The Town Of Ballybay, lyrics and guitar chords
And banjo / mandolin tab. written by Tommy Makem [ songs ] to the tune of ''The Limerick Races'' . Tommy Makem And Liam Clancy covered another great ballad written by Monaghan resident Patrick Kavanagh called On Raglan Road . Patsy Watchorn of The Dubliners does a great version also. The song is about a woman in Ballybay Co. Monaghan Ireland. Seamus Moore also recorded the song.
[C]In the town of Ballybay, there was a lassie [G7]dwelling
I[C] knew her very well and her [G7]story's well worth [C]telling
Her father kept a [G7]still and he [C]was a good dis[G7]tiller
But [C]when she took to the [Am]drink, well the[C] devil wouldn't [G7]fill her
Chorus:
[C]Ring-a-ding-a-[Am]dong, [C]ring-a-ding-a-[G7]daddy-o
[C]Ring-a-ding-a-[Am]dong, [G]whack fol the [C]daddy o
She had a wooden leg that was hollow down the middle
She used to tie a string on it and play it like a fiddle
She fiddled in the hall and she fiddled in the alleyway
She didn't give a damn, for she had to fiddle anyway
She said she couldn't dance, unless she had her wellie on
But when she had it on, she could dance as well as anyone
She wouldn't go to bed, unless she had her shimmy on
But when she had it on, she would go as quick as anyone
She had lovers by the score, every Tom and Dick and Harry
She was courted night and day, but still she wouldn't marry
But then she fell in love with a fellow with a stammer
When he tried to run away, well she hit him with a hammer
She had children up the stairs, she had children by the byre
And another ten or twelve, sitting roaring by the fire
She fed them on potatoes and on soup she made with nettles
And lumps of hairy bacon that she boiled up in the kettle
She led a sheltered life, eating porridge and black pudding
And she terrorized her man, until he died quite sudden
And when her husband died, well she wasn't very sorry
She rolled him in a bag and she threw him in a quarry
I[C] knew her very well and her [G7]story's well worth [C]telling
Her father kept a [G7]still and he [C]was a good dis[G7]tiller
But [C]when she took to the [Am]drink, well the[C] devil wouldn't [G7]fill her
Chorus:
[C]Ring-a-ding-a-[Am]dong, [C]ring-a-ding-a-[G7]daddy-o
[C]Ring-a-ding-a-[Am]dong, [G]whack fol the [C]daddy o
She had a wooden leg that was hollow down the middle
She used to tie a string on it and play it like a fiddle
She fiddled in the hall and she fiddled in the alleyway
She didn't give a damn, for she had to fiddle anyway
She said she couldn't dance, unless she had her wellie on
But when she had it on, she could dance as well as anyone
She wouldn't go to bed, unless she had her shimmy on
But when she had it on, she would go as quick as anyone
She had lovers by the score, every Tom and Dick and Harry
She was courted night and day, but still she wouldn't marry
But then she fell in love with a fellow with a stammer
When he tried to run away, well she hit him with a hammer
She had children up the stairs, she had children by the byre
And another ten or twelve, sitting roaring by the fire
She fed them on potatoes and on soup she made with nettles
And lumps of hairy bacon that she boiled up in the kettle
She led a sheltered life, eating porridge and black pudding
And she terrorized her man, until he died quite sudden
And when her husband died, well she wasn't very sorry
She rolled him in a bag and she threw him in a quarry
“The Lassie from Ballybay”, also known as The Girl from Ballybay or Nancy from Ballybay.
We’ll put it cleanly into G Major, give it a lively Irish jig strum, and provide a fingerstyle tab for the first verse + chorus.
🎵 1. Full Song with Chords (in G Major)
[Verse 1]
[G]In the town of Ballybay, there was a lassie [D7]dwelling,
I [G]knew her very well, and her [D7]story’s worth the [G]telling.
Her father kept a [D7]still, and he [G]was a good dis[D7]tiller,
But [G]when she took to the [Em]drink, well the [G]devil wouldn’t [D7]fill her.
[Chorus]
[G]Ring-a-ding-a-[Em]dong, [G]ring-a-ding-a-[D7]daddy-o,
[G]Ring-a-ding-a-[Em]dong, [D]whack fol the [G]daddy-o.
[Verse 2]
[G]She had a wooden leg that was hollow down the [D7]middle,
She [G]used to tie a string on it and [D7]play it like a [G]fiddle.
