A Father's Blessing Guitar Chords And Lyrics

The Irish Brigade. written by Gerry O' Glacain [ Singer With The Irish Brigade] Chords by Bob Sharpe. This song is a tribute to Joe McDonnell (1951–1981) who died on hunger strike in Long Kesh Prison. This one was also recorded by Shebeen along with Athen Rye. If you want to play along with the Irish Brigade version place a capo on the second fret and play the chords given. They are in the key of D.

Intro- C-F-G-C
[C] Children's laughter children [Am] tears 
Childish [C] joys of childhood [Am] years 
Are just [F] memories of our once happy [G] home 
Its not [C] death that brings the [Am] pain 
I would [C] face it all again 
But it [F] grieves me so to [G] leave you all [C] along

CHORUS
Do the [F] wee ones still [G] sigh When they [C] hear their daddy's [Am] name 
Do they [F] sadly ask you [G] why I [C] won't be home a[C7]gain 
How [F] hard it is to [G] know I'll [C] never see them [Am] grow 
Let my [F] dying bring for [G] them a better [C] land

May they never know the fears 
That blighted my young years 
Of the shackles that have bound my native land 
May they see the joy of life 
And not cruel civil strife 
Foreign laws imposed by brutal strangers hands

Let them grow in love and truth 
Let them blossom into youth 
Guided by their mother's loving hand 
Let them cherish Ireland's pride 
For this Joe McDonnell died 
Let them know their father loved them and his land

Let my [F] dying bring for [G] them a better [Am] land.
Let them [F] know their father [G] loved them and his [C] land