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a few favorite Irish Tunes
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Danny Boy
Cockles and Mussels
Fields of Athenry
Finnegan's Wake
Kathleen Mavourneen
Oró ‘Sé Do Bheatha ‘Bhaile
The Rose of Tralee
She Moved Through the Fair
The Wearing of the Green
When Irish Eyes Are Smiling
Cooley's Reel
Irish Lullabye (Toora Loora Loora)

If You’re Irish, Come Into the Parlor

Dear Old Donegal

Black Velvet Band

McNamara's Band

I'll Take You Home Again Kathleen
The Mountains of Mourne
The Minstrel Boy
The Foggy Dew
My Wild Irish Rose


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Danny Boy

Oh Danny boy, the pipes, the pipes are calling
From glen to glen, and down the mountain side
The summer's gone, and all the flowers are dying
'Tis you, 'tis you must go and I must bide.

But come ye back when summer's in the meadow
Or when the valley's hushed and white with snow
'Tis I'll be here in sunshine or in shadow
Oh Danny boy, oh Danny boy, I love you so.

And if you come, when all the flowers are dying
And I am dead, as dead I well may be
You'll come and find the place where I am lying
And kneel and say an "Ave" there for me.

And I shall hear, tho' soft you tread above me
And all my dreams will warmer sweeter be
If you will bend and tell me that you love me
Then I will sleep in peace until you come to me.

I'll simply sleep in peace until you come to me.

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Cockles and Mussels

In Dublin's fair city, where the girls are so pretty
I first set my eyes on sweet Molly Malone
As she wheeled her wheel-barrow
Through streets broad and narrow
Crying cockles and mussels, alive, alive-O!
Alive, alive-O! alive, alive-O!
Crying cockles and mussels, alive, alive-O!

She was a fish-monger, but sure 'twas no wonder
For so were her father and mother before
And they each wheeled their barrow
Through streets broad and narrow
Crying cockles and mussels, alive, alive-O!
Alive, alive-O! alive, alive-O!
Crying cockles and mussels, alive, alive-O!

She died of a fever, and no one could save her
And that was the end of sweet Molly Malone
But her ghost wheels her barrow
Through streets broad and narrow
Crying cockles and mussels, alive, alive-O!
Alive, alive-O! alive, alive-O!
Crying cockles and mussels, alive, alive-O!

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Fields of Athenry

1. By a lonely prison wall,
I heard a young girl call:
"Michael, they have taken you away,
For you stole Trevelyn's corn,
So the young might see the morn.
Now a prison ship lies waiting in the bay."

Refrain:
Low lie the fields of Athenry
Where once we watched the small free birds fly
Our love was on the wing
We had dreams and songs to sing
It's so lonely round the fields of Athenry.

2. By a lonely prison wall,
I heard a young man call
"Nothing matters, Mary, when you're free
Against the famine and the crown,
I rebelled, they cut me down.
Now you must raise our child with dignity."

Refrain

3. By a lonely harbor wall,
She watched the last star fall
As the prison ship sailed out against the sky
For she lived to hope and pray
For her love in Botany Bay
It's so lonely round the fields of Athenry.

Refrain

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Finnegan's Wake

Tim Finnegan lived in Walkin' Street
A gentleman, Irish, mighty odd;
He had a brogue both rich and sweet
And to rise in the world he carried a hod.
Now Tim had a sort of the tipplin' way
With a love of the whiskey he was born
And to help him on with his work each day
He'd a "drop of the cray-thur" every morn.

chorus:
Whack fol the darn O, dance to your partner
Whirl the floor, your trotters shake;
Wasn't it the truth I told you
Lots of fun at Finnegan's wake!

One mornin' Tim was feelin' full
His head was heavy which made him shake;
He fell from the ladder and broke his skull
And they carried him home his corpse to wake.

They rolled him up in a nice clean sheet
And laid him out upon the bed,
A gallon of whiskey at his feet
And a barrel of porter at his head.

(chorus)

His friends assembled at the wake
And Mrs. Finnegan called for lunch,
First they brought in tay and cake
Then pipes, tobacco and whiskey punch.

