The Star of the County DownDown a boreen, green , came a sweet colleen and she smiled as she passed me by She looked so neat from her two bare feet to the sheen of her nut brown hair Sure the coaxing elf, I'd to shake myself to make sure I was standing there Chorus From Bantry Bay up to Derry quay and from Galway to Dublin town No maid I've seen like the brown colleen that I met in the County Down As she onward sped sure I shook me head and I gazed with a feelin' quare And I says, says I, to a passer-by "Who's the maid with the nut brown hair?" Oh he smiled at me and with pride says he "That's the gem of old Ireland's crown She's young Rosie Mc Cann from the banks of the Bann, she's the star of the County Down Chorus She's a soft brown eye and a look so sly and a smile like a rose in June And you hung on each note from her lily-white throat as she lilted an Irish tune At the pattern dance you were held in a trance as she tripped through a reel or a jig And when her eyes she'd roll she'd coax, upon my soul, a spud from a hungry pig I travelled a bit but I never was hit since my rovin' career began But fair and square I surrendered there to the charms of young Rosie Mc Cann With a heart to let and no tenant yet did I meet with a shawl or gown But in she went and I asked no rent from the star of the County Down Chorus From Bantry Bay up to Derry quay and from Galway to Dublin town No maid I've seen like the brown colleen that I met in the County Down At the crossroads fair I'll be surely there and I'll dress in my Sunday clothes And I'll try sheep's eyes and deluthering lies on the heart of the nut brown rose No pipe I'll smoke and no horse I'll yoke though my plough with the rust turns brown Till a smiling bride by my own fireside sits the star of the County Down |