THE BANTRY GIRLS LAMENT Song Lyrics And Guitar Chords
4/4 (traditional) Irish folk. Lyrics and chords fit Johnny McEvoy’s version from his album ‚Never Smelt The Roses‘ . The music time signature is 2/4. [ General Irish Folk Song ]The sheet music and tin whistle notes are included. Frances Black who had massive success with All The Lies That You Told Me many years ago. and Mary Black. Musicians play a central roll in the making of any C.D. yet seldom get a mention, there's some fine musicians involved in this song and deserve some credit. Bantry girls lament piano sheet music notes in D Major, in solfege format [ Do Re Me ] now added. Recorded lately by Tommy Fleming.
Oh [C]who will plough the fields now
And who will sow the [G]corn
And [C]who will watch the sheep now
And have them [G]nicely [C]shorn
And the stack that's in the haggard
Unthrashed it may re[G]main
Since [C]Johnny went a trashing
The far off [G]king of [C]Spain
Oh [C]the girls from the Banóg
In sorrow may re[G]tire
And the [C]piper and his bellows
For Johnny, lovely Johnny
Went sailing o'er the [G]main
A[C]long with other patriots
To fight the [G]king of [C]Spain
Now the [C]boys will sorely miss him
When money more comes [G]round
And [C]grieve that there bold captain
Is nowhere [G]to be [C]found
The peelers must stand idle
Against there will and [G]grain
For the [C]valiant boy who gave them work
Now fights the [G]king of [C]Spain
Bridge: C-C-G-G F-F-C-C
At [C]wakes and hurling matches
Your likes we'll never [G]see
Till [C]you come back to us again
Mo stóirín [G]óg mo [C]chroí
And once you trounce the buckeens
That show us much dis[G]dain
Be[C]cause our eyes are not as bright
As those you'll [G]find in [C]Spain
Oh if [C]cruel fate should not permit
Our Johnny to re[G]turn
His [C]heavy loss we Bantry girls
Will never [G]cease to [C]mourn
We'll resign ourselves to our sad lot
And die in grief and [G]pain
Since [C]Johnny died for Ireland's pride
In the foreign [G]land of [C]Spain
Outro: C-C-C-C G-G-C-C
The Bantry Girls Lament is a traditional Irish folk song that has captivated audiences for centuries. With its haunting melody and poignant lyrics, this ballad tells the tragic tale of a young girl who is forced to leave her home and family in Bantry, Ireland, to sail across the Atlantic Ocean to America. The song reflects the harsh realities of Irish emigration during the 19th century and the devastating impact it had on families and communities.
The Bantry Girls Lament, also known as 'I Wish I Was In Bantry', is believed to have originated in the mid-19th century during the peak of Irish emigration. Ireland was facing a period of economic hardship and political turmoil, with the Great Famine and the British rule causing widespread poverty and famine. As a result, many Irish families were forced to leave their homes in search of a better life in America.
The lyrics of the song are thought to have been written by a young girl named Ellen Mullane, who was born in Bantry, County Cork, in 1833. She was just 16 years old when she left Ireland with her family to settle in Boston, Massachusetts. It is said that she wrote the song on the ship as she looked back at the shores of Ireland, feeling overwhelmed with homesickness and sadness.
The song begins with the poignant lines, 'I wish I was in Bantry / Only for nights in Ballygran / I would swim over the deepest ocean / The deepest ocean for my love to find.' These lyrics immediately set the tone for the rest of the song, as the narrator longs for her home and loved ones in Bantry. She expresses her desire to return to the familiar sights and sounds of her hometown, and her willingness to go to great lengths to be reunited with her loved ones.
Throughout the song, the narrator shares the memories of her happy and carefree life in Bantry, from playing by the river to dancing at the local fairs. These memories serve as a stark contrast to her current situation, as she is now far from home, on a ship bound for a new and unknown land. She laments the loss of her home, her family, and her way of life, and the pain of being separated from everything she holds dear is palpable in the lyrics.
The chorus of the song, 'And at the foot of Mount Leinster / I'll sit and I'll cry my fill / And every tear would turn a mill, Johnny / Every tear would turn a mill,' is a powerful and poignant expression of the narrator's grief and sorrow. The image of her tears turning a mill speaks to the endless sorrow and longing she feels for her home and loved ones. The use of the name 'Johnny' in the chorus has been interpreted by some as a reference to the Irish hero, John Barry, who is said to have been an inspiration for the song.