Biddy O'Brien began to bawl
"Such a nice clean corpse, did you ever see? "
O Tim, mavourneen, why did you die?"
Arragh, hold your gob said Paddy McGhee!

(chorus)

Then Maggie O'Connor took up the job
"O Biddy," says she, "You're wrong, I'm sure"
Biddy she gave her a belt in the gob
And left her sprawlin' on the floor.

And then the war did soon engage
'Twas woman to woman and man to man,
Shillelagh law was all the rage
And a row and a ruction soon began.

(chorus)

Then Mickey Maloney ducked his head
When a noggin of whiskey flew at him,
It missed, and falling on the bed
The liquor scattered over Tim!

The corpse revives! See how he raises!
Timothy rising from the bed,
Says,"Whirl your whiskey around like blazes
Thanum an Dhul! Do you thunk I'm dead?"

(chorus)

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Kathleen Mavourneen

Kathleen Mavourneen! the grey dawn is breaking
The horn of the hunter is heard on the hill
The lark from her light wing the bright dew is shaking
Kathleen Mavourneen! What, slumbering still!

O hast thou forgotten how soon we must sever?
O hast thou forgotten this day we must part?
It may be for years, and it may be forever
Oh, why art thou silent, thou voice of my heart?
It may be for years, and it may be forever
Then why art thou silent, Kathleen Mavourneen?

Kathleen Mavourneen! Awake from thy slumbers
The blue mountains glow in the sun's golden light
Ah! Where is the spell that once hung on my numbers?
Arise in thy beauty, thou star of my night.

Mavourneen, mavourneen, my sad tears are falling
To think that from Erin and thee I must part.
It may be for years, and it may be forever
Oh, why art thou silent, thou voice of my heart?
It may be for years, and it may be forever
Then why art thou silent, Kathleen Mavourneen?

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Oró ‘Sé Do Bheatha ‘Bhaile

Óró, sé do bheatha 'bhaile!
Óró, sé do bheatha 'bhaile!
Óró, sé do bheatha 'bhaile!
Anois ar theacht an tsamhraidh

Sé do bheatha a bhean ba léanmhar!
B'é ár gcreach tú bheith i ngéibhinn
Do dhúiche bhreá i seilbh méirleach
'S tú diolta leis na Ghallaibh

Óró, sé do bheatha 'bhaile!
Óró, sé do bheatha 'bhaile!
Óró, sé do bheatha 'bhaile!
Anois ar theacht an tsamhraidh

Tá Gráinne Mhaol ag teacht thar sáile,
Óglaigh armtha léi mar gharda
Gaeil iad féin 's ni Gaill ná Spáinnigh,
'S cuirfid siad ruaig ar Ghallaibh

Óró, sé do bheatha 'bhaile!
Óró, sé do bheatha 'bhaile!
Óró, sé do bheatha 'bhaile!
Anois ar theacht an tsamhraidh

A bhui le Ri na bhfeart go bhfeiceam,
Muna mbeam beo 'na dhiaidh ach seachtain
Gráinne Mhaol agus mile gaiscioch
Ag fógairt fáin ar Ghallaibh

Óró, sé do bheatha 'bhaile!
Óró, sé do bheatha 'bhaile!
Óró, sé do bheatha 'bhaile!
Anois ar theacht an tsamhraidh

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The Rose of Tralee

The pale moon was rising above the green mountain
The sun was declining beneath the blue sea
When I strayed with my love to the pure crystal fountain
That stands in beautiful vale of Tralee.
She was lovely and fair as the rose of the summer
Yet, 'twas not her beauty alone that won me
Oh no! 'Twas the the truth in her eye ever beaming
That made me love Mary, the Rose of Tralee.

The cool shades of evening their mantle were spreading
And Mary all smiling was listening to me
The moon through the valley her pale rays was shedding
When I won the heart of the Rose of Tralee.
Though lovely and fair as the rose of the summer
Yet, 'twas not her beauty alone that won me
Oh no! 'Twas the the truth in her eye ever beaming
That made me love Mary, the Rose of Tralee.

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She Moved Through the Fair

My young love said to me, "My mother won't mind
And my father won't slight you for your lack of kind."
And she stepped away from me and this she did say
It will not be long, love, till our wedding day."

