Star of the County Dunn (closed)

Subject: Star of the County Dunn
From: Frederick Filice
Date: 05 Dec 96 - 05:33 PM

I heard this song in Edinburgh, but it was being performed by an Irish group- The Prodigal Sons (EXCELLENT BAND)

I have only bits and pieces of the lyrics and am looking for a complete set and chords it goes---

...she looked so sweet from her dewy feet to the sheen of her nut brown hair that I had to pinch myself to make sure I was really there

From Montry Bay up to Derry Kay from London to Dublin town No maid I seek like my sweet... shes the star of the County Dunn

So I says to I to the passer by who's the maid with the nut brown hair and he looks at me and he says to see that's Rosy Mcgann from the banks of the Bann she's the star of the county Dunn

ANY HELP WOULD BE APPRECIATED

Subject: Lyr Add: THE STAR OF THE COUNTY DOWN
From: Ian
Date: 05 Dec 96 - 06:58 PM

Frederick,

It sounds like you're asking about 'THE STAR OF THE COUNTY DOWN'. Here is the song as I know it (below).

The version I do is a combination of several I've heard. Verses three & four came from a different source than the rest (I can't remember where - Sorry...), but I don't think they're copyrighted. (No promises Dick!) It's commonly performed using only 1, 2 & 5 anyway.

As far as the chords go, I do it in E minor - You can transpose to whatever key works best for you. The chord progression I use is also included below. [The notation is that each chord name (Em, D, etc.) gets one beat and each slash following a chord name indicates a repeat of the preceding chord with a length of one beat also. The only exception to this is the 'C Am' near the end of each phrase. C and Am - in this case - get only 1/2 beat each.] Apologies in advance if this is confusing - ASCII has its limitations! (Post here if you have questions)

Enjoy! - Ian

----------------------
STAR OF THE COUNTY DOWN

Em/GD Em/D/ Em/GD Em CAm D/
G/D/ Em/D/ Em/GD Em CAm D/

Near Banbridge town in the County Down
One mornin' last July,
Down a boreen green came a sweet colleen
And she smiled as she passed me by.
She looked so sweet from her two bare feet
To the sheen of her nut-brown hair.
Such a coaxin' elf, sure I shook myself
For to see if I was really there.

CHORUS:
From Bantry Bay up to Derry Quay
And from Galway to Dublin town,
No maid I've seen like the rare* colleen
That I met in the County Down.

As she onward sped, sure I scratched my head
And I looked with a feelin' rare.
And I says, says I, to a passerby
"Who's the maid with the nut brown hair?"
He smiled at me and he says, says he,
"That's the gem of Ireland's crown,
Young Rosie McCann from the banks of the Bann.
She's the Star of the County Down." CHORUS

She'd a soft brown eye and a look so shy
And a smile like the rose in June.
And you hung on each note from her lily-white throat
As she lilted an Irish tune.
At the pattern dance, you were held in a trance
As she tripped through a reel or a jig.
And when her eyes she'd roll, she'd coax upon my soul
A spud from a hungry pig. CHORUS

I've traveled a bit, but never was hit
Since my roving career began.
But fair and square I surrendered there
To the charm of young Rosie McCann.
With a heart to let and no tenant yet
Did I meet within shawl or gown,
But in she went and I asked no rent
From the Star of the County Down. CHORUS

At the Harvest Faire she'll be surely there,
So I'll dress in my Sunday clothes.
With my shoes shone bright and my hat cocked right,
For a smile from my nut-brown rose.
No pipe I'll smoke; no horse I'll yoke
'Til my plow is a rust-colored brown,
'Til my smilin' bride by my own fireside
Sits the Star of the County Down. CHORUS

*sometimes 'brown colleen' - It depends on how I feel that day!

HTML line breaks added. --JoeClone, 23-May-02.

Subject: RE: Star of the County Dunn
From: Ian
Date: 05 Dec 96 - 07:05 PM

Frederick,

It seems formatting of postings here has some difficulties in translating as typed. Let's try that chord progression again:

Star of the County Down:

Em/GD Em/D/ Em/GD Em CAm D

G/D/ Em/D/ Em/GD Em CAm D

(for the CHORUS, Repeat the 2nd phrase)

Good Luck! - Ian

Subject: RE: Star of the County Dunn
From: dick greenhaus
Date: 06 Dec 96 - 11:18 PM

Hi- Star of the County Down is in the database. Great tune.

Subject: RE: Star of the County Dunn
From: Gary
Date: 18 Dec 96 - 11:17 AM

there is also a skotish version, well there's many versions really. I might be able to find a copy.

