This song is an Irish Ballad set in County Down, Northern Ireland. It tells the story of a man who falls in love with a beautiful Irish girl he passes by on a dirt road. After discovering her name from a fellow passerby, he travels to the County Down where his love lives. Seeing her dance and sing during a town festival, he vows to court and marry the Star of the County Down.
Written by Cathal MacGarvey in the 1880s, the original melody was used in quite a few songs like "Dives and Lazarus", "Kingsfold" and "My Love Nell", a number that is very similar to Star of the County Down.
Lyrics
Near Ban-bridge town, in the County Down
One morning last July,
Down a bore-en green came a sweet cailin
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,
Such a winsome elf I'm ashamed of me-self
For to see I was staring there.
From Bantry Bay up to Derry's Key,
From Galway to Dublin Town,
No maid I've seen like the fair cailin
That I met in the County Down.
As she onward sped, sure I scratched me head,
And I looked with a feeling rare.
And I says, says I, to a passerby,
"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 Key,
From Galway to Dublin Town,
No maid I've seen like the fair cailin
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's Key,
From Galway to Dublin Town,
No maid I've seen like the fair cailin
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 nose.
No pipe I'll smoke, no horse I'll yoke,
Till me plow 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 Key,
From Galway to Dublin Town,
No maid I've seen like the fair cailin
That I met in the County Down.
From Bantry Bay up to Derry's Key,
From Galway to Dublin Town,
No maid I've seen like the fair cailin
That I met in the County Down.
No maid I've seen like the fair cailin
That I met in the County Down.