Blair Douglas has a tune with an uncanny resemblance to this, although played more as a swingy waltz - called "Cross Border Love": couldn't believe it when I first heard it, having learned "Ar Eireann" a long time before! On his "Angels to the Ashes" CD, and in a book of his tunes.

And here are the English lyrics that Cathy Jordan sings:

There’s a home by the wide Avonmore
That would sweep o’er the broad open sea
And wide rivers, where the waves wash ashore
Whilst bulrushes, they wave to the breeze

Where the green ivy clings round the door
And the birds sweetly sing on each tree
Oh me darling they’re tuning their notes
Is Ar Éirinn ní neosfainn cé hí

Like a sick man that longs for the dawn
I do long for the light of her smile
And I pray for my own cailín bán
Whilst I’m waiting for her by the stile

Oh I’d climb all the hills of this land
And I’d swim all the depths of the sea
To get one kiss from her lily-white hand
Is Ar Éirinn ní neosfainn cé hí

I have toiled sore those years of my life
Through storm, through sunshine and rain
And I surely would venture my life
For to shield her one moment from pain

For she being my comfort in life
Though my comfort and joy she may be
She’s my own, she is my promised wife
Is Ar Éirinn ní neosfainn cé hí

Oh but when I will call her my own
And ‘tis married we both then will be
Like the king and the queen on their throne
We’ll be living in sweet unity

Oh ‘tis then I’ll have a home of my own
And I’ll rear up a nice family
Oh ‘tis then that her name will be known
For, for Ireland I won’t tell here name.

And now for a Gaelic version (as sung by The High Kings):

AR ÉIRINN NÍ N-EÓSAINN CÉ H-Í

Aréir is mé téarnamh um’ neoin
Ar an dtaobh thall den teóra ‘na mbím,
Do théarnaig an spéir-bhean im’ chómhair
D’fhág taomanach breóite lag sinn.

Do ghéilleas dá méin is dá cló,
Dá béal tanaí beó mhilis binn,
Do léimeas fé dhéin dul ‘na cómhair,
Is ar éirinn ní n-eósainn cé h-í.

Dá ngéilleadh an spéir-bhean dom’ ghlór,
Siad ráidhte mo bheól a bheadh fíor;
Go deimhin duit go ndéanfainn a gnó
Do léirchur i gcóir is i gcrich.
Dó léighfinn go léir stair dom’ stór,
‘S ba mhéinn liom í thógaint dom chroí,
‘S do bhearfainn an chraobh dhi ina dóid,
Is ar éirinn ní n-eósainn cé h-í.

Tá spéir-bhruinneal mhaordha dheas óg
Ar an taobh thall de’n teóra ‘na mbím.
Tá féile ‘gus daonnacht is meóin
Is deise ró mhór ins an mhnaoi,
Tá folt lei a’ tuitim go feóir,
Go cocánach ómarach buí.
Tá lasadh ‘na leacain mar rós,
Is ar éirinn ní n-eósainn cé h-í.