Galway Races

With me whack fol the do fol the diddlely idle ay

And as I rode out through Galway Town
To seek for recreation
On the seventeenth of August
Me mind being elevated
There were multitudes assembled
With their tickets at the station
And me eyes began to dazzle
And they’re going to see the races

With me whack fol the do fol the diddlely idle ay

There were passengers from Limerick
And passengers from Nenagh
Passengers from Dublin
And sportsmen from Tipperary
There were passengers from Kerry
And all quarters of the nation
And our member Mr Hardy
For to join the Galway Blazers

With me whack fol the do fol the diddlely idle ay

There were multitudes from Aran
And members from New Quay shore
The boys from Connemara
And the Clare unmarried maidens
People from Cork City
Who were loyal, true and faithful
They brought home the Fenian prisoners
From dying in foreign nations

With me whack fol the do fol the diddlely idle ay

And it’s there you’ll see confectioners
With sugarsticks and dainties
The lozenges and oranges
The lemonade and raisins
Gingerbread and spices
To accomodate the ladies
And a big crubeen for thruppence
To be suckin’ while you’re able

With me whack fol the do fol the diddlely idle ay

And it’s there you’ll see the gamblers
The thimbles and the garters
And the sporting Wheel of Fortune
With the four and twenty quarters
There was others without scruple
Pelting wattles at poor Maggy
And her daddy well contented
To be gawking at his daughter

With me whack fol the do fol the diddlely idle ay

And it’s there you’ll see the pipers
And the fiddlers competing
The nimble-footed dancers
And they trippin’ on the daisies
There was others shoutin’ cigars and lights
And bills for all the races
With the colours of the jockey
And the price and horses’ ages

With me whack fol the do fol the diddlely idle ay

And it’s there you’ll see the jockeys
And they mounted on so stately
The pink, the blue, the orange and green
The emblem of our nation
When the bell was rung for starting
All the horses seemed impatient
I thought they never stood on ground
Their speed was so amazing

With me whack fol the do fol the diddlely idle ay

There was half a million people there
Of all denominations
The Catholic, the Protestant
The Jew and Presbyterian
There was yet no animosity
No matter what persuasion
But fáilte and hospitality
Inducing Mr Paisley

With me whack fol the do fol the diddlely idle ay
With me whack fol the do fol the diddlely idle ay