As I went down to Galway town to seek for recreation
On the seventeenth of August, me mind being elevated
There was multitudes assembled with their tickets at the station
Me eyes began to dazzle as we're going to see the races
With me whack fol the do fol the diddlely idle day
There was passengers from Limerick and men from Tipperary
The boys from Connemara and the Clare unmarried maidens
There were 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 day
It's there you'll see the pipers and the fiddlers competing
The nimble foot, the dancers and the tripping over the daisies
There was others crying cigars and lights and bills of all the races
And the colours of the jockeys and they mounted on their horses
With me whack fol the do fol the diddlely idle day
It's there you'll see the jockeys and they mounted out most stately
The blue, the pink, the orange and green, the emblems of our nations
When the bell was rung for starting all the horses seemed impatient
It seemed they never stood on ground, the speed was so amazing
With me whack fol the do fol the diddlely idle day
There was half a million people there of all denominations
The Catholics, the Protestants, the Jews, the Presbyterians
There was yet no animosity, no matter what persuasion
But fortune and hospitality inducing fresh acquaintance
With me whack fol the do fol the diddlely idle day
And now me throat is dry and I mean to end me song
Success attend the sport of kings since racing first begun
I've been to all the races and I've seen all the places
But I know that I'll return again to see the Galway races
With me whack fol the do fol the diddlely idle day