Ireland

The Girl I Left Behind Me

Now I am bound for a foreign land
Against my inclination,
Yes, I must leave my native home,
Which fills me with vexation :
As I am bound for Sydney's coast,
Nature still does bind me,
To think on her I do adore—
The girl I left behind me—

My friends they sent me far away,
For fear I'd wed my darling,
The bonny lass I love so well,
She is both mild and charming.
When crossing the Atlantic wave,
I thought my tears would blind me,
And many a heavy sigh I gave
For the girl I left behind me.

Unto the land of liberty
Our vessel is fast sailing,
Methinks I never can be free
When parting from my Ellen,
Although I'm going far away,
Nature still does bind me,
To think on her I do adore—
The girl I left behind me.

Oh ! cruel friends, you banished me
And left her broken-hearted,
Sweet Ellen, dear, tho' far from me,
Our hearts shall not be parted,
Although I'm in Van Dieman's land.
Constant still you'll find me,
Oh, no, I never will forget
The girl I left behind me.

Were I possessed of all the gold
That his on the African shore,
I'd give it for al to behold
My own dear native home.
Near Bantry town, at the sea-side,
Once more my friends will find me,
It's there my Ellen does reside—
The girl I left behind me.

Had I the wealth of all that store,
To me 'twould yield no pleasure,
The benny lass I do adore
I prise beyond all treasure
Farewell, you bonny lasses all,
From her you shall not bind me,
I'll go once more to my native ho e,
To the girl I left behind me.

[NLS note: a graphic appears here - see image of page]

         I Think of Our eland,

               wherever I go,

I'm a wanderer, now, from the land of my birth,,
Far away from the scenes I hold dearest on earth,
And I've seen both the beauties of the Nile and Arno,
Still I think of old Ireland, wherever I go.

                     CHORUS

I think of old Ireland, across the bl e wave,
I think of old Ireland, the land of the brave,
'Tis the home of the brave, where the wild sham-
rocks grows,
Oh, I thick of old Ireland wherever I go

And 'tis soon I'll be home, in the land I loveb est,
In my own dearest Emerald Isle of the west,
Though now I am chasing the wild buffalo,
ForI think of old Ireland wherever I go,

Yet though for away from that dear blessed sod,
I still offer up prayers to my country,s God,
To chase from her borders the tyrant and foe
For I think of old Ireland wherever I go,

Dear land of the Shamrock, and smelling brier,
Dear seenes of my childhood which never could tira
When a boy I picked beechnuts in wild Glenaboè,
Oh, I think of old Ireland wherever I go.

And how oft have I drank out of Barranane's well,
In whose clear water there lurks a bright spell,
The afflicted go there to find ease for their woe,
For I think of old Ireland wherever I go.

And how oft have I swam in Blackwaters tide,
And roamed the sweet wild woods around Castle Hyde
For it's through its wild woodland the Blackwaters flow,
Oh I think of old Ireland wherever I go.

And how oft have I sported through its pastures so green
Where there wild fragrant daisy can always be seen
For flowers in luxuriance there always do grow,
Oh I think of old Ireland wherever I go.

But all mv sad wanderings soon will be o'er,
And that isle of my heart I will never leave more
Though deep is her sorrow and bitter her woe,
Oh'I think of old Ireland wherever I go.