Star of the Co. Down - The Irish Rovers

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 the see of her standing there

From Bantry Bay of the Derry’s Quay

From Galway to Dublin town

No maid I’ve seen like the fair cailín

That I met in the County Down

As she onward sped, sure I scratched my 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.»

From Bantry Bay of the Derry’s Quay

From Galway to Dublin town

No maid I’ve seen like the fair cailín

That I met in the County Down

She had 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 a 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

From Bantry Bay of the Derry’s Quay

From Galway to Dublin town

No maid I’ve seen like the fair cailín

That I met in the County Down

At the Harvest Fair she’ll be surely there

So I’ll dress in my Sunday clothes

With my shoes shone bright and my hat cocked right

For a smile from my nut brown rose

No pipe I’ll smoke, no horse I’ll yoke

Till my plough was a rust colour brown

And a smiling bride by my own fireside

Sits the star of the County Down

From Bantry Bay of the Derry’s Quay

From Galway to Dublin town

No maid I’ve seen like the fair cailín

That I met in the County Down

From Bantry Bay of the Derry’s Quay

From Galway to Dublin town

No maid I’ve seen like the fair cailín

That I met in the County Down