SITTING ON THE BRIDGE BELOW THE TOWN
(Frank O'Donovan)

Now there's a bridge below the town, I'd have you all to know,
It's broken and it's tumbling to the ground,
But there we used to gather every evening long ago,
Sittin' on the bridge below the town.

We'd go there every evening and till bedtime there we'd stop
Discussing all the news that's going round;
Talking politics and horses and the weather and the crops
Sittin' on the bridge below the town.

For larning', our schoolmaster could compare with all the rest,
In classroom, not his equal could be found,
But for eloquent discoursin', he was always at his best,
Sittin' on the bridge below the town.

We'd congregate there every Sunday mornin' after Mass
With lads in from the country all around,
We'd be watchin' folks and smilin' at the girls as they'd pass,
Sittin' on the bridge below the town.

'Twas there I first met Peggy and she smiled as she passed by,
At sight I knew she'd suit me to the ground,
But sure when she sat beside me there, I thought I'd surely die
Sittin' on the bridge below the town.

And then one summer's evenin' 'twas a Sunday afternoon,
When all was quiet and no one was around,
Faith she kissed me and she promised she'd be marryin' me soon
Sittin' on the bridge below the town.

We went to Father Dan and said we wanted to be wed,
He looked at us and then began to frown,
He asked us where we'd met and started laughin' when we said
Sittin' on the bridge below the town.

All that was years ago and now we've sons that's big and tall,
At dance halls and the talkies they'll be found,
But sure times is always changin' and they'd see no fun at all
Sittin' on the bridge below the town.

But many's the match was made there, aye and many's the stories told
As we smoked our pipes and watched the sun go down.
Now some of them are dead and gone, the rest are growin' old
Sittin' on the bridge below the town.

The nations are rearmin' and preparin' for to fight
But a settlement could easily be found
If, instead of at Geneva, they were meetin' here tonight
Sittin' on the bridge below the town.