Star of the County Down

Lyrics

[Verse 1] Near Banbridge Town in the County Down One morning last July Down a bóithrín green came a sweet cailín And she smiled as she passed me by She looked so sweet from her two bare feet To the sheen of her nut-brown hair Such a winsome elf, I'm ashamed of myself For to see I was staring there [Chorus] From Bantry Bay up to Derry's Quay From Galway to Dublin Town No maid I've seen like the fair cailín That I met in the County Down [Verse 2] As she onward sped, sure I scratched me head And I looked with a feelin' rare And I says, says I, to a passer-by "Who's the maid with the nut-brown hair"? Well, he looked at me and he said to me: "That's the gem of Ireland's crown Young Rosie McCann from the banks of the Bann She's the star of the County Down" [Chorus] From Bantry Bay up to Derry's Quay From Galway to Dublin Town No maid I've seen like the fair cailín That I met in the County Down [Verse 3] She'd soft brown eyes with a look so shy And a smile like the rose in June And she sang so sweet what a lovely treat As she lilted an Irish tune At the Lammas dance I was in the trance As she whirled with the lads of the town And it broke me heart just to be apart From the star of the County Down [Chorus] From Bantry Bay up to Derry's Quay From Galway to Dublin Town No maid I've seen like the fair cailín That I met in the County Down [Verse 4] At the Harvest Fair she'll be surely there So I'll dress in me Sunday clothes With me shoes shone bright and me hat cocked right For a smile from the nut brown rose No pipe I'll smoke, no horse I'll yoke Till my plough is a rust colored brown And a smiling bride by me own fireside Sits the star of the County Down