The Bantry Girls Lament also highlights the sacrifices and struggles faced by Irish women during this period of emigration. In many cases, women were forced to leave their homes and families behind to seek work and opportunities in America, often facing discrimination and hardships in the new country. The narrator's longing for her home and family reflects the emotional toll that this separation took on many Irish women.
The song has been passed down through generations and has been recorded by various artists, both in Ireland and America. Its enduring popularity can be attributed to its universal themes of love, longing, and loss, which continue to resonate with audiences today. The Bantry Girls Lament has become a symbol of the Irish diaspora and a reminder of the struggles and sacrifices made by those who were forced to leave their homeland in search of a better life.
In conclusion, The Bantry Girls Lament is a powerful and emotive song that captures the heartache and longing of Irish emigration during the 19th century. It serves as a reminder of the devastating impact of the Great Famine and the British rule on the Irish people, and the enduring legacy of this period in Irish history. Through its haunting melody and poignant lyrics, this ballad continues to tell the story of the Bantry girls and their bittersweet journey to America.
The Bantry Girls Lament, also known as 'I Wish I Was In Bantry', is believed to have originated in the mid-19th century during the peak of Irish emigration. Ireland was facing a period of economic hardship and political turmoil, with the Great Famine and the British rule causing widespread poverty and famine. As a result, many Irish families were forced to leave their homes in search of a better life in America.
The lyrics of the song are thought to have been written by a young girl named Ellen Mullane, who was born in Bantry, County Cork, in 1833. She was just 16 years old when she left Ireland with her family to settle in Boston, Massachusetts. It is said that she wrote the song on the ship as she looked back at the shores of Ireland, feeling overwhelmed with homesickness and sadness.
The song begins with the poignant lines, 'I wish I was in Bantry / Only for nights in Ballygran / I would swim over the deepest ocean / The deepest ocean for my love to find.' These lyrics immediately set the tone for the rest of the song, as the narrator longs for her home and loved ones in Bantry. She expresses her desire to return to the familiar sights and sounds of her hometown, and her willingness to go to great lengths to be reunited with her loved ones.
Throughout the song, the narrator shares the memories of her happy and carefree life in Bantry, from playing by the river to dancing at the local fairs. These memories serve as a stark contrast to her current situation, as she is now far from home, on a ship bound for a new and unknown land. She laments the loss of her home, her family, and her way of life, and the pain of being separated from everything she holds dear is palpable in the lyrics.
The chorus of the song, 'And at the foot of Mount Leinster / I'll sit and I'll cry my fill / And every tear would turn a mill, Johnny / Every tear would turn a mill,' is a powerful and poignant expression of the narrator's grief and sorrow. The image of her tears turning a mill speaks to the endless sorrow and longing she feels for her home and loved ones. The use of the name 'Johnny' in the chorus has been interpreted by some as a reference to the Irish hero, John Barry, who is said to have been an inspiration for the song.
The Bantry Girls Lament also highlights the sacrifices and struggles faced by Irish women during this period of emigration. In many cases, women were forced to leave their homes and families behind to seek work and opportunities in America, often facing discrimination and hardships in the new country. The narrator's longing for her home and family reflects the emotional toll that this separation took on many Irish women.
The song has been passed down through generations and has been recorded by various artists, both in Ireland and America. Its enduring popularity can be attributed to its universal themes of love, longing, and loss, which continue to resonate with audiences today. The Bantry Girls Lament has become a symbol of the Irish diaspora and a reminder of the struggles and sacrifices made by those who were forced to leave their homeland in search of a better life.
In conclusion, The Bantry Girls Lament is a powerful and emotive song that captures the heartache and longing of Irish emigration during the 19th century. It serves as a reminder of the devastating impact of the Great Famine and the British rule on the Irish people, and the enduring legacy of this period in Irish history. Through its haunting melody and poignant lyrics, this ballad continues to tell the story of the Bantry girls and their bittersweet journey to America.
Bantry girls lament piano sheet music notes in D Major, in solfege format [ Do Re Me ]