Rare Ould times
Raised on songs and stories, heroes of renown
The passing tales and stories, that once was Dublin town
The hallowed halls and houses, the haunting children's rhymes
That once was part of Dublin, in the rare ould times
Chorus Ring-a-ring-a-Rosie, as the light declines
I remember Dublin City in the rare ould times
My name it is Sean Dempsey, as Dublin as can 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
And I courted Peggy Dignam, as pretty as can be
A rogue and child of Mary, from the rebel liberties
I lost her to a student chap, with skin a s black as coal
When he took her off to Birmingham, she took away my soul
Chorus
Now the years have made me bitter
The gargles dimmed me brain
Cos Dublin keeps on changin', and nothin' stays the same
The Pillar and the Met are gone
The Royal long since pulled down
As the grey unyielding concrete makes
A city of my town
Chorus
Fare thee well sweet Anna Liffy, I can no longer stay
And watch the new glass cages that spring up along the Quay
Me mind's too full of memories, too old to hear new chimes
I'm part of what was Dublin in the rare ould times
Chorus
Ending:- I remember Dublin City in the rare ould times
