The Dear Irish Boy

I once had a sweetheart but now I have none
He's gone and he's left me, he has left me all alone;
But since he has left me contented I'll be
For he loves another far better than me.

My love he's a band boy, his fingers are small,
The tunes that he plays are sweeter than all;
He plays on his banjo by night and by day,
But now he has left me and gone far away.

My love he is a ruin and a torment to me,
I'm bound in love's chain, shall I ever be free?
Oh, love it is killing, a woeful downfall,
I wish in my heart I had ne'er loved at all.

Once I had two cheeks like the bud of a rose,
But now they're as white as the lily that blows,
My youth and my beauty are faded and gone
And the cause of it all is my darling young man.

A bunch of green laurels for my true love I'll reap,
And a bunch of green ribbons for my true love I'll keep,
And if e'er he returns I'll embrace him with joy
And caress the fond heart of my dear Irish boy.

Back in the 60s a song with somewhat similar words was a favorite of American women singers:

I once had a sweetheart but now I have none,
I once had a sweetheart but now I have none,
He's gone and he's leave me, He's gone and he's leave me,
He's gone and he's leave me, to sorrow and moan.