Dingle Bay lyrics and chords By the Wolfe Tones
Written By Brian Warfield. You can get this song on The Spirit Of Freedom album by The Wolfe Tones. There are two folk songs on this site named Dingle Bay. I call the second one Dingle Bay Two .
[D]Contentment of mind is not found in a [G]city
So me mind is in[C]clined[G] for to ramble and[D] dream
To a place where my [G]heart,,[D] has [G]found greater fortune
In a brief winter[C] skir[G]mish me mind will see [D]summer once more
Cho.
And [D]there's where the small birds sing high on the[G] mountain
That furze dressed[C] mount[G]ain, that valley or [D]hill
There's where the[G] wild [D]eagle,,[G] knows its own freedom,,[D]
And [G]fishermen's [C]boats [G]make their way to [D]Dingle Bay
The sound of the bees there collecting their honey
The sight of the sea birds protecting their young
The scent of the wild flowers, the spray of the ocean
It's nature's own beauty we're watching the world go round
Cho.
The fishermen's boats there they plough the salt ocean
For mackerel and herring, all the fish of the sea
And though I have traveled the wild world all over
There's nowhere on earth that is dearer to me.
Back to The Wolfe Tones Song Lyrics
So me mind is in[C]clined[G] for to ramble and[D] dream
To a place where my [G]heart,,[D] has [G]found greater fortune
In a brief winter[C] skir[G]mish me mind will see [D]summer once more
Cho.
And [D]there's where the small birds sing high on the[G] mountain
That furze dressed[C] mount[G]ain, that valley or [D]hill
There's where the[G] wild [D]eagle,,[G] knows its own freedom,,[D]
And [G]fishermen's [C]boats [G]make their way to [D]Dingle Bay
The sound of the bees there collecting their honey
The sight of the sea birds protecting their young
The scent of the wild flowers, the spray of the ocean
It's nature's own beauty we're watching the world go round
Cho.
The fishermen's boats there they plough the salt ocean
For mackerel and herring, all the fish of the sea
And though I have traveled the wild world all over
There's nowhere on earth that is dearer to me.
Back to The Wolfe Tones Song Lyrics
🎵 all verses and chorus with chords,
🎸 a strumming pattern (for that flowing folk feel), and
🎶 a fingerpicking tab for the first verse.
🎸 Chords Used
D xx0232
G 320003
C x32010
🪘 Strumming Pattern (Gentle Irish Folk 4/4 Feel)
This song works best with a slow, steady folk rhythm — think of a gentle ocean sway.
✅ Pattern:
D – D U – U D U
(Down, down-up, up-down-up)
Count: 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &
💡 Tips:
Keep the strumming light and flowing, not percussive.
Accent beat 1 slightly, and let the upstrokes ring for warmth.
For a more reflective sound, you can play D – (rest) D U – U D U in the verses.
🎶 “Dingle Bay” — With Chords
Verse 1
[D]Contentment of mind is not found in a [G]city
So me mind is in[C]clined [G]for to ramble and [D]dream
To a place where my [G]heart, [D] has [G]found greater fortune
In a brief winter [C]skir [G]mish me mind will see [D]summer once more
Chorus
And [D]there's where the small birds sing high on the [G]mountain
That furze dressed [C]mount [G]ain, that valley or [D]hill
There's where the [G]wild [D]eagle, [G] knows its own freedom, [D]
And [G]fishermen's [C]boats [G]make their way to [D]Dingle Bay
Verse 2
The [D]sound of the bees there collecting their [G]honey
The sight of the [C]sea [G]birds protecting their [D]young
The scent of the [G]wild [D]flowers, the [G]spray of the ocean,
It's nature's own [C]beau [G]ty we're watching the [D]world go round
(→ then chorus)
Verse 3
The [D]fishermen's boats there they plough the salt [G]ocean
For mackerel and [C]her [G]ring, all the fish of the [D]sea
And though I have [G]tra [D]veled the [G]wild world all over,
There's nowhere on [C]earth [G]that is dearer to [D]me.
(→ final chorus)
🎸 Fingerpicking TAB (First Verse)
Use a 4/4 arpeggio picking pattern:
T – i – m – i – m – i
(T = thumb, i = index, m = middle)
Thumb plays bass (D/A/E strings depending on chord)
Index and middle alternate gently on G/B strings
TAB – Verse 1
D G C G
e|-----------2-----------|-----------3-----------|-----------0-----------|-----------3-----------|
B|-------3-----------3---|-------0-----------0---|-------1-----------1---|-------0-----------0---|
G|-----2---2-------2---2-|-----0---0-------0---0-|-----0---0-------0---0-|-----0---0-------0---0-|
D|---0-----------0-------|-----------------------|---2-----------2-------|-----------------------|
A|-----------------------|---2-----------2-------|---3-------------------|---2-----------2-------|
E|-----------------------|---3-----------3-------|-----------------------|---3-----------3-------|
D G C D
e|-----------2-----------|-----------3-----------|-----------0-----------|-----------2-----------|
B|-------3-----------3---|-------0-----------0---|-------1-----------1---|-------3-----------3---|
G|-----2---2-------2---2-|-----0---0-------0---0-|-----0---0-------0---0-|-----2---2-------2---2-|
D|---0-----------0-------|-----------------------|---2-----------2-------|---0-----------0-------|
A|-----------------------|---2-----------2-------|---3-------------------|-----------------------|
E|-----------------------|---3-----------3-------|-----------------------|-----------------------|
🔊 Playing Tips
Let each picked note ring clearly; don’t rush.
