In the town of Athy one Jeremy Lanigan Battered away till 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 great party for friends and relations Who didn't desert him when come to the wall And if you'll listen I'll make your eyes glisten And spin you a tale of Lanigan's Ball (Chorus) Six whole months I spent in Dublin Six whole months doing nothing at all Six whole months I spent in Dublin Learning to dance to 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 invitations For all the nice colleens 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, the Dolan's, O'Gradys A courtin' the girls and dancing away (Chorus) There were all kinds of nonsensical polkas Around the room in a whirly-gig But Julie and I soon banished their nonsense And gave them a taste of a real Irish jig Oh how that girl she got mad and we Danced 'till we thought that the ceiling would fall For I spent three weeks at Brooks' Academy Learning to dance to Lanigan's Ball