Martin Byrne

BORN IN THE HEART OF DUBLIN IN NINETEEN FIFTY THREE

LIKE MY FATHER AND HIS FATHER IN A HOUSE JUST OFF THE QUAY

AND I LEARNED TO LOVE MY CITY AS A BOY AND THEN A MAN

BUT NOW THE TIMES ARE CHANGING THO’ I CAN’T UNDERSTAND

WITH CONCRETE SLABS FOR COBBLE STONES

THEY WONT LEAVE MY TOWN ALONE

THEY’RE TEARING DOWN THE CITY I ADORE

WITH HIGH RISE FLATS AND OFFICE BLOCKS

THEY’RE EVEN PULLING DOWN THE DOCKS

THE CHANGING FACE OF DUBLIN I CANT TAKE IT ANYMORE

THE STREETS THAT ONCE WE PLAYED ON THEY ARE NO LONGER THERE

A VICTIM OF THE PROGRESS YOU CAN SEE IT EVERYWHERE

AT LEAST THAT’S WHAT THEY CALLED IT WHEN THEY PRODUCED THEIR PLAN

AND THEY TRIED TO CHANGE MY CITY WITH ONE STROKE OF THEIR PEN

AND SO GOODBYE MY CITY IT SEEMS THAT WE MUST PART

BUT EVEN IN A FOREIGN LAND YOU’LL ALWAYS FILL MY HEART

THEY SAY THAT TIME CAN CHANGE A MAN AND I’LL NO LONGER ROAM

THEN I’LL RETURN TO DUBLIN FOR YOU’LL ALWAYS BE MY HOME

MARTIN BYRNE