At the ceili
Tonight we’re going to meet some ladsAs girls who dressed up gailyAnd we’ll be dancing till the dawnWe’re going to the Céili
The lads they come from miles aroundFrom Venice and ComaleyTo show us all their fancy stepsWe’re going to the Céili
They’re playing tunes on everythingFrom pipes to ukuleleIt sounds so good you can’t sit downWe’re dancing at the Céili
All the boys we love so wellSo handsome, young and charmingThey’re in New York and Boston nowThey should be home here farmingMy own true love has sailed awayTo be an endless roverCause times are tough and he will saveTo start a new life over
He writes me letters every weekTo say how much he’s slavin’And he promises that he’ll be backBefore the hay needs savin’But it’s hard to love somebodyThat you’re not in touch with dailySo I’m looking for somebody newTonight down at the Céili
The winter nights are long and hardAnd time goes by so slowlyI wish my true love he was hereAnd in his arms I’d goHe’d whisper tender words of love to meAnd kiss my lips so sweetlyAnd quickly I’d surrender toHis manly charms completely
He writes me letters every weekTo say how much he’s slavin’And he promises that he’ll be backBefore the hay needs savin’But it’s hard to love somebodyThat you’re not in touch with dailySo I’m looking for somebody newTonight down at the CéiliSo I’m looking for somebody newTonight down at the Céili
I only need someone tonightWho’ll make my heart beat fastA handsome man with laughing eyesWho smiles as he walks pastThe harp may play in old time worldsHe’ll twirl me round the floorHe’ll promise me that I will beHis girl forevermoreHis girl forevermoreHis girl forevermoreHe’ll promise me that I will beHis girl forevermore
I’m somewhat ill and botheredThat is really quite alarmingI have two lads pursuing meAnd each of them is charmingOne of them is dark and poorOne fair with lots of moneyI don’t know which one to chooseThe flower or the honey
What on earth am I to doIt’s driving me half crazyTonight I’ll make my mind upWhen I see them at the Céili
To be a poor man’s wife will beA life of washin' dishesWhen a rich man’s wife will surely haveGreat luxury and riches
In comfort how I knowIt wouldn’t be too hard to wallowAnd being poor is not much fun;Which one should I follow?
What on earth am I to doIt’s driving me half crazyTonight I’ll make my mind upWhen I see them at the Céili:
I’ve been lucky I’ve found a lad who’s handsome and a neighbor
And me I’ve met a decent man who’s friendship I will savor
And me I’ve made my choice as well and in no way was it easyBut I’d rather have a man for loveThen to be a rich man’s lady
And that is how the story endsBe true and never fail meWe got ourselves three men tonightAnd we met them at the Céili