Subject: RE: Star of the County Down
From: GUEST,Sheila
Date: 08 Jul 00 - 06:09 PM

Hello. Does anyone know of a recording of "Star of the County Down" as sung by John McCormick with Gerald Moore at the piano? Is it available? Many thanks.

Subject: RE: Star of the County Dunn
From: Alice
Date: 08 Jul 00 - 07:32 PM

Sheila, look here: THE JOHN McCORMACK HOME PAGE

Subject: RE: Star of the County Down
From: Joe Offer
Date: 08 Jul 00 - 07:34 PM

Hi, Sheila - Click here for a list of CD's by John McCormack. The first one has "Star of the County Down," and I.m sure many others do. Determining the name of the pianist may be more difficult.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Star of the County Dunn
From: Peter K (Fionn)
Date: 08 Jul 00 - 07:42 PM

Joe, if the pianist is Gerald Moore, the purist would know just by listening :-)

Subject: RE: Star of the County Dunn
From: GUEST,Sheila
Date: 08 Jul 00 - 11:00 PM

Hello. With apologies for arrant spelling, thank you all for your knowledge and input. Have a nice week-end. Sheila

Subject: RE: Star of the County Dunn
From: PoohBear
Date: 09 Jul 00 - 03:11 AM

I wasn't aware this had lyrics! Learn somthing new all the time, eh? By the way, if you enjoy waltzing with just the right person - this is a great one. Cheers! PoohBear

Subject: RE: Star of the County Dunn
From: GUEST,Tanner
Date: 24 Sep 00 - 07:21 AM

Listen to Ceili House Band's version of this song on mp3.com.

Subject: Lyr/Chords Add: THE STAR OF THE COUNTY DOWN
From: GUEST,Uwe Schmidt
Date: 24 Sep 00 - 06:57 PM

Near Banbridge Town in the County Down         Em G D
One morning last July.                                         Em  D
Down a Boreen green came a sweet colleen        Em G D
And she smiled as she passed me by.                   Em C Em
She looked so sweet from her two bare feet        G D
To the sheen of her nut brown hair,                     Em  D
Such a coaxing elf sure I shook myself                Em G D.
For to see I was really there.                                 Em C Em

From Bantry Bay up to Derry Quay                      G D
And from Galway to Dublin Town,                       Em D
No maid I've seen like the sweet colleen               Em G D
That I met in the County Down.                            Em C Em

As she onward sped, sure I scratched my head
And I looked with a feeling rare,
And I says, says I to a passer-by,
Who's the maid with the nut brown hair.
He smiled at me and he says, says he,
That's the gem of Ireland crown,
Young Rosie McCann from the Banks of the Bann
She's the star of the County Down.

At the harvest fair she'll be surely there
So I'll dressed in my Sunday clothes.
With my shoes shone bright and my hat cocked right
For a smile of my nut brown rose.
No pipe I'll smoke, no horse I'll joke
'Till my plough is a rust-coloured brown
'Till a smiling bride by my own fireside
Sits the star of the County Down.

Also see:
http://www.home.t-online.de/home/schmidt.home/homepage-htm
look for "Songbook"

Subject: RE: Star of the County Dunn
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 24 Sep 00 - 07:04 PM

Sometimes the colleen's sweet, sometimes she's fair, sometimes she's rare, and sometimes she's brown.

Yer man obviously got around a bit...

"Brown" somehow feels more authentic to me.

Subject: RE: Star of the County Dunn
From: Amos
Date: 24 Sep 00 - 07:07 PM

Uwe, I'm sure that's a "bowling green" and "yoke", not joke. Unless this was written by the ancient and mysterious clan of Horse Jokers, who were known to tame wild horses by speaking softly to them and then hitting them with one liners until the mighty wil stalions rolled around laughing on the ground. Then they'd drop the bridle on them, and they'd laugh all the way to the barn....at least so I have been told.

A.

Subject: RE: Star of the County Dunn
From: GUEST,Murray Macleod
Date: 24 Sep 00 - 08:41 PM

No, it is most definitely "boreen", Gaelic for meadow. The Prodigal Sons are not an Irish Band, however, at least when I lived in Edinburgh they weren't. And they used to do this song far too fast for my taste ......

Murray

Subject: RE: Star of the County Dunn
From: Parson
Date: 24 Sep 00 - 10:52 PM

Hi Fredrick, Sorry, I don't know this song. If I've ever heard it, I don't remember it. However, FYI, if you are interested in learning to play it, "Star Of The County Down" is on a Steve Kaufman video "Learning To Play Waltzes," available from Homespun Tapes. You can find their webpage on the Internet at homespuntapes.com.

Steve Kaufman is a dynamite flatpick guitar instructor and the starting level for this video is early intermediate.

