The Ragman`s Ball

The Ragman`s Ball - The Dubliners/Ronnie Drew

Come listen to me for a while

Me good friends one and all

And I'll sing to you a verse or two

About a famous ball

Now the ball was given by some friends

Who lived down Ashe Street

In a certain house in the Liberties

Where the ragmen used to meet

Well the names were called at seven o'clock

And every man was on the spot

And to show respect for the management

Every ragman brought his mot

I must admit that I brought mine

At twenty five minutes to eight

And the first to stand up was Kieran Grace

For to tell me I was late

Then up jumps Humpy Soodelum

And he says: 'I think somehow'

By the ways are all going on tonight

Is a looking for a row

Now listen here Grace if you want your face

You'd better not shout or bawl

There's a lot of hard chews gonna be here tonight

To respect the ragman's ball

Well for eating we had plenty now

As much as we could hold

We drank Brady's Loopline porter

Until round the floor we rolled

In the midst of all the confusion

Someone shouted for a song

When up jumps oul' John Lavin and sings

'Keep rollin' your barrel along'

Then says my one; 'You're quare one now'

And Biddy you're hard to beat

Oh when up jumps Liza Boland

And she told her to hold her prate

Then my one made a clout at her

She missed her and hit the wall

And the two of them went in the ambulance

The night of the Ragman's ball

Then we all sat down to some ham parings

When everything was quiet

And for broken noses I must say

We had a lovely night

Black eyes they were in great demand

Not to mention split heads and all

So if anyone wants to commit suicide

Let them come to the Ragman's ball