'Twas just near Milltown Malbay bot a thousand miles from Galway And I was young and merry on the breezy hills of Clare I met a colleen comely who has winsome ways and homely Driving on her donkey cart a-going to the fair
'Twas bright and pleasant weather and the furze and bloomong heather Filled my mind with gladness in the bright and pleasant air And my heart felt ten times lighter and my mind felt ten times brighter A meeting with that sweet colleen a-going to the fair
Now the donkey up went airy with a sudden wild vagary And gave this pretty mountain lass a very dreadful scare And her heart was in a flutter as she feared her eggs and butter On the road way would be scattered there before she reached the fair
And said she " I'm Nora Daly from the parish of Killmaley My father he's a farmer and the crossest man in Clare If he saw you here beside me I'm in dread that he would chide me Please get down and walk a bit before we reach the town"
I reluctantly obeyed her for I couldn't have been saner As visions of her father with a fierce and angry glare Before me quickly stared so from her I sadly parted As she took my heart along with her a-going to the fair
At the four-mile-stone I met her and within my heart I'll set her And treasure her sweet memories in my wanderings everywhere And for oft in exile dreaming I can see her blue eyes gleaming As they beamed upon me long ago a-going to the fair
After years abroad sojourning and my heart still brightly burning I sought for her and married her and settled down in Clare And I oft times do remind her of times long left behind her I met her on the donkey cart a-going to the fair