Dear Old Skibbereen Irish Song Lyrics and guitar chords
Skibbereen tenor guitar / mandola tab in CGDA tuning. This song regarding The Great Hunger [ so called Famine ] was written by Patrick Carmenter.The chords for the 5 string banjo are included.The song was recorded by The Wolfe Tones and The Irish Brigade. To play along with the Irish Brigade use a capo on the 3th fret. Lyrics vary in some parts. The guitar chords are in chordpro.
Skibbereen may have been written by Francis Parnell who was the sister
of Charles Stewart Parnell, but nobody knows for sure. So the song is labeled
as ''Traditional''. Parts of the melody of the song are similar to ''My Irish Molly O''
which was first published in 1847 at the height of the so called Irish famine.
Skibbereen was also said to be written by poet Patrick Carpenter from West Cork.
The song was first published in 1895 in the Freeman's Journal based in Sydney Australia.
The song Skibbereen was made famous by Irish tenor John McCormack.
Skibbereen may have been written by Francis Parnell who was the sister
of Charles Stewart Parnell, but nobody knows for sure. So the song is labeled
as ''Traditional''. Parts of the melody of the song are similar to ''My Irish Molly O''
which was first published in 1847 at the height of the so called Irish famine.
Skibbereen was also said to be written by poet Patrick Carpenter from West Cork.
The song was first published in 1895 in the Freeman's Journal based in Sydney Australia.
The song Skibbereen was made famous by Irish tenor John McCormack.
(Am)Oh (G)father dear I (Am)oft-times (C)hear you (G)talk of (Dm)E(Em)rin´s (Am)Isle
Her lofty (C)scenes and (Am)valleys (Em)green, her (Am)mountains (C)rude (Dm)and (Am)wild
They say it (C)is a (Am)pretty (Em)place where-(Am)in a (C)prince (Dm)might (Am)d´well
Then (G)why did you (Am)abondon (C)it? The (G)reason (Dm)to (Em)me (Am)tell.
(Am)My (G)son I loved our (Am)native (C)land with (G)ener(Dm)gy (Em)and (Am)pride
Until a (C)blight came (Am)on the (Em)land and (Am)sheep and (C)cat(Dm)tle (Am)died,
The rent and (C)taxes (Am)were to (Em)pay, I (Am)could not (C)them (Dm)re(Am)deem,
And (G)that´s the cruel (Am)reason (C)why I (G)left old (Dm)Skib(Em)be(Am)reen
It´s well I do remember that bleak December day,
The landlord and the sheriff came to drive us all away;
They set the roof on fire with their demon yellow spleen,
And that´s another reason why I left old Skibbereen.
It´s well I do remember the year of forty-eight
When I arose with Erin´s boys to fight against the fate,
I was hunted through the mountains for a traitor to the Queen
And that´s another reason why I left old Skibbereen.
Oh father dear, the day will come when vengeance loud will call,
And we will rise with Erin´s boys and rally one and all,
I´ll be the man to lead the van beneath our flag of green,
And loud and high we´ll raise the cry:´Revenge for Skibereen´.
🎵 Skibbereen
Key: A Minor
Time Signature: 3/4 (slow, mournful waltz)
Tempo: ~65–70 BPM
🎸 Strumming Pattern (3/4 Time)
Down – Down – Up (soft and steady)
count: 1 – 2 – 3
Alternate (fingerpicking):
Bass (thumb) – Down (fingers) – Up (fingers)
Keep it gentle, flowing, and emotional — like a slow heartbeat.
Verse 1
(Am)Oh (G)father dear I (Am)oft-times (C)hear you (G)talk of (Dm)E(Em)rin’s (Am)Isle,
Her lofty (C)scenes and (Am)valleys (Em)green, her (Am)mountains (C)rude (Dm)and (Am)wild.
They say it (C)is a (Am)pretty (Em)place where (Am)in a (C)prince (Dm)might (Am)dwell,
Then (G)why did you (Am)abandon (C)it? The (G)reason (Dm)to (Em)me (Am)tell.
Verse 2
(Am)My (G)son I loved our (Am)native (C)land with (G)energy (Dm)and (Em)pride,
Until a (C)blight came (Am)on the (Em)land and (Am)sheep and (C)cattle (Dm)died.
