From the 1882 musical “The Maid of Arran”.
Words and music by Louis F. Baum.
The sheet music:
Accompaniment by James Pitt-Payne:
Lyrics
- It’s a basket of rubbish from Arran I’ve brought
As a gift to our darling Colleen
It would be a reminder of home life I thought
And its no place beside it is seen
Sure ye live in a city of wonders I know
In the land of the English, the mist and the fog
But here’s a wee treasure all England can’t show
It’s a bit of the old Irish sod
Sure ye live in a city of wonders I know
In the land of the mist and the fog
But I’ve brought ye a present all England can’t show
It’s a tuft of the old Irish bog - Sure your new London home is a palace so grand
And you in your silks are its queen
But you’ve not yet forgotten your dear native land
And you’re still our old Shiela, I ween
Then welcome these mosses from Arran so green
And a bunch of dried seaweed I found on the shore
The loveliest bunch of our wild flow’rs ere seen
They’re a gift to our Shiela, galore
Sure ye live in a city of wonders, I know
Many grand sights have ye seen
But here are some gems that all England can’t show
All the way from old Arran so green
Sung here by Vancha March: