The Star of the County Down
Divers / Loreena McKennitt Lyrics

Banbridge Town in the County Down
The song is set in a town called Banbridge in County Down, Ireland.

One morning last July,
The singer met a girl on a July morning.

From a boreen green came a sweet colleen
The singer saw a young girl walking towards him on a green country lane.

And she smiled as she passed me by.
The girl smiled at the singer as she walked past him.

She looked so sweet from her two bare feet
The girl had a sweet appearance, from her bare feet to her hair.

To the sheen of her nut brown hair
The girl had shiny and dark brown hair.

Such a coaxing elf, sure I shook myself
The singer was surprised to see such a sweet girl, and had to shake himself to ensure that he was not dreaming.

For to see I was really there.
The singer was confirming to himself that the girl he saw was not a figment of his imagination.

Chorus From Bantry Bay into Derry Quay From Galway to Dublin Town No maid I’ve seen like the fair colleen That I met in the County Down
The singer is saying that he has never seen any other girl like the one he saw in County Down. The chorus emphasizes the girl's beauty.

As she onward sped, sure I scratched my head,
The singer was puzzled when he saw the girl walking away from him.

And I looked with a feelin’ rare,
However, the singer was filled with an uncommon feeling when he saw the girl.

And I says, says I, to a passer-by,
The singer asked a passerby about the girl he saw.

“Who’s the maid with the nut brown hair?
The singer asked the passerby to identify the girl who had caught his attention.

He smiled at me and he says, says he,
The passerby smiled and answered the singer's question.

“That’s the gem of Ireland’s crown.
The passerby told the singer that the girl he saw was the most beautiful girl in Ireland.

Young Rosie McCann from the banks of the Bann,
The passerby identified the girl as Rosie McCann, who comes from the banks of the Bann river.

She’s the star of the County Down.”
The passerby referred to Rosie as the most popular girl in County Down.

Chorus From Bantry Bay into Derry Quay From Galway to Dublin Town No maid I’ve seen like the fair colleen That I met in the County Down
The chorus repeats, with the singer still talking about the girl's exceptional beauty.

The Harvest Fair she’ll be surely there
The singer will see Rosie at the Harvest Fair.

And I’ll dress in my Sunday clothes,
The singer will put on his best clothes when he sees Rosie.

With my shoes shone bright and my hat cocked right
The singer will be well-groomed, with polished shoes and a properly positioned hat.

For a smile from my nut brown rose.
The singer wants to see Rosie smile at him.

No pipe I’ll smoke, no horse I’ll yoke
The singer will not smoke or work with horses until he sees Rosie again.

Till my plough turns rust coloured brown.
The singer will wait for his plough to rust before doing any farm work.

Till my smiling bride by my own fireside Sits the star of the County Down.
The singer won't go back to work until he marries Rosie and she is sitting with him by their own fireplace as the most popular girl in County Down.

Chorus From Bantry Bay into Derry Quay From Galway to Dublin Town No maid I’ve seen like the fair colleen That I met in the County Down (Repeat)
The singer repeats the chorus as the song ends.