder’;
called for her brothers and gathered them all
Carmody swore that he’d go no further;
he’d get satisfaction at Lanigan’s Ball
In the midst of the row Miss Kerrigan fainted;
her cheeks at the same time as red as a rose
Some of the boys decreed 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 streched by the wall
He tore the left leg from under the table
and smashed all the dishes at Lanigan’s Ball
(Chorus)
Boys, O boys tis then there was ructions;
I took a leg from young Phelim McHugh
But soon I replied to his fine introductions
and kicked him a terrible hullaballoo
Old Casey the piper he nearly got strangled;
they squeezed up his pipes, bellows, chanters and all
The girls in their ribbons they all got entangled
and that put an end to Lanigan’s Ball
(Chorus)