Farewell, Farewell, My Island Home,
Far Far away from thee,
The mist of age is clouding o'er
My Rosses by the sea,
Beneath the moonbeam's silver light,
On loved Bowmore I stand,
Where fleecy foam upon the wave
Flew o'er the golden strand.
Oft have I roamed my island shore,
When I was young and free,
The beauty of my own dear land
Is all the world to me,
The ever changing sandhills,
Cause me to weep and pine,
Flower of my youthful love,
One day when you were mine.
The sparkling Isle of Oyster,
In Evening's gentle glow,
The glory of the mainland
The running ebb and flow,
The rhythm of dance music sweet,
In spotlight sparkling gleam,
The surging of the wild wave
In loves young dream.
Behold the crumbling watchtower,
Where many a pilot stood,
The ship swings to an anchor,
She is sailing on the flood,
Seamen manned the little boats,
How can it ever be,
There is nothing but a memory
Of going down to sea.
I rest me at The Dead Man's Point,
With Aughris smiling o'er,
From Rahilly down to Lissadell
Bird Island is no more,
The ever faithful Metal Man
With strong extended arm,
Shall guard the passing ship at night
From danger, dark and storm.
The verdant greens along the course,
I thin upon them still,
And every nook among the Bent
Oh, how my eyes would fill,
The thunder of a winter wind
That swept the pasture bare,
Dashing spray and spindrift
That I can see no more.
Farewell unto my sweet wild rose,
The headland and the stiles,
Lower Rosses and the Back Strand,
Out yonder and the wilds,
Pat Leydon's cottage on the hill,
The church bells swing below,
Marking stones by Cummin Strand,
Where oft I come and go.
A Schoolhouse grey long long ago,
Where oft with one another
In sparkling bloom of youthful prime,
We romped and played together,
The sandy path where oft barefoot
We plucked the wild flowers gay,
The river and the watercress,
In love's young day.
Farewell, Farewell My Rosses Dear,
Sweet haven of the west,
Though long and lonely miles divide
With thee I long to rest,
If I am given life to live
With all this earth to roam,
Some day I am returning
To my Coney Island Home.
Back to index