Keep the thumb consistent — it drives the rhythm like a heartbeat.
When singing, emphasize the first beat of each bar for phrasing.
For the chorus, either switch to strumming or fingerpick more openly for lift.
🎸 a strumming pattern (for that flowing folk feel), and
🎶 a fingerpicking tab for the first verse.
🎸 Chords Used
D xx0232
G 320003
C x32010
🪘 Strumming Pattern (Gentle Irish Folk 4/4 Feel)
This song works best with a slow, steady folk rhythm — think of a gentle ocean sway.
✅ Pattern:
D – D U – U D U
(Down, down-up, up-down-up)
Count: 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &
💡 Tips:
Keep the strumming light and flowing, not percussive.
Accent beat 1 slightly, and let the upstrokes ring for warmth.
For a more reflective sound, you can play D – (rest) D U – U D U in the verses.
🎶 “Dingle Bay” — With Chords
Verse 1
[D]Contentment of mind is not found in a [G]city
So me mind is in[C]clined [G]for to ramble and [D]dream
To a place where my [G]heart, [D] has [G]found greater fortune
In a brief winter [C]skir [G]mish me mind will see [D]summer once more
Chorus
And [D]there's where the small birds sing high on the [G]mountain
That furze dressed [C]mount [G]ain, that valley or [D]hill
There's where the [G]wild [D]eagle, [G] knows its own freedom, [D]
And [G]fishermen's [C]boats [G]make their way to [D]Dingle Bay
Verse 2
The [D]sound of the bees there collecting their [G]honey
The sight of the [C]sea [G]birds protecting their [D]young
The scent of the [G]wild [D]flowers, the [G]spray of the ocean,
It's nature's own [C]beau [G]ty we're watching the [D]world go round
(→ then chorus)
Verse 3
The [D]fishermen's boats there they plough the salt [G]ocean
For mackerel and [C]her [G]ring, all the fish of the [D]sea
And though I have [G]tra [D]veled the [G]wild world all over,
There's nowhere on [C]earth [G]that is dearer to [D]me.
(→ final chorus)
🎸 Fingerpicking TAB (First Verse)
Use a 4/4 arpeggio picking pattern:
T – i – m – i – m – i
(T = thumb, i = index, m = middle)
Thumb plays bass (D/A/E strings depending on chord)
Index and middle alternate gently on G/B strings
TAB – Verse 1
D G C G
e|-----------2-----------|-----------3-----------|-----------0-----------|-----------3-----------|
B|-------3-----------3---|-------0-----------0---|-------1-----------1---|-------0-----------0---|
G|-----2---2-------2---2-|-----0---0-------0---0-|-----0---0-------0---0-|-----0---0-------0---0-|
D|---0-----------0-------|-----------------------|---2-----------2-------|-----------------------|
A|-----------------------|---2-----------2-------|---3-------------------|---2-----------2-------|
E|-----------------------|---3-----------3-------|-----------------------|---3-----------3-------|
D G C D
e|-----------2-----------|-----------3-----------|-----------0-----------|-----------2-----------|
B|-------3-----------3---|-------0-----------0---|-------1-----------1---|-------3-----------3---|
G|-----2---2-------2---2-|-----0---0-------0---0-|-----0---0-------0---0-|-----2---2-------2---2-|
D|---0-----------0-------|-----------------------|---2-----------2-------|---0-----------0-------|
A|-----------------------|---2-----------2-------|---3-------------------|-----------------------|
E|-----------------------|---3-----------3-------|-----------------------|-----------------------|
🔊 Playing Tips
Let each picked note ring clearly; don’t rush.
Keep the thumb consistent — it drives the rhythm like a heartbeat.
When singing, emphasize the first beat of each bar for phrasing.
For the chorus, either switch to strumming or fingerpick more openly for lift.
Here's the chords for the key of G.
[G]Contentment of mind is not found in a [C]city
So me mind is in[F]clined[C] for to ramble and[G] dream
To a place where my [C]heart,,[G] has [C]found greater fortune
In a brief winter[F] skir[C]mish me mind will see [G]summer once more
Cho.
And [G]there's where the small birds sing high on the[C] mountain
That furze dressed[F] mount[C]ain, that valley or [G]hill
There's where the[C] wild [G]eagle,,[C] knows its own freedom,,[G]
And [C]fishermen's [F]boats [C]make their way to [G]Dingle Bay
[G]Contentment of mind is not found in a [C]city
So me mind is in[F]clined[C] for to ramble and[G] dream
To a place where my [C]heart,,[G] has [C]found greater fortune
In a brief winter[F] skir[C]mish me mind will see [G]summer once more
Cho.
And [G]there's where the small birds sing high on the[C] mountain
That furze dressed[F] mount[C]ain, that valley or [G]hill
There's where the[C] wild [G]eagle,,[C] knows its own freedom,,[G]
And [C]fishermen's [F]boats [C]make their way to [G]Dingle Bay
