Irish traditional song lyrics — collected by Beer Belly Band.
Among the walls and ruins of the horrid civic stone
I walked without a lover for my older bones
The sun was strong in going down It was a dreamlike day
It was there we met the trinity and there I heard them saying
And she said, “bye bye Mama Goodbye brother John”
“Fare thee well ye Shandon bells ring on, ring on”
She leaned and leaned much closer and she hugs them all goodbye
Her mother cried “don’t go my love” we all must bye and bye
A drunken tongue said “leave her off” she’ll drive us all crazy
She turned around and saw my face and both of us was she
And she said, “bye bye Mama Goodbye brother John”
“Fare thee well ye Shandon bells ring on, ring on”
Up and to the limestone wall and down the level steps
She threw herself into the stream with a splash and no regrets
Side stroke swimming midstream throwing kisses to the crowd
And everything was silent and the sky had not one cloud
And she said, “bye bye Mama Goodbye brother John”
“Fare thee well ye Shandon bells ring on, ring on”
We were swimming out in the sunset, we were swimming out to sea,
Swimming down by the Opera House The Mad Lady and me.