“Lannigan’s Ball” is a traditional Irish drinking song. The story is about Mr Lannigian who, after inheriting land threw a ball for the town. The song’s story continues to tell the tale of how a fight got started at the party and eventually ended the night.

Traditional Lyrics:

In the town of Athy, one Jeremy Lannigan
battered away til he hadn't a pound,
and his father died-and it made him a man again-
daddy left a farm and ten acres of ground.
He had a party for friends and relations
who did not dis’ him when come to the wall.
And if you’ll but listen,
I’ll make your eyes glisten,
of the rows and the runctions of Lannigan's Ball.

six long months i spen in Dublin
six long months doing nothing at all
six long months i spent in Dublin
learning to dance for Lannigan's Ball

Myelf to be sure got a free invitation
for all the nice girlies and boys i might ask
and in a minute both a friend and relation
were dancing as merry as bees round a cask.
There were lashings of punch and wine for the ladies,
potatos and cakes; bacon and teal.
There were Nolaus, Dolans, O'Gradys courting the girlies and dancing away.
They were doing all kinds of polkas,
all around the room in a whirligig
until Julia and I soon banished that nonsense
and tipped them the twist of a real irish jig-

That girl, she got mad at me,
danced til youd think the ceiling would fall,
for i spent three weeks at Brooks Academy learning to dance for Mr Lannigan's Ball.  
Boys were all merry and the girls they were hearty
dancing together in couples and groups until an accident happened,
young Terrance McCarthy put his right leg through Miss Finnerty's hoops.
The creature fainted and cried.
Mellia Murther called for for her brothers and gathered them all.
Carmody swore that he'd go no further until he had satisfaction at Lannigan's Ball.
In the midst of the room Miss Kerrigan fainted,
her cheeks at the same time as red as a rose
Some of the boys decreed that she was painted.
Her sweetheart, Ned Morgan so powerful and able,
when he saw his fair Colleen stretched by the wall,
tore the left leg from under the table and smashed all the dishes and Lannigan's Ball.

Boys oh boys, there was a runctions.
Myself took a lick from Big Phelim McHugh, 
but i soon replied to that fine introduction
and kicked him a terrible hullabaloo
Casey the Piper he nearly got strangled,
they squeezed up his pipes, bellows, chanters and all. 
The girlies their ribbons, they got all entangled
and that put an end to Mr Lannigan's Ball.



The band Jump, Little Children originated by the members getting together to play Irish music and adding their own personal flavor. Front men Jay Clifford and Matthew Bivins quit college at the North Carolina School of the Arts to travel to Ireland to learn how to play Irish music first hand. They spent time in pubs preforming and learnign drinking songs. “Lannigan’s Ball” is a prime example of an Irish drinking song with a J,LC twist. A recording of the song may be found here: http://www.creativechaos.net/jlc/lyrics/lannigan.htm

Jump, Little Children adapted lyrics:

I’m going to spin y’all a rhyme about a Jeremy Lannigan
get a boom crack until he didn't have 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 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.

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