The rent and (C)taxes (Am)were to (Em)pay, I (Am)could not (C)them (Dm)redeem,
And (G)that’s the cruel (Am)reason (C)why I (G)left old (Dm)Skib(Em)be(Am)reen.
Verse 3
(Am)It’s well I do re(G)member that (Am)bleak De(C)cember (G)day,
The (Am)landlord and the (C)sheriff came to (Em)drive us all a(Am)way.
They set the (C)roof on (Am)fire with their (Em)demon yellow (Am)spleen,
And (G)that’s a(nother) (Am)reason (C)why I (G)left old (Dm)Skib(Em)be(Am)reen.
Verse 4
(Am)It’s well I do re(G)member the (Am)year of (C)forty-(G)eight,
When (Am)I arose with (C)Erin’s boys to (Em)fight against the (Am)fate.
I was (C)hunted through the (Am)mountains for a (Em)traitor to the (Am)Queen,
And (G)that’s a(nother) (Am)reason (C)why I (G)left old (Dm)Skib(Em)be(Am)reen.
Verse 5
(Am)Oh father dear, the (G)day will come when (Am)vengeance (C)loud will (G)call,
And (Am)we will rise with (C)Erin’s boys and (Em)rally one and (Am)all.
I’ll be the (C)man to (Am)lead the van be(Em)neath our flag of (Am)green,
And (G)loud and high we’ll (Am)raise the cry — (C)"Re(G)venge for (Dm)Skib(Em)be(Am)reen!"
🎶 Performance Notes
Dynamics: Start quietly and let emotion build in verses 4 & 5.
Tone: Use fingerpicking or soft downstrokes for that haunting Irish lament sound.
Optional flourish: on (Am → G → Am) transitions, walk the bass notes (A–G–F–E) for a classic folk touch.
End softly on Am, letting it ring.
Would you like me to format this into a clean printable lead sheet (PDF) with chord diagrams and the waltz strumming pattern written in? It’s ideal for live or session performance.
here’s “Skibbereen” transposed to E minor, with full chords placed throughout every verse and the same gentle 3/4 waltz strumming pattern for that mournful Irish ballad feel.
Skibbereen – Verse 1 (Fingerpicking in E Minor)
Time Signature: 3/4
Tempo: ~65 BPM
Tuning: Standard (EADGBE)
🎸 Fingerpicking Pattern
Use this on most chords:
Beat count: 1 2 3
Pattern: T I M I M
Thumb (T) → Bass note
Index (I) → 3rd string (G)
Middle (M) → 2nd string (B)
🎶 TAB – Verse 1
Em D Em G
e|--------0-----------|--------2-----------|--------0-----------|--------3-----------|
B|------0---0---0-----|------3---3---3-----|------0---0---0-----|------0---0---0-----|
G|----0-------0---0---|----2-------2---2---|----0-------0---0---|----0-------0---0---|
D|--------------------|--0-----------------|--------------------|--------------------|
A|--------------------|--------------------|--------------------|--------------------|
E|--0-----------------|--------------------|--0-----------------|--3-----------------|
D Am Bm Em
e|--------2-----------|--------0-----------|--------2-----------|--------0-----------|
B|------3---3---3-----|------1---1---1-----|------3---3---3-----|------0---0---0-----|
G|----2-------2---2---|----2-------2---2---|----4-------4---4---|----0-------0---0---|
D|--0-----------------|--2-----------------|--4-----------------|--------------------|
A|--------------------|--------------------|--2-----------------|--------------------|
E|--------------------|--------------------|--------------------|--0-----------------|
G Em D Em
e|--------3-----------|--------0-----------|--------2-----------|--------0-----------|
B|------0---0---0-----|------0---0---0-----|------3---3---3-----|------0---0---0-----|
G|----0-------0---0---|----0-------0---0---|----2-------2---2---|----0-------0---0---|
D|--------------------|--2-----------------|--0-----------------|--------------------|
A|--------------------|--------------------|--------------------|--------------------|
E|--3-----------------|--0-----------------|--------------------|--0-----------------|
🎵 Skibbereen
Key: E Minor
Time Signature: 3/4 (Slow Waltz)
Tempo: ~65 BPM
🎸 Strumming Pattern (3/4 Time)
Down – Down – Up
(count 1 – 2 – 3)
or fingerpicked:
Bass – Down – Up (thumb on the bass note, fingers brush the treble strings lightly)
Keep it slow, even, and emotional — almost like a heartbeat.
