Raised on songs and stories
Heroes of reknown
The passing tales and glories
That once was Dublin town
The hallowed halls and houses
The haunting children's rhymes
That once was part Dublin
In the rare old times
Ring a ring a rosie
As the light declines
I remember Dublin City
In the rare old times
My name it is Sean Dempsey
As Dublin as could be
Born hard and late in Pimlico
In a house that's ceased to be
By trade I was a cooper
Lost out to redundancy
Like my house that fell to progress
My trade's a memory
I courted Peggy Diagnam
As pretty as you please
A gentle child of Mary
From the rebel liberties
I lost her to a student chap
With skin as black as coal
When he took her off to Birmingham
She took away my soul
Ring a ring a rosie
As the light declines
I remember Dublin City
In the rare old times
The years have made me bitter
The gargles dims me brain
'Cause Dublin keeps on changing
And nothing stays the same
The Pillar and the Met have gone
The Royal long since pulled down
As the great and unyielding concrete
Makes a city of my town
Ring a ring a rosie
As the light declines
I remember Dublin City
In the rare old times
Fare thee well sweet Anna Liffey
I can no longer stay
And watch the new glass cages
That spring up along the quay
My mind's too full of memories
Too old to hear new chimes
I'm a part of what was Dublin
In the rare old times
Ring a ring a rosie
As the light declines
I remember Dublin City
In the rare old times
Set8