She fiddled in the [D7]hall, and she [G]fiddled in the alley-[D7]way,
She [G]didn’t give a damn, for she [Em]had to fiddle [G]anyway. [D7]
[Chorus]
[G]Ring-a-ding-a-[Em]dong, [G]ring-a-ding-a-[D7]daddy-o,
[G]Ring-a-ding-a-[Em]dong, [D]whack fol the [G]daddy-o.
[Verse 3]
[G]She said she couldn’t dance unless she had her [D7]wellie on,
But [G]when she had it on, she could [D7]dance as well as [G]anyone.
She wouldn’t go to [D7]bed unless she [G]had her shimmy [D7]on,
But [G]when she had it on, she [Em]would go as [G]quick as any-[D7]one.
[Chorus]
[G]Ring-a-ding-a-[Em]dong, [G]ring-a-ding-a-[D7]daddy-o,
[G]Ring-a-ding-a-[Em]dong, [D]whack fol the [G]daddy-o.
[Verse 4]
[G]She had lovers by the score, every Tom and [D7]Dick and Harry,
She was [G]courted night and day, but [D7]still she wouldn’t [G]marry.
Then she fell in [D7]love with a [G]fellow with a stammer,
When he [G]tried to run away, well she [Em]hit him with a [D7]hammer.
[Chorus]
[G]Ring-a-ding-a-[Em]dong, [G]ring-a-ding-a-[D7]daddy-o,
[G]Ring-a-ding-a-[Em]dong, [D]whack fol the [G]daddy-o.
[Verse 5]
[G]She had children up the stairs, and children by the [D7]byre,
And a[G]nother ten or twelve sitting [D7]roaring by the [G]fire.
She fed them on po[D7]tatoes and on [G]soup she made with [D7]nettles,
And [G]lumps of hairy bacon that she [Em]boiled up in the [D7]kettle.
[Verse 6]
[G]She led a sheltered life, eating porridge and black [D7]pudding,
And she [G]terrorized her man until he [D7]died quite [G]sudden.
And when her husband [D7]died, well she [G]wasn’t very [D7]sorry,
She [G]rolled him in a bag and [Em]threw him in the [D7]quarry!
[Chorus - final]
[G]Ring-a-ding-a-[Em]dong, [G]ring-a-ding-a-[D7]daddy-o,
[G]Ring-a-ding-a-[Em]dong, [D]whack fol the [G]daddy-o.
🎸 2. STRUMMING PATTERN
Time Signature: 6/8 (Irish jig feel)
Tempo: ~100–110 BPM
➤ Pattern:
↓ ↓↑ ↑↓↑
Count: 1 2–3 4–5–6
Play with a lively swing — accent the first beat of each triplet.
For a more percussive pub feel:
Bass (↓) – Strum (↓↑) – Bass (↓) – Strum (↑↓↑)
Keep your wrist relaxed — the bounce gives it that dance rhythm.
🎶 3. FINGERSTYLE GUITAR TAB
(First verse + chorus in G Major)
Right-hand pattern (per bar):
Bass → G → B → high E → B → G
FIRST VERSE TAB
Lyrics:
[G]In the town of Ballybay, there was a lassie [D7]dwelling
I [G]knew her very well, and her [D7]story’s worth the [G]telling
Her father kept a [D7]still, and he [G]was a good dis[D7]tiller
But [G]when she took to the [Em]drink, well the [G]devil wouldn’t [D7]fill her
G
e|--------3-------------3-------------|
B|------0---0---------0---0-----------|
G|----0-------0-----0-------0---------|
D|--0-----------0---------------------|
A|------------------------------------|
E|3-----------------3-----------------|
D7
e|--------2-------------2-------------|
B|------1---1---------1---1-----------|
G|----2-------2-----2-------2---------|
D|--0-----------0---------------------|
A|------------------------------------|
E|------------------------------------|
Em
e|--------0-------------0-------------|
B|------0---0---------0---0-----------|
G|----0-------0-----0-------0---------|
D|--2-----------2---------------------|
A|2-----------------2-----------------|
E|0-----------------------------------|
CHORUS TAB
Lyrics:
[G]Ring-a-ding-a-[Em]dong, [G]ring-a-ding-a-[D7]daddy-o
[G]Ring-a-ding-a-[Em]dong, [D]whack fol the [G]daddy-o
G
e|--------3-------------3-------------|
B|------0---0---------0---0-----------|
G|----0-------0-----0-------0---------|
D|--0-----------0---------------------|
A|------------------------------------|
E|3-----------------3-----------------|
Em
e|--------0-------------0-------------|
B|------0---0---------0---0-----------|
G|----0-------0-----0-------0---------|
D|--2-----------2---------------------|
A|2-----------------2-----------------|
E|0-----------------------------------|
D
e|--------2-------------2-------------|
B|------3---3---------3---3-----------|
G|----2-------2-----2-------2---------|
D|0-----------------0-----------------|
A|------------------------------------|
E|------------------------------------|
💡 Playing Tips
Keep your thumb alternating steadily between bass strings (like a jig rhythm).