Verse 1
(Em)Oh (D)father dear I (Em)oft-times (G)hear you (D)talk of (Am)E(Bm)rin’s (Em)Isle,
Her lofty (G)scenes and (Em)valleys (Bm)green, her (Em)mountains (G)rude (Am)and (Em)wild.
They say it (G)is a (Em)pretty (Bm)place where (Em)in a (G)prince (Am)might (Em)dwell,
Then (D)why did you (Em)abandon (G)it? The (D)reason (Am)to (Bm)me (Em)tell.
Verse 2
(Em)My (D)son I loved our (Em)native (G)land with (D)energy (Am)and (Bm)pride,
Until a (G)blight came (Em)on the (Bm)land and (Em)sheep and (G)cattle (Am)died.
The rent and (G)taxes (Em)were to (Bm)pay, I (Em)could not (G)them (Am)redeem,
And (D)that’s the cruel (Em)reason (G)why I (D)left old (Am)Skib(Bm)be(Em)reen.
Verse 3
(Em)It’s well I do re(D)member that (Em)bleak De(G)cember (D)day,
The (Em)landlord and the (G)sheriff came to (Bm)drive us all a(Em)way.
They set the (G)roof on (Em)fire with their (Bm)demon yellow (Em)spleen,
And (D)that’s a(nother) (Em)reason (G)why I (D)left old (Am)Skib(Bm)be(Em)reen.
Verse 4
(Em)It’s well I do re(D)member the (Em)year of (G)forty-(D)eight,
When (Em)I arose with (G)Erin’s boys to (Bm)fight against the (Em)fate.
I was (G)hunted through the (Em)mountains for a (Bm)traitor to the (Em)Queen,
And (D)that’s a(nother) (Em)reason (G)why I (D)left old (Am)Skib(Bm)be(Em)reen.
Verse 5
(Em)Oh father dear, the (D)day will come when (Em)vengeance (G)loud will (D)call,
And (Em)we will rise with (G)Erin’s boys and (Bm)rally one and (Em)all.
I’ll be the (G)man to (Em)lead the van be(Bm)neath our flag of (Em)green,
And (D)loud and high we’ll (Em)raise the cry — (G)"Re(D)venge for (Am)Skib(Bm)be(Em)reen!"
🎶 Performance Notes
Feel: Slow and flowing — let each chord breathe.
Style: Use arpeggios or soft strums; emphasize chord changes on beat 1.
For a richer sound, occasionally alternate between Em and Em(add9) (022002).
On the last verse, build intensity slightly, then finish with a single soft downstroke on Em.
Included below are the chords for the 5 string banjo as used above
Skibbereen tenor guitar / mandola tab, tuned CGDA
The 1848 rebellion was the result of many factors. One was hunger -- the potato blight drove food prices beyond the reach of common people; in the end, millions died and many more went to America.
Another was land hunger; the preceding decades had forced many Irish smallholders off their lands while allowing the rich (usually English) to enlarge their holdings.
By the time of the blight, most Irish were working holdings of five acres or less; there simply wasn't enough land for the population.
Finally, revolution was in the air; almost all of Europe (except England) was in turmoil.
Unfortunately for the rebels, the very factors that caused the revolt meant that it had no strength and could gain no foreign help.
And England, with a stable government at home and all her enemies distracted, could deal with the rebellion at its leisure.
Another was land hunger; the preceding decades had forced many Irish smallholders off their lands while allowing the rich (usually English) to enlarge their holdings.
By the time of the blight, most Irish were working holdings of five acres or less; there simply wasn't enough land for the population.
Finally, revolution was in the air; almost all of Europe (except England) was in turmoil.
Unfortunately for the rebels, the very factors that caused the revolt meant that it had no strength and could gain no foreign help.
And England, with a stable government at home and all her enemies distracted, could deal with the rebellion at its leisure.
Skibbereen lyrics
Woman playing Skibbereen on guitar
