Today's song/Carrickfergus by Van Morrison and The Chieftains

I wanted very much to post Van singing this in a live performance, but the one I found was too fast and upbeat for this very sad song. This is from the original recording. Here are the lyrics so you may read them while the song is playing. The video follows.

Carrickfergus

I wish I had you in Carrickfergus,

Only for nights in Ballygran,

I would swim over the deepest ocean,

The deepest ocean to be by your side.

But the sea is wide and I can't swim over

And neither have I wings to fly.

Oh, I wish I could find me a handy boatman

To ferry me over to my love and die.

My childhood days bring back sad reflections

To happy times spent so long ago.

My boyhood friends and my own relations

Have all passed on like the melting snow.

But I'll spend my days in endless roving,

Soft is the grass and my bed is free.

Oh to be home now in Carrickfergus,

On the long road down to the salty sea.

And in Kilkenny it is reported

On marble stones as black as ink,

With gold and silver I did support her

But I'll sing no more till I get a drink.

I'm drunk today and I'm rarely sober,

A handsome rover from town to town.

Ah but I am sick and my days are numbered

So come all ye young men and lay me down.