As she stepped away from me and she moved through the fair
And fondly I watched her move here and move there
And then she turned homeward with one star awake
Like the swan in the evening moves over the lake.

The people were saying, no two e'er were wed
But one had a sorrow that never was said
And I smiled as she passed with her goods and her gear
And that was the last that I saw of my dear.

Last night she came to me, my dead love came in
So softly she came that her feet made no din
As she laid her hand on me and this she did say
"It will not be long, love, 'til our wedding day."

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The Wearing of the Green

"O Paddy dear, and did ye hear the news that's goin' round?
The shamrock is by law forbid to grow on Irish ground!
No more Saint Patrick's Day we'll keep, his color can't be seen
For there's a cruel law ag'in the Wearin' o' the Green."

I met with Napper Tandy, and he took me by the hand
And he said, "How's poor old Ireland, and how does she stand?"
"She's the most distressful country that ever yet was seen
For they're hanging men and women there for the Wearin' o' the Green."

"So if the color we must wear be England's cruel red
Let it remind us of the blood that Irishmen have shed
And pull the shamrock from your hat, and throw it on the sod
But never fear, 'twill take root there, though underfoot 'tis trod.

When laws can stop the blades of grass from growin' as they grow
And when the leaves in summer-time their color dare not show
Then I will change the color too I wear in my caubeen
But till that day, please God, I'll stick to the Wearin' o' the Green."

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When Irish Eyes Are Smiling

music is for chorus only

Chorus:
When Irish eyes are smiling
Sure it's like a morning spring.
In the lilt of Irish laughter,
You can hear the angels sing.
When Irish hearts are happy,
All the world seems bright and gay.
And when Irish eyes are smiling,
Sure, they steal your heart away.

1)
There's a tear in your eye, and I'm wondering why,
For it never should be there at all.
With such power in your smile, sure a stone you'd beguile,
So there's never a teardrop should fall.
When your sweet lilting laughter's like some fairy song,
And your eyes twinkle bright as can be,
You should laugh all the while and all other times smile,
And now smile a smile for me.

2)
For your smile is a part of the love in your heart,
And it makes even springtime more bright.
Like the linnet's sweet song, crooning all the day long,
Comes your laughter so tender and light.
For the springtime of life is the sweetest of all,
There is ne're a real care or regret.
And while springtime is ours, throughout all of youth's hours,
Let us smile each chance we get.

 

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Irish Lullabye (Toora Loora Loora)

CHORUS
Too-ra-loo-ra-loo-ral, too-ra-loo-ra-li
Too-ra-loo-ra-loo-ral, hush now don’t you cry
Too ra loo ra loo ral, too-ra-loo-ra-li
Too-ra-loo-ra-loo-ral, that’s an Irish lullaby

Over in Killarney, many years ago
Me mither sang a song to me in tones so sweet and low
Just a simple little ditty in her good old Irish way
And I’d give the world if she could sing that song to me today

CHORUS

Oft’ in dreams I wander to that cot again
I feel her arms a-huggin' me as when she held me then.
And I hear her voice a-hummin' to me as in days of yore,
When she used to rock me fast asleep outside the cabin door

CHORUS

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If You’re Irish, Come Into the Parlor

music is for chorus only

CHORUS:
If you're Irish come into the parlour,
There's a welcome there for you;
If your name is Timothy or Pat,
So long as you come from Ireland,
There's a welcome on the mat,
If You come from the Mountains of Mourne,
Or Killarney's lakes so blue,
We'll sing you a song and we'll make a fuss,
Whoever you are you are one of us,
If you're Irish, this is the place for you!

In sweet Lim'rick Town, they say,
Lived a chap named Patrick John Molloy.
Once he sailed to U.S.A.
His luck in foreign parts he thought he'd try.
Now he's made his name, and is a wealthy man,
He put a bit away for a rainy day;
So if you gaze upon the house of Patrick John,
You'll find a notice that goes on to say:

CHORUS

Patrick loved the girl he wed,
But he could not stand his Ma-in-law,
Once with joy he turned quite red,
When she got into trouble thro' her jaw.
Six police they had to take her to the Court,
She was informed a month she would have to do,
So Patrick quickly wrote up to the Judge a note
Explaining, "Sir, I'm much obliged to you!"

