Star of the County Down

[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