Star of the County Down

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 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 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" 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 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 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 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 'Til me plough is a rust-colored brown And a smiling bride by me own fireside Sits the star of the County Down 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 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