Oh I know a wee spot, 'tis place of great fame And it lies to the North, now I'll tell you its name It's my own native birthplace and it's on Irish soil And they call it lovely Derry on the banks of the Foyle Now I courted a young man, and his age was nineteen He was the fairest young man that ever you've seen He was tall, he was handsome and his hair black as coal And he came from lovely Derry on the banks of the Foyle But now cruel misfortune drove me from my own home 'Twas my fate in deep sorrow for to sail o'er the foam And now from dark strangers in grief I recoil And I pine for lovely Derry on the banks of the Foyle I was fearing another had a place in his heart And that from me my darling forever would part That no more would he brighten with his sweet sunny smile My dear home in lovely Derry on the banks of the Foyle But a wee bird came flying from over the sea. And he brought me a letter from my true love to see Saying Come home my darling to your native soil And we'll wed in lovely Derry on the banks of the Foyle Now when I make a fortune, then it's home I will go To the dear land of my childhood, to the sweet one I know And we'll live a mansion, and no more we will toil Far away from lovely Derry on the banks of the Foyle Far away from lovely Derry on the banks of the Foyle