I have no financial interest in Homespun or Steve Kaufman products, but I have learned a bunch from him & recommend his work highly.

Take care,

Randall

Subject: lusting for a Maid With Nut Brown Hair
From: Joe Offer
Date: 25 Sep 00 - 12:52 AM

We sing a couple of church songs to this tune. I try to be pious and well-behaved, but I can't help dreaming about "the maid with the nut-brown hair."
Sigh....
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Star of the County Dunn
From: Barry T
Date: 25 Sep 00 - 01:39 AM

Murray mentioned the speed of the tune. This is one that works whether its up tempo or slowed to a crawl. When it's sung I prefer the former, but when played as an instrumental I prefer it on the slow side.

For those not familiar with the tune here's my midi interpretation.

There was another thread just a week or so ago that surveyed the many song lyrics written to this melody, proof perhaps that it's indeed a great tune!

Subject: RE: Star of the County Dunn
From: MartinRyan
Date: 25 Sep 00 - 08:09 AM

"boreen" is right, alright - it means "small road", rather than meadow.

Regards

Subject: RE: Star of the County Dunn
From: Snuffy
Date: 25 Sep 00 - 09:32 AM

I'm puzzled by the references to waltzes - here in the UK I've only ever heard it in 4/4 or 2/4 time, and I heard it sung in Ireland as a very fast polka.

Is the 3/4 version the norm in US?

Wassail! V

Subject: RE: Star of the County Dunn
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 25 Sep 00 - 09:37 AM

Boreen - a little sunken lane.Ditches standing up on either side, and propbably overgrown at the top.More like a little green tunnel than anything.

Subject: RE: Star of the County Dunn
From: GUEST,SUsan-Marie
Date: 25 Sep 00 - 05:17 PM

From a much earlier thread:

Subject: RE: Favorite Celtic songs for singing From: steve t Date: 01-Sep-98 - 10:49 AM

It is a common misconception that there exist happy Celtic songs. For example, many people will steadfastly maintain that there is NO FOURTH VERSE to Star of the County Down:

So here I stand with my hat in hand, while my heart knows deep, dark blight
For my Irish lass, curse her heart of brass! tripped and died in the bar last night
Still her ghost doth say: twill soon be our wedding day, but I'll sadly call whiskey my bride
And in far off lands, sure I'll ring my hands, drain a glass and shout, Christ, I tried!

Subject: RE: Star of the County Dunn
From: GUEST,GUEST, Greyeyes
Date: 25 Sep 00 - 05:35 PM

There's an excellent version of this song on an album recorded by Van Morrison and The Chieftains, I think it's called "Irish Heartbeat".

Subject: RE: Star of the County Dunn
From: GospelPicker (inactive)
Date: 25 Sep 00 - 09:47 PM

The word, me friends, is "boithrin"... Anglicized, it is spelled "boreen" and can be pronounced so without fear of banishment from a seisun (Gaelic for session or informal Irish song circle/jam). Irish Heartbeat is the name of the album...

Look out for a guy named Matt DeBlass... if any of you have ever heard or seen either Money In Both Pockets or Fish on Friday during your travels in NJ, you would know Matt and his absolutely raucous and fun version of this one.

Peace to you all... May The Road Rise Up To Meet You.

GospelPicker @:()[+]

Subject: RE: Star of the County Dunn
From: Robby
Date: 27 Sep 00 - 07:32 AM

So many things learned here. The site of the John McCormack home page, and the fact that there are more verses to this song than the three I have heard performed by Barley Bree.

Not to mention that for many a-year, I too thought that she came down a "bowling" green.

Subject: RE: Star of the County Dunn
From: Noreen
Date: 27 Sep 00 - 07:51 AM

LOL, Robby- that conjures up a very different picture in my mind!

Noreen

Subject: RE: Star of the County Dunn
From: Robby
Date: 27 Sep 00 - 09:07 AM

Noreen
If you get back to this thread again, would you give me the meaning of LOL? I have come across it now several times in messages in the Forum, and still haven't figured out its meaning.
Thanks

Subject: RE: Star of the County Dunn
From: GUEST,jayohjo in big ol' London!
Date: 27 Sep 00 - 12:23 PM

lol - laugh out loud! I got soooooooo confused by net abbreviations, but they all start to make sense eventually...

jayohjo XX

ps I'm in London! Working in MAYFAIR! Carzy stuff, big capitalist sellout!

Subject: RE: Star of the County Dunn
From: Noreen
Date: 27 Sep 00 - 04:37 PM

Robby, it might also be lots of love, you choose! :0x You might like to click on Catrin's Acronym dictionary thread. I love Gervase's explanation of what ROTFLMAO means, it made me laugh all over again just remembering it!

jayohjo- you here for long? Can you make it to Llanstock in 3 weeks time?