Emphasize beat 1 and 4 to mimic a bodhrán pulse.
Fingerpick verses softly — strum choruses to lift energy (Irish pub style).
For the “Ring-a-ding-a-dong” line, a playful brush or slap on the soundboard gives the percussive feel of the song.
We’ll put it cleanly into G Major, give it a lively Irish jig strum, and provide a fingerstyle tab for the first verse + chorus.
🎵 1. Full Song with Chords (in G Major)
[Verse 1]
[G]In the town of Ballybay, there was a lassie [D7]dwelling,
I [G]knew her very well, and her [D7]story’s worth the [G]telling.
Her father kept a [D7]still, and he [G]was a good dis[D7]tiller,
But [G]when she took to the [Em]drink, well the [G]devil wouldn’t [D7]fill her.
[Chorus]
[G]Ring-a-ding-a-[Em]dong, [G]ring-a-ding-a-[D7]daddy-o,
[G]Ring-a-ding-a-[Em]dong, [D]whack fol the [G]daddy-o.
[Verse 2]
[G]She had a wooden leg that was hollow down the [D7]middle,
She [G]used to tie a string on it and [D7]play it like a [G]fiddle.
She fiddled in the [D7]hall, and she [G]fiddled in the alley-[D7]way,
She [G]didn’t give a damn, for she [Em]had to fiddle [G]anyway. [D7]
[Chorus]
[G]Ring-a-ding-a-[Em]dong, [G]ring-a-ding-a-[D7]daddy-o,
[G]Ring-a-ding-a-[Em]dong, [D]whack fol the [G]daddy-o.
[Verse 3]
[G]She said she couldn’t dance unless she had her [D7]wellie on,
But [G]when she had it on, she could [D7]dance as well as [G]anyone.
She wouldn’t go to [D7]bed unless she [G]had her shimmy [D7]on,
But [G]when she had it on, she [Em]would go as [G]quick as any-[D7]one.
[Chorus]
[G]Ring-a-ding-a-[Em]dong, [G]ring-a-ding-a-[D7]daddy-o,
[G]Ring-a-ding-a-[Em]dong, [D]whack fol the [G]daddy-o.
[Verse 4]
[G]She had lovers by the score, every Tom and [D7]Dick and Harry,
She was [G]courted night and day, but [D7]still she wouldn’t [G]marry.
Then she fell in [D7]love with a [G]fellow with a stammer,
When he [G]tried to run away, well she [Em]hit him with a [D7]hammer.
[Chorus]
[G]Ring-a-ding-a-[Em]dong, [G]ring-a-ding-a-[D7]daddy-o,
[G]Ring-a-ding-a-[Em]dong, [D]whack fol the [G]daddy-o.
[Verse 5]
[G]She had children up the stairs, and children by the [D7]byre,
And a[G]nother ten or twelve sitting [D7]roaring by the [G]fire.
She fed them on po[D7]tatoes and on [G]soup she made with [D7]nettles,
And [G]lumps of hairy bacon that she [Em]boiled up in the [D7]kettle.
[Verse 6]
[G]She led a sheltered life, eating porridge and black [D7]pudding,
And she [G]terrorized her man until he [D7]died quite [G]sudden.
And when her husband [D7]died, well she [G]wasn’t very [D7]sorry,
She [G]rolled him in a bag and [Em]threw him in the [D7]quarry!
[Chorus - final]
[G]Ring-a-ding-a-[Em]dong, [G]ring-a-ding-a-[D7]daddy-o,
[G]Ring-a-ding-a-[Em]dong, [D]whack fol the [G]daddy-o.
🎸 2. STRUMMING PATTERN
Time Signature: 6/8 (Irish jig feel)
Tempo: ~100–110 BPM
➤ Pattern:
↓ ↓↑ ↑↓↑
Count: 1 2–3 4–5–6
Play with a lively swing — accent the first beat of each triplet.
For a more percussive pub feel:
Bass (↓) – Strum (↓↑) – Bass (↓) – Strum (↑↓↑)
Keep your wrist relaxed — the bounce gives it that dance rhythm.
