I wish I was in Carrickfergus, only for nights in Ballygrant.
I would swim over the deepest ocean, the deepest ocean for my love to find.
But the sea is wide, I cannot swim over; neither have I wings to fly.
If I could find me a handsome boatman to ferry me over to my love, and die.

My childhood days bring sad reflections of happy times spent so long ago.
My boyhood friends and my own relations have all passed on now like melting snow.
But I'll spend my days in endless roaming, soft is the grass, my bed is free.
Ah, to be back now in Carrickfergus on that long road down to the sea.
But I am sick now and my days are numbered; come all ye young men and lay me down.

This traditional Irish folk song takes its name from the coastal city of Carrickfergus situated near Belfast on the eastern shore of Northern Ireland. The poetry reveals a singer nearing the end of his life and longing to return to his childhood home. This sentiment is aptly reflected in a hauntingly beautiful melody. Though uncertain, the origin of the song is often linked to earlier Gaelic tunes and texts.

Duration: 3:35