Star of the County Down

Near Banbridge town, in the County Down One morning last July Down the bóithrín green came a sweet colleen And she smiled as she passed me by Oh, she looked so sweet from her two bare feet To the sheen of her nut-brown hair Such a whimsome elf, that I pinched myself For to see I was standing there From the Bantry Bay to the Derry Quay And from Galway to Dublin town No maid I've seen like the sweet colleen That I met in the County Down As she onward sped, well I scratched my head And I looked with a feeling rare And I said, says I, to a passerby "Who's the maid with the nut-brown hair?" And he smiled at me, and he said, says he "She'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 the Bantry Bay to the Derry Quay And from Galway to Dublin town No maid I've seen like the sweet colleen That I met in the County Down Well, I've travelled a bit, but I never been hit Since my roving career began Got me fair and square, I surrendered there To the charms of old Roise McCann With a a heart to let and no tenant yet Did I meet and a row began But in she went, and I asked no rent From the star of the County Down From the Bantry Bay to the Derry Quay And from Galway to Dublin town No maid I've seen like the sweet colleen That I met in the County Down