Star of the County Down - Chords, Lyrics and Origins

Origins

The Star of the County Down is a song from Northern Ireland.  With lyrics by Cathal McGarvey, the tune is from a traditional Irish folk song.  In case you're wondering, 'cailín' is an Irish word for a young girl.  You can find more information about the The Star of the County Down's origins here.

Chords

Capo at 3rd Fret


Verse

Em                                             G          D
Near Banbridge Town in the County Down,

Em                  C        Bm
One morning last July,

Em                                              G         D
Down a boreen green came a sweet cailín

               Em                   C                 Em
And she smiled as she passed me by.

G                                                  D
She looked so sweet from her two bare feet

            Em                  C                Bm
To the sheen of her nut brown hair.

             C                             G               D
Such a winsome elf, sure I shook myself

            Em           C         Em
For to see I was really there.




Chorus

G                                      D
From Bantry Bay up to Derry's Quay,

          Em             C          Bm
From Galway to Dublin Town,

      C                                      G         D
No maid I've seen like the fair cailín

            Em             C            Em
That I met in the County Down.

Lyrics

Near Banbridge Town in the County Down,
One morning last July,
Down a boreen 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, sure I shook myself
For to see I was really 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 my head,
And I looked with the feelin' rare,
And I says, says I, to a passer-by,
"Whose the maid with the nut brown hair?"
He smiled at me and he sayss, says he,
"That's the gem of Ireland's crown.
It's 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 had soft brown eyes with a look so shy
and a smile like a rose in June.
And she sang so sweet what a lovely treat,
as she lilted an Irish tune.
At the patterns dance I was in the trance,
As she whirled with the lads of the town.
And it broke my 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 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
'Til my plough turns rust coloured brown.
'Til a smiling bride, by my 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.