Bm  E          A     F#m         Bm  E           A D A
I wish I was in Carrickfergus, only for nights in Ballygrant 
             Bm   E            A    F#m            Bm    E      A D A
I would swim over the deepest ocean, only for nights in Ballygrant
     E          A  F#m                E              A   F#m D        E 
But the sea is wide and I cannot swim over, neither have I the wings to fly
A      Bm      E           A      F#m           Bm  E               A
I must find me a handsome boatman to ferry me over to my love and die

[Verse 2]
         Bm  E          A     F#m         Bm  E                                 A D A
My childhood days bring back sweet reflections The happy times I spent so long ago 
             Bm   E            A    F#m            Bm    E                 A D A
My boyhood friends and kind relations have all past on now like melting snow 
     E          A  F#m                E              A   F#m D        E 
I'll spend my days an endless rover soft is the grass and sure, my bed is free 
A      Bm      E           A      F#m                   Bm  E                  A
Oh but to be back, in carrickfergus to strike that lonely road, down by the sea

[Verse 3]
         Bm  E          A     F#m         Bm  E                    A D A
And in kilkenny it is reported on marble stone there as black as ink
             Bm   E            A    F#m            Bm    E                         A D A
With gold and silver I would support her but I'll sing no more now til I get a drink
     E          A  F#m                E              A   F#m D        E 
For I'm drunk today and I'm seldom sobera handsome rover from town to town
A      Bm      E           A      F#m           Bm  E                        A
Ah but I'm sick now my days are numbered come all ye young men and lay me down