Galway Races

As I roved 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

My eyes began to dazzle and they going to see the race

To me whack-fa-the-do-fa the diddle-iddle-a

There were passengers from Limerick and passengers from Nina

Passengers from Dublin and sportsmen for Tipperary

There were passengers from Kerry and all quarters of the nation

And I remember Mr. Haughey for to join the Galway Blazers

To me whack-fa-the-do-fa the diddle-iddle-a

There were multitudes Erin and members from New Keeshore

The boys of Connemara and the Clare unmarried maidens

People from Cork City who where loyal true and faithful

They brought home the Feinian prisoners from dying and foreign nations

To me whack-fa-the-do-fa the diddle-iddle-a

And it's there you'll see confectioners with sugar sticks and dainties

Lozenges and oranges and lemonade and raisins

Gingerbread and spices to accommodate the ladies

And big crubeen three pence to be sucking while you're able

To me whack-fa-the-do-fa the diddle-iddle-a

It's there you'll see the gamblers, the thimbles and the garters

The sporting wheel of fortune with four and twenty quarters

And others without scruples pelting wattles at poor Maggie

And her daddy well contented to be gazing at his daughter

To me whack-fa-the-do-fa the diddle-iddle-a

It's there you'll see the pipers and the fiddlers competing

The nimble-footed dancers, a-tripping on the daisies

There were others shouting cigars and likes and bills for all the races

With colors of the jockeys and the price and horses ages

To me whack-fa-the-do-fa the diddle-iddle-a

It's there you'll see the jockey, and they're mounted out so stately

The pink, the blue, the orange, 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

To me whack-fa-the-do-fa the diddle-iddle-a

There was half a million people there, from all denominations

The Catholic, the Protestant, the Jew and Presbyterian

There was yet no animosity, no matter what persuasion

But sportsman hospitality inducing Mr. Paisley

With me whack-fa-the-do-fa the diddle-iddle-a