Kevin Barry Lyrics and Chords

Irish rebel son

Kevin Barry
Kevin Barry - Capture and Torture
Kevin Barry - Trial and Execution
Death of Barry - his mother’s grief
Lyrics and Chords Print Version

The lyrics to Kevin Barry tell how this 18 year old Irish volunteer was executed during the Irish War of Independence.

Kevin Barry was born in Dublin on 20th Jan.1902. This song recounts his death. He was a member of the Irish Republican Army.

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He was hanged on 1st November 1920 - he was 18 year old.

The melody is taken from the traditional song, Rolling Home to Ireland, but it’s not known who wrote the lyrics.

The chords are presented here in the key of G Major. Use our key converter if you need to change the chords to a key that suits your voice better.

Kevin Barry lyrics and chords in G Major

 

In Mountjoy  

G 

jail one morning,

 

High above the gallows  

D 

tree,

 

Kevin Barry gave his  

C 

young 

 

 

D 

life

 

For the  

D7 

cause of libe

G 

rty.

 

Just  

G 

a lad of eighteen summers

 

Yet there’s no one can de

D 

ny

 

As he marched to death that  

C 

mor

D 

ning,

 

He proudly  

D7 

held his head on  

G 

high.

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

Shoot me like an Irish soldier.

Do not hang me like a dog,

For I fought to free old Ireland

On that still September morn.

All around the little bakery

Where we fought them hand to hand,

Shoot me like an Irish soldier,

For I fought to free Ireland.

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

Just before he faced the hangman

In his dreary prison cell,

British soldiers tortured Barry

Because he would not tell

The names of his brave comrades

And other things they wished to know,

“Turn informer and we’ll kill you.”

Kevin Barry answered “No”.

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

Calmly standing to attention

While he bade his last farewell

To his broken-hearted mother

Whose sad grief no-one can tell.

For the cause he proudly cherished,

This sad parting had to be

Then to death he walked softly

Smiling that old Ireland might be free.

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

Another martyr for old Ireland,

Another murder for the crown,

Whose brutal laws may kill the Irish,

But can’t keep their spirits down.

Lads like Barry are no cowards,

For the cause they will not lie

Lads like Barry will free Ireland,

For her sake we’ll live and die.

Kevin Barry
Kevin Barry - Capture and Torture
Kevin Barry - Trial and Execution
Death of Barry - his mother’s grief
Lyrics and Chords
Lyrics and Chords Print Version