The 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