Where the palm tree waves on high beneath a fertile spring,
Adieu my lovely Érin I may never see again.
Will I ever see the shamrock, that plant so dear to me?
Or will I ever see again my own country?

Why did I leave my home, or why did I cross the sea?
Why did I leave that land where my forefathers had been?
I sighed for Érin’s, shore as I gaze along the sea.
Will I ever get one glimpse lovely Ireland of thee?

What a bitter pain it was, to sail away from home.
To leave the land of fame and to cross the raging foam.
There’s a path along the ocean and a track across the sea.
For the weary to return to their own country.

Why did I leave my home, or why did I cross the sea?
Why did I leave that land where my forefathers had been?
I sighed for Érin’s shore, as I gaze along the sea.
Will I ever get one glimpse lovely Ireland of thee?

I hear no village bell to wake the Sabbath morn.
Or the soft sound of the reaper in the yellow field of corn.
But a tyrant’s voice I hear in the bond of slavery.
Will I ever get one glimpse, lovely Ireland of thee?

The noble and the brave has departed from their homes.
They are gone to be slain where the wild cannons roar.
Will they ever more return for to set old Ireland free?
Will they ever more return to their own country?

Why did I leave my home, or why did I cross the sea?
Why did I leave that land where my forefathers had been?
Will I ever more return for to set old Ireland free?
Will I ever more return to my own country?

"We can find no reference to this, but it appears to be from the same source as a song entitled 'The Hills of Kerry', performed by popular Kerry singer Danny Doyle - chicken or egg?

The Hills of Kerry
Oh the palm trees wave on high all along that fertile shore,
Adieu, you hills of Kerry, I never will see you more.
Oh, why did I leave my home, and why did I cross the sea?
And leave the small birds singing around you sweet Tralee.

The noble and the brave have departed from your shore,
They´ve gone, they've gone to fight the war where the mighty cannons roar.
Will they ever again return to see old Ireland free,
And hear the small birds singing around you sweet Tralee.

Will I ever see the shamrock, that sprig so fine and grand,
Or hear the curlew flying high o'er lowly Banna Strand.
As I stand on this foreign shore and think on what might be,
Will I ever more return again to see you sweet Tralee.

No more I'll see the sunbeams on that precious harvest morn,
Or hear our reaper singing in a field of golden corn.
There´s an end for every woe and a cure for every pain,
But the laughing eyes of my darling girl I never will see again.

Oh the palm trees wave on high all along that fertile shore,
Adieu, you hills of Kerry, I never will see you more.
Oh, why did I leave my home, and why did I cross the sea?
And leave the small birds singing around you sweet Tralee,
And leave the small birds singing around you sweet Tralee.
Jim Carroll

See also
The Parting Way of Time sung by Peggy McMahon