Lyrics and Chords

Follow Me Up To Carlow

The lyrics to Follow Me Up to Carlow were written by P J McCall in the late 19th century – a good 200 years after the events the song describes.

Follow Me Up to Carlow main page
Fiach Mac Hugh O’Byrne
Srory explained
Battle of Glenmalure
Follow Me up to Carlow Videos
Lyrics and Chords print version

The tune is reputed to have been played as a marching tune the pipers of Fiach McHugh, the hero featured in the lyrics.

The composer is unknown, but the tune was collected by McCall who heard it being played by musicians in County Wexford in Ireland.

Chord Converter
Our chord converter enables you to play this song in any key.

The song had largely fallen out favour and was in danger of being forgotten before it was revived and made popular by the Irish band Planxty in the 1970s.

Planxty play Follow Me Up to Carlow D minor. It’s given here in E minor but you can use ourchord converter to transpose it to different keys.

Follow Me Up to Carlow Lyrics and Chords


Em 
Lift Mac Cahir Og your face,
G 
Brooding o’er the old disgrace
 
That  
Em 
black Fitzwilliam stormed your place
 
And drove you  
D 
to the  
Em 
Fern.
Em 
Gray said victory was sure,
G 
Soon the firebrand he’d secure
 
Un
Em 
til he met at Glenmalure,
 
Fiach  
D 
Mac Hugh O’
Em 
Byrne.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Chorus

 
Bm 
Curse and swear, Lord Kildare,
D 
Fiach will do what Fiach will dare.
Bm 
Now Fitzwilliam have a care,
D 
Fallen is your  
Em 
star 
 
low.
Bm 
Up with halbert, out with sword,
D 
On we go for by the Lord
Bm 
Fiach Mac Hugh has given his word:
D 
Follow me up to  
Em 
Carlow.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
See the swords of Glen Imayle
Flashing o’er the English Pale
See all the children of the Gael,
Beneath O’Byrne’s banners
Rooster of the fighting stock,
Would you let an English cock
Crow out upon an Irish rock,
Fly up and teach him manners.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Chorus
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
From Tassagart to Clonmore
Flows a stream of Saxon Gore.
Great is Rory Og O’More
At sending loons to Hades.
White is sick and Lane is fled,
Now for black Fitzwilliam’s head
We’ll send it over, dripping red,
To Liza and her ladies.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Chorus

Follow Me Up to Carlow main page
Fiach Mac Hugh O’Byrne
Srory explained
Battle of Glenmalure
Follow Me up to Carlow Videos
Lyrics and chords
Lyrics and Chords print version

Subscribe to our newsletter

Subscribe to our newsletter for our latest articles about Irish music and performers.

Check out these 15 fantastic articles on Fairytale of New York MacColl & MacGowan

Full list of all songs

These are just a few of the songs on the site. We're adding more every week.
Click here to see full list of songs.

.

Please follow us on Facebook and Twitter

Irish songs

Articles, videos, lyrics and chords for your favourite Irish songs. See full list

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Pat's Blog - Latest views and news on Irish music
Irish Holidays - top attractions in the Old Country
Free Articles to put on your website

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Irish bands

Info and videos for top Irish bands.