I got this ballad from the singing of Tommy Kerins, a Sligo native who resides in Australia. He performed it at the Paddy Killoran Festival in Ballymote a few years ago, where it was filmed, and this is my transcription. The lyrics may not be totally accurate, but it's a good song.
Well God be with the good old days, when youthful I did roam,
Down by Lough Arrow's lovely banks beside my native home.
With mountain vales and fields so green and moorlands broad and wide,
and lovely woods that can be seen down by Lough Arrows side
The graceful scenes of Curlew Hills and Hollybrook I see.
And further on, and brighter still lies beautiful Lough Key.
Where often in the days gone by we sat there side by side
or boated on your waters bright down by Lough Arrows side.
How nice a run-down schoolhouse stands along the public road
with fertile fields on either hand quite near to my abode.
where often in my youthful days i stayed at evening tide
from comrades grand I had to leave down by Lough Arrows side
I had to leave my native home and cross the raging sea
and settle in columbias land, my future home to be,
where pretty girls so fair and bright, so modest and blue-eyed
Are exiles on Columbia's shore far from Lough Arrows side
its now i think of the Highwood boys and the girls round Killadoon
Killashee and lakeview too, and likewise Ballindoon
and when at night the moon shone bright we'd dance at the corners wide
and sing and boast and drink a toast down back Lough Arrow's side
how often in my dreams ive seen the master teach at school
or watch the mistress cross the bridge each evening as a rule
Or watch bright Arrows waters flow as they did at eveningtide
when I was but a schoolboy lived down by Lough Arrows side
alas those days are past and gone, we neer shall see them more
when carefree lads we sported on the Heapstown hills galore
when as from home we had to go and cross the raging sea
and bid farewell to all we loved and to lough Arrows side
