Duffy's Cut lyrics and chords

Christy Moore. Written by folk songwriter Wally Page [ who also penned Smoke And Strong Whiskey Song. ]and Tony Boylan.The story of what happened at Duffy's Cut is still emerging. Was it cholera or was it murder? They left Sligo, Leitrim, Donegal and Derry for a better life in the New World, and died within 6 weeks of arriving in Malvern. [Christy Moore] For a full history and backround to the song http://www.duffyscutproject.com/

[D]In the Summer of 1832
the [A]sailing ship John [Em]Stamp
tied up into the [Bm]port of Pennsyl[Em]vania
up [D]the ladder from the cargo deck 
poor [A]men and women [Em]crept 
into the open skies a[G]bove

[D]Dia is Muire Dhuit agus Failte romhat 
[Em]Duffy's my name, I cut through stone 
work for me I'm [G]one of your own 
in [Em]dollars I'll pay [A]you

57 men signed up,
Duffy promised to fill their cup
if they cut the Malvern Valley up
Mile 59 had to be on time for the railway line

From Ballyshannon and The Glenties 
they sailed right into hell
they suffered like the weeping Christ 
down Duffy's Cut they sweat their blood 
 
into his wishing well
were they taken by the sickness 
were they hunted down like scum 
was there poison in the water
was it cholera or murder
the smoke, that hid the bullets
from the barrel of the boss's gun

The Blacksmith [ song ] and the Holy Sisters
good people through and through
whispered prayers into the victim's ears 
it's all that they could do
 
how come the bosses had silence on their lips 
as 57 Irish Navvies were buried in a pit 
no stone to mark their resting place
no one to mourn their passing