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Dear Old Donegal

CHORUS
Shake hands with your Uncle Mike me boy
and kiss your sister Kate
and here's the girl you used to swing
down on the garden gate
shake hands with all the neighbors
and kiss the colleens all
you're as welcome as the flowers of Spring
in Dear Old Donegal

It seems like only yesterday I sailed from out of Cork
a wanderer from Erin's Isle I landed in new York
There wasn't a soul to greet me there, a stranger on your shore
but Irish luck was with me there and riches came galore
and now I'm going back again to dear old Erin's Isle
my friends will greet me on the pier and meet me with a smile
Their faces sure I've almost forgot, I've been so long away
my mother will introduce them all and this to me she'll say....

CHORUS

Oh, there'll be a party when I come home
they'll come from near and far
they'll line the roads for miles and miles
in Irish jaunting cars
The spirits will flow and we'll be gay
and fill your heart with joy
The piper will play an Irish reel to greet the Yankee boy
We'll dance and sing the night away
a sight you've never seen
The lads all decked in corduroy the colleens wearing green
there'll be thousands there I've never seen
I've been so long away,
my mother will introduce them all and this to me she'll say....

CHORUS

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Black Velvet Band

In a neat little town they call Belfast
An apprentice boy I was bound
And many's the happy hour
I have spent in that neat little town
But bad misfortune o'ertook me
And caused me to stray from the land
Far away from my friends and relations,
Betrayed by the black velvet band

Oh, one evening late as I rambled
Not meaning to go very far,
When I met with a gay young deceiver
She was plyin' her trade in a bar.
Oh, her eyes they shone like the diamonds
And I thought her the pride of the land
And her hair hung over her shoulders
Tied up with a black velvet band.

Oh, one evening a flashman, a watchman
She happened to meet on the sly
I could tell that her mind it was altered
By the roll of her roving dark eye
Oh, that watch she took from his pocket
She slipped it right into my hand
Then she gave me in charge to the policeman
Bad luck to the black velvet band

Now before the Lord Mayor I was taken
My guilt they proved quite plain
And he said if I was not mistaken
I should have to cross the salt main
Now its sixteen long years have they gave me
To plough upon Van Dieman's land
Far away from my friends and relations
A curse on the black velvet band

So come all ye jolly young fellows,
I'll have ye take warning from me
Whenever you're out on the liquor,
Beware of them pretty colleens.
They'll treat you to whiskey and porter,
Till you are not able to stand;
And the very next thing that you know, my lads,
You'll end up in Van Dieman's land.

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McNamara's Band
(no midi available yet)

Oh me name is McNa-mara, I'm the leader of the band
Al-though were few in number, we're the finest in the land
We play at wakes and weddings and at every fancy ball
And when we play to funerals, we play the March from Saul
Right now we are re-hearsing for a very swell af-fair
The annual cele-bration and the gentry will be there
When General Grant, to Ireland came, he shook me by the hand
Says he: I never saw the likes of McNamara band

Chorus:
Oh the drums go bang, and the cymbals clang,
and the horns they blaze a-way
Mc-Carthy pumps the old bazoon,
while I the pipes do play
And Hennessy Tennessy tootles the flute,
the music is something grand
A credit to old Ireland is McNamara's band

Chorus Tag:
Yerra go on, you're only joking, yerra go on,
you're pulling me leg
Yerra go on, you're only joking, yerra go on,
go on, go on, you're pulling me leg

Oh my name is Uncle Julius and from Sweden I have come
To play with McNamara's band and beat the big bass drum
And when I march a-long the street, the ladies think I'm grand
They shout: there's Uncle Julius, playing with an Irish band (women)

Oh, I wear a bunch of shamrocks and a uniform of green
And I'm the funniest looking Swede that you have ever seen
There's O'Briens and Ryans and Sheehans and Meehans, they come from Ire-land
But, by Yimminy, I'm the only Swede in McNamara's band

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I'll Take You Home Again Kathleen

(lyrics soon)

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The Mountains of Mourne

(lyrics soon)

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The Minstrel Boy

(lyrics soon)

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The Foggy Dew

(lyrics soon)

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My Wild Irish Rose

(lyrics soon)

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