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