And still I live in hope to see
the Holy Ground once more.
Fine girl you are!


Fare thee well, my lovely Dinah, 
a thousand times adieu.
We are saying goodbye to the Holy Ground 
and the girls we all love true
We will sail the salt seas over 
and then return once more,      
And still I live in hope to see
the Holy Ground once more.

Chorus:
Fine girl you are!
You're the girl that I adore,
And still I live in hope to see 
the Holy Ground once more.
Fine girl you are!

Now when we're out a-sailing
and you are far behind
Fine letters will I write to you
with the secrets of my mind,
The secrets of my mind, my girl,
you're the girl that I adore,
And still I live in hope to see 
the Holy Ground once more.

Chorus:

And now the storm is raging
and we are far from shore;
The good old ship she is tossing about
and the rigging is all torn
The secret of my mind my girl,
is the girls I do adore,
And still I live in hope to see
the Holy Ground once more.

Chorus:

And now the storm is over
and we are safe and well
We'll go into a public house
and we'll sit and drink like hell
We'll drink strong ale and porter
we'll make the rafters roar
And when our money is all spent
we'll go to sea once more.

Chorus:

Footnote:  A song that appears under several titles such as Fine Gel Y' Are and Lovely Nancy (or Dinah), which first appeared in print in the early 1850's.  Study of songs of this period shows that more 18th and 19th century sailors said goodbye to Nancy than any other girl!  It appears to have been a stock name for a sweetheart.  In this version Nancy becomes Dinah just to confuse things!  Another fine Irish song which audiences much enjoyed during the Scottish Folk Revival.