The Rare Old Times

Raised on songs and stories, heroes of renown
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-rosey, as the light declines
I remember Dublin City in the rare old times

My name, it is Sean Dempsey
As Dublin as can be
Born hard and late in Pimlico in
A house that 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
Ring-a-ring a-rosey, as the light declines
I remember Dublin City in the rare old times

And I courted Peggy Dignam
As pretty as you please
A rogue, a 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
He took away my soul

Ring-a-ring a-rosey, as the light declines
I remember Dublin City in the rare old times

The years have made me bitter
The gargle's dimmed me brain
'Cause Dublin keeps on changing and
Nothing seems the same
The Pillar and the Met have gone
The Royal long since pulled down
As the grey unyielding concrete makes
A city of my town

Ring-a-ring a-rosey, as the light declines
I remember Dublin City in the rare old times

So fare thee well sweet Anna Liffey
I can no longer stay
To watch the new glass cages
Spring up along the quay
My mind's too full of memories
Too old to hear new chimes
I'm part of what was Dublin
In the rare old times

Ring-a-ring a-rosey, as the light declines
I remember Dublin City in the rare old times