🎶 3. FINGERSTYLE GUITAR TAB
(First verse + chorus in G Major)
Right-hand pattern (per bar):
Bass → G → B → high E → B → G
FIRST VERSE TAB
Lyrics:
[G]In the town of Ballybay, there was a lassie [D7]dwelling
I [G]knew her very well, and her [D7]story’s worth the [G]telling
Her father kept a [D7]still, and he [G]was a good dis[D7]tiller
But [G]when she took to the [Em]drink, well the [G]devil wouldn’t [D7]fill her
G
e|--------3-------------3-------------|
B|------0---0---------0---0-----------|
G|----0-------0-----0-------0---------|
D|--0-----------0---------------------|
A|------------------------------------|
E|3-----------------3-----------------|
D7
e|--------2-------------2-------------|
B|------1---1---------1---1-----------|
G|----2-------2-----2-------2---------|
D|--0-----------0---------------------|
A|------------------------------------|
E|------------------------------------|
Em
e|--------0-------------0-------------|
B|------0---0---------0---0-----------|
G|----0-------0-----0-------0---------|
D|--2-----------2---------------------|
A|2-----------------2-----------------|
E|0-----------------------------------|
CHORUS TAB
Lyrics:
[G]Ring-a-ding-a-[Em]dong, [G]ring-a-ding-a-[D7]daddy-o
[G]Ring-a-ding-a-[Em]dong, [D]whack fol the [G]daddy-o
G
e|--------3-------------3-------------|
B|------0---0---------0---0-----------|
G|----0-------0-----0-------0---------|
D|--0-----------0---------------------|
A|------------------------------------|
E|3-----------------3-----------------|
Em
e|--------0-------------0-------------|
B|------0---0---------0---0-----------|
G|----0-------0-----0-------0---------|
D|--2-----------2---------------------|
A|2-----------------2-----------------|
E|0-----------------------------------|
D
e|--------2-------------2-------------|
B|------3---3---------3---3-----------|
G|----2-------2-----2-------2---------|
D|0-----------------0-----------------|
A|------------------------------------|
E|------------------------------------|
💡 Playing Tips
Keep your thumb alternating steadily between bass strings (like a jig rhythm).
Emphasize beat 1 and 4 to mimic a bodhrán pulse.
Fingerpick verses softly — strum choruses to lift energy (Irish pub style).
For the “Ring-a-ding-a-dong” line, a playful brush or slap on the soundboard gives the percussive feel of the song.
The town of Ballybay banjo tab
An Irish village in the 1940's
The town of Ballybay song lyrics [ 2 ]
In the rolling hills of old Ireland
Lies a town that I call home
Where the streets are lined with green
And the people are never alone
Ballybay, oh Ballybay
A place of beauty and charm
Where the rivers flow and the sun shines bright
This is where I find my calm
Chorus:
Oh the town of Ballybay
It's where my heart will always stay
With its friendly faces and warm embrace
I'll never find a better place
Verse 2:
From the old castle ruins to the bustling square
There's always something to see
And the smell of freshly baked bread
Fills the air so sweetly
Ballybay, oh Ballybay
A town steeped in history
Where the past and present intertwine
Creating a perfect harmony
Chorus:
Oh the town of Ballybay
It's where my heart will always stay
With its friendly faces and warm embrace
I'll never find a better place
Bridge:
And when the day is done
And the stars light up the sky
I'll sit by the river's edge
And let out a contented sigh
Chorus:
Oh the town of Ballybay
It's where my heart will always stay
With its friendly faces and warm embrace
I'll never find a better place
Outro:
So here's a toast to Ballybay
A town that's dear to me
In the heart of Ireland
Is where I'll always be.
In the rolling hills of old Ireland
Lies a town that I call home
Where the streets are lined with green
And the people are never alone
Ballybay, oh Ballybay
A place of beauty and charm
Where the rivers flow and the sun shines bright
This is where I find my calm
Chorus:
Oh the town of Ballybay
It's where my heart will always stay
With its friendly faces and warm embrace
I'll never find a better place
Verse 2:
From the old castle ruins to the bustling square
There's always something to see
And the smell of freshly baked bread
Fills the air so sweetly
Ballybay, oh Ballybay
A town steeped in history
Where the past and present intertwine
Creating a perfect harmony
Chorus:
Oh the town of Ballybay
It's where my heart will always stay
With its friendly faces and warm embrace
I'll never find a better place
Bridge:
And when the day is done
And the stars light up the sky
I'll sit by the river's edge
And let out a contented sigh
Chorus:
Oh the town of Ballybay
It's where my heart will always stay
With its friendly faces and warm embrace
I'll never find a better place
Outro:
So here's a toast to Ballybay
A town that's dear to me
In the heart of Ireland
Is where I'll always be.
