Irish Songs.docx

Donegal Danny

I remember the night that he came in                                          D G D

From the wintery cold and damp                                                        G D

A giant of a man in an oilskin coat                                          fis h

and a bundle that told he was a tramp                                          e G A

He stood at the bar and he called a pint                                          D G D

Then turned and gazed at the fire                                                        G D

On a night like this, to be safe and dry                                          fis h

Is my one and only desire                                                                      e G A

cho:      So here's to those that are dead and gone              D G D

The friends that I loved dear                                                        D A

And here's to you then I'll bid you adieu                                          D G D

Sayin' "Donegal Danny's been here, me boys"                            D A D h

Donegal Danny's been here                                                                      D A D

Then in a voice that was hushed and low

He said "Listen, I'll tell you a tale"

How a man of the sea became a man of the road

And never more will set sail

I fished out of Howth and Killybegs,

Ardglass and Baltimore

But the cruel sea has beaten me

And I'll end my days on the shore

One fateful night in the wind and the rain

We set sail from Killybegs town

There were five of us from sweet Donegal

And one from county Down

We were fishermen who worked the sea

And never counted the cost

But I never thought 'ere that night was gone

That my fine friends would all be lost

Then the storm it broke and broke the boat

With the rocks about ten miles from shore

As we fought the tide, we hoped inside

To see our homes once more

Then we struck a rock and hold the bow

And all of us knew that she'd go down

So we jumped right into the icy sea

And prayed to God we wouldn't drown

              But the ragin' sea was risin' still

              As we struck out for the land

              And she fought with all her cruelty

              To claim that gallant men

              By Saint John's point in the early dawn

              I dragged myself on the shore

              And I cursed the sea for what she'd done

              And vowed to sail her never more

Ever since that night I've been on the road

Travelin' and trying to forget

That awful night I lost all my friends

I see their faces yet

And often at night when the sea is high

And the rain is tearing at my skin

I hear the cries of drowning men

Floating over on the wind

Molly Maguires

Make way for the Molly Maguire’s                                                        C G
They're drinkers, they're liars, but their men                            F G
Make way for the Molly Maguire’s                                                        C G
You'll never see the likes of them again                                          F G C

Down the mines no sunlight shines                                                        a C
Those pits they're black as hell                                                        C a
In modest style they do their time                                                        C F
It's Paddy's prison cell                                                                                    C G C
for they curse the day they travelled far                                          a e
And drown their tears in a jar                                                                      F G

Backs will break and muscles ache
Down there there's no time to dream
Of fields afar and women’s arms
Just dig that bloody seam
for they sweat their bodies and their brows
Who dares to push them around.

 

The Wild Rover

I've been a wild rover for many’s a year                                           G C

And I spent all my money on whiskey and beer,                             G C D G

But now I'm returning with gold in great store                             G C

And I never will play the wild rover no more.                                           G C D G

chorus: And it's no, nay, never,                                                         D D7

No nay never no more,                                                                       G C

Will I play the wild rover                                                                       G C

No never no more.                                                                                     D G

I went into an ale-house I used to frequent

And I told the landlady my money was spent.

I asked her for credit, she answered me "nay

Such a custom like yours I can have any day."

Chorus

I took up from my pocket ten sovereigns bright

And the landlady's eyes opened wide with delight.

She said "I have whiskey and wines of the best

And the words that you told me were only in jest."

chorus

I'll go home to my parents, confess what I've done

And I'll ask them to pardon their prodigal son.

And when they’ve caressed me as ofttimes before

Then I never will play the wild rover no more.

Song for Ireland

Walking all the day                                                                                    G D
near tall towers where falcons build their nests                            C e a D G
Silver winged they fly,                                                                                    G D
They know the call of freedom in their breasts,                            C e a D G
Saw Black Head against the sky                                                        C D
Where twisted rocks they run down to the sea                            G e A D
Living on your western shore,                                                                      C G
Saw summer sunsets, asked for more,                                          G D
stood by your Atlantic Sea,                                                                      C G D
And sang a song for Ireland                                                                      a e C D G

Talking all the day,
With true friends who try to make you stay,
Telling jokes and news,
and Singing songs to pass the time away,
Watched the Galway salmon run,
Like silver dancing, darting in the sun,
living on your western shore,
Saw summer sunsets, asked for more,
stood by your Atlantic Sea,
And sang a song for Ireland

Drinking all the day,
In old pubs where fiddlers love to play,
Saw one touch the bow,
He played a reel that seemed so grand and gay,
stood on Dingle beach and cast,
In wild foam we found Atlantic bass,
Living on your western shore,
Saw summer sunsets, asked for more,
stood by your Atlantic Sea,
And sang a song for Ireland

Dreaming in the night,
I ...