Noreen
who has been a guest of Brown's Hotel in Mayfair- I'm sure I'd appreciate it more now!

Subject: RE: Star of the County Dunn
From: Robby
Date: 28 Sep 00 - 08:58 AM

Oooo! That put's a whole different light on it. Well, depending on who's sending me the message, I like your definition better, Noreen. Thanks for the link to Catrin's dictionary. That reminded me that I had a print out of various emoticoms, which I have just retrieved from one overcrowded desk drawer. []'s.

Subject: RE: Star of the County Dunn
From: GUEST,Rick
Date: 03 Nov 00 - 05:51 PM

Roger Whitaker has done a grand job on this tune, in his CD "Irish Standards"

Subject: RE: Star of the County Dunn
From: Grab
Date: 07 Nov 00 - 10:48 AM

This title's tempted me. Anyone else thinking about something along the lines of "Star of the County Dunny"? :-)

Grab.

Subject: RE: Star of the County Dunn
From: Max Tone
Date: 07 Nov 00 - 06:31 PM

Versions galore, folks,

Here's my opinion on one of the most murdered session songs of all time:-
Murder O' the Coonty Doon"
Rob

Subject: RE: Star of the County Dunn
From: GUEST,Nick Dolphin
Date: 07 Jun 01 - 01:40 AM

The song is actually the Star of the County Down

Do a search on that title and you should get plenty of hits.

Subject: RE: Star of the County Dunn
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 07 Jun 01 - 07:30 AM

That's kind of you to let us know, Nick.  However, this thread was started more than four years ago, and if you had read some of it before posting, you might have noticed that the question was answered at the time...

Subject: RE: Star of the County Dunn
From: Peter K (Fionn)
Date: 07 Jun 01 - 06:58 PM

Could this thread be a suitable candidate for the thread-name editing powers of Joe and the Clones? This came into my mind as I was wondering what the hell Nick Dolphin might have been searching for when he stumbled into it.

---

When it's a classic spelling mistake and we have other threads with the correct spelling, we often leave it. This thread is crosslinked with other "Star" threads, so it won't get lost.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Star of the County Dunn
From: JedMarum
Date: 08 Oct 08 - 05:32 PM

A Youtube Video with our version of this great old song!

Subject: RE: Star of the County Dunn
From: alison
Date: 08 Oct 08 - 10:27 PM

lovely version Jed,

great photo of Greencastle in there, used to play up in the battlements looking out ovre the Mournes and Carlingford lough

slainte

alison

Subject: RE: Star of the County Dunn
From: JedMarum
Date: 09 Oct 08 - 12:27 AM

You used to play in the battlements?? That is play as in kids playing war? Or play as in making music?

I found the pics on-line at various places ... except the band pics ...

Subject: RE: Star of the County Dunn
From: Young Buchan
Date: 27 Oct 09 - 05:43 PM

When in 1974 Enoch Powell took Down (South) for the Ulster Unionists there was a parody of this song doing the rounds.

Into Banbridge Town in the County Down on evening in July
In there flew a great guru and he scowled as he passed me by.
But he looked so cute from his crumpled suit to the shine of his thinning hair
I said, "He'd be great as a candidate" and people all asked "For where?"
From Bantry Bay down to Derry Quay and from Galway to Dublin Town
It's Enoch Powell with the friendly scowl who's MP for the County Down.

He attacks the blacks and the Labour hacks and on Europe he'll explode.
They know it's balls on the Lower Falls, but it's great on the Shankhill Road.
And in days to be you yet may see that the jewel in the Tory crown
Won't be Du Cann or your Tebbitt man, but the Star of the County Down.

Subject: RE: Star of the County Dunn
From: MGM·Lion
Date: 28 Oct 09 - 01:09 PM

'"Star of the County Down" is an old Irish ballad set near Banbridge in County Down, in Northern Ireland. The words are by Cathal McGarvey, 1866-1927, from Ramelton, County Donegal.' Wikipedia
[btw - aka Cathal Garvey]

Funny that this well-known attribution appears nowhere on this thread - it probably appears on some of the others, but it should surely have been mentioned. The tune is, of course, related to the 'Dives & Lazzarus' family.

Subject: RE: Star of the County Dunn
From: MGM·Lion
Date: 29 Oct 09 - 01:42 AM

Sorry, only one -z- in Lazarus.

I have had a look at other threads listed above, and failed to find Cathal Garvey [or McGarvey] anywhere acknowledged as the well authenticated author of the words of this widespread and much loved song.

From pov of both scholarship and justice, should not this info be included in DT entry?