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 up to Derry 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 up to Derry 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 up to Derry 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.