Lyrics and Chords

Lyrics and chords

The lyrics to this popular version of Roddy McCorley were written by Ethna Carbery in 1898 but were not published until 1904.

More on Roddy McCorley
Roddy McCorley page 1
Roddy McCorley page 2
Original Version
Belfast Newsletter
Recordings
Lyrics and Chords

They tell the story of the execution of McCorley for his part in the 1798 Irish Rebellion.

The chords here are given in C Major – the key used by Shane MacGowan and The Popes.

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

The Clancy Brothers play it in the key of E Flat Major. If you want to play it in E flat then you can do so by putting a capo on the third fret of the guitar and using the chord shapes given below.

The Dubliners featuring Ciaran Bourke on vocals sing it in D Major. Place a capo on the second fret and use the chord shapes below to play in D Major.

Roddy McCorley – lyrics and chords in C Major

 

Oh  

C 

see the host of  

Am 

fleet foot  

C 

men,

 

Who  

F 

march with faces  

C 

wan,

 

From farmstead and from  

F 

fishers’ 

 

 

C 

cot,

 

A  

Am 

long the  

F 

banks of  

G 

Ban;

 

They  

C 

come with vengeance  

F 

in their  

C 

eyes.

Am 

Too late!  

F 

Too late are  

G 

they,

 

For  

C 

young Roddy McCorley  

Am 

goes to die

 

On the  

F 

bridge of Toome  

C 

today.

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

Oh Ireland, Mother Ireland,

You love them still the best

The fearless brave who fighting fall

Upon your hapless breast,

But never a one of all your dead

More bravely fell in fray,

Than he who marches to his fate

On the bridge of Toome today.

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

Up the narrow street he stepped,

So smiling, proud and young.

About the hemp-rope on his neck,

The golden ringlets clung;

There’s ne’er a tear in his blue eyes,

Fearless and brave are they,

As young Roddy McCorley goes to die

On the bridge of Toome today.

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

When last this narrow street he trod,

His shining pike in hand

Behind him marched, in grim array,

An earnest stalwart band.

To Antrim town! To Antrim town,

He led them to the fray,

But young Roddy McCorley goes to die

On the bridge of Toome today.

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

The grey coat and its sash of green

Were brave and stainless then,

A banner flashed beneath the sun

Over the marching men;

The coat hath many a rent this noon,

The sash is torn away,

And Roddy McCorley goes to die

On the bridge of Toome today.

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

Oh, how his pike flashed in the sun!

Then found a foeman’s heart,

Through furious fight, and heavy odds

He bore a true man’s part

And many a red-coat bit the dust

Before his keen pike-play,

But Roddy McCorley goes to die

On the bridge of Toome today.

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

There’s never a one of all your dead

More bravely died in fray

Than he who marches to his fate

In Toomebridge town today;

True to the last! True to the last,

He treads the upwards way,

And young Roddy McCorley goes to die

On the bridge of Toome today.

See also the lyrics to the original version of Roddy McCorley dating back to the time of 1798 Rebellion.

More on Roddy McCorley
Roddy McCorley page 1
Roddy McCorley page 2
Original Version of Roddy McCorley
Belfast Newsletter account of McCorley’s execution
Recordings of Roddy McCorley
Lyrics and Chords