The
Photocopy as given to us by Patsy Casey.
Song of The
BALBRIGGAN CYCLING CLUB FOR 1891.
WORDS BY J. STACK.
MUSIC HAS BEEN SPECIALLY WRITTEN FOR THIS SONG BY MlSS
STACK-
The Boys of Balbriggan, who ride on Machines,
And are all very fond of a run,
Will be led by their Captain, when he's not at School,(1)
For what's left of the year Ninety-one.
When the pace is too hot, and they all can't keep up,
- And Tom Heeney (2) at him gives
a wink,
He will Halt the whole Club, at the very first Pub,
And call on J. P.(3) for a drink.
Oh, never go knocking your wind out,
By riding too fast for a fall,
And never say die till you're, dead, Boys
And then you can’t say it at all.
When the ride is to Oldtown, or out in that way,
There is sure to be frolic and fun,
For there lives young Archer, that drollest of Boys,
Who is fond of a joke and a pun.
Who'll ever forget his loud hearty laugh
When Dick Rooney rode over a hen,
And the women and boys were loud in their cries
That he'd come back and shell out the tin?
Oh, never go knocking your wind out,
By riding too fast, for a fall,
And never say die till you're dead, Boys,
And then you can't say it at all.
There was more than the hen came to grief on the day
When the race for the Medal was run,
While Johnny made pace, with his brother in chase,
And the others were all nearly done.
As they neared Knocknagin, although no one fell then,
It would make the best rider give up,
For Rooney(4), was winning, and
Johnny(5) was grinning
And Paddy (6) made squash of a pup.
Oh, never go knocking your wind out,
By riding too fast for a fall,
And never say die till your dead, Boys,
And then you can't say it at all.
Some people say that the Club won't succeed.
But in this they're decidedly wrong,
For they have a Sec.(7) who's
a host in himself,
And who works night and day when he's strong.
When Summer comes 'round, and fine days have come back.
He will scorch from his cheery abode,
And with Eilis,(8) and Dennis,
(9) and Hamlet,(10)
and Stack,(ll)
They will show the Boys sport on the road.
So, never go knocking your wind out, By riding too fast
for a fall,
And never say die till you're dead. Boys. And then you
can't say it at all
Note—l The Captain is Mr. Butler. National
Teacher, hence the reference to the school.
2- Tom Heeney is Sub-Captain, and the Jolliest coon
in the crowd.
3 J. P. is J. P. Mangan, the popular Treasurer of
the club. and a mighty close fist too he keeps on
anything he gets hold of. No rhyme could be found
for his name—“Mangan” unless it
was " Hangin " and he is too good a fellow
for that, yet awhile, his name is regretfully omitted.
NOTE— 3rd Verse 4, 5, and 6 are Competitors
in the 12 Miles Road Handicap, 1890.
„ 4th Verse—7 “Sec" the genial,
hard-working and efficient Secretary is Mr. J. Collins;
the others mentioned being respectively the Vice
President, 8 Machinist, 9 a prominent Member and
supporter 10 and the President of the Club (Mr.
Stack). 11.
Retyped August 2006 by Tony Healy. www.Balbriggan.net
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Balbriggan Cycling Club
c1900 at Howth
This photograph courtesy of "The David Brangan
Collection" © 2004
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