Erin Go Bragh Lyrics And Chords
Erin Go Bragh Guitar Tab now added. This Irish rebel song is about the events that took place during the 1916 rising in Dublin. Other songs about the Easter Rising .Written by Peadar Kearney and Recorded by The Wolfe Tones. The sheet music is included. I have given the guitar chords in two keys. The first is the easy version in Am and the second is in the same key that The Wolfe Tones play the song in which is Cm. The tin whistle notes are included and were worked out by Jean-Baptiste Meynard. The youtube video is of The Wolfe Tones. An Irish rebel song.
"Erin Go Bragh" (sometimes spelled "Éirinn go Brách") is a famous Irish patriotic song and expression that translates to "Ireland Forever" in English. The phrase "Erin" is an old poetic name for Ireland, and "go bragh" roughly means "until the end of time" or "forever."
Meaning of the Song:
Meaning of the Song:
- Patriotism and Irish Identity
- "Erin Go Bragh" is a song that expresses unwavering loyalty to Ireland. It has become an anthem of Irish pride and independence, often sung in celebrations of Irish culture, especially on St. Patrick's Day.
- A Call for Irish Unity
- The phrase "Ireland Forever" encapsulates a desire for unity and national pride. It reflects the historical struggles for Irish independence, a common theme in Irish folk music, and the longing for the freedom and unity of the Irish people.
- A Symbol of Resistance
- Over the years, the song has been used as a rallying cry in moments of political and social resistance, symbolizing the fight against British rule and the broader quest for Irish autonomy. It became associated with the Irish Rebellion of 1798 and later with the Irish independence movement.
- Cultural Significance
- The song, while deeply tied to the Irish independence movement, also represents Irish culture and heritage. It has been sung at various important events in Irish history and continues to be a proud anthem at parades, sports events, and celebrations of Irish identity.
I'll [Am] sing you a song of a [G] row in the [Am] town,
When the [C] green flag went [Am] up and the [G] Crown rag came [Am] down,
Twas the [C] neatest and [G] sweetest thing [Am] ever you [C] saw,
And they [Am] played the best [G] games played in [C] Erin Go [Am] Bragh.
One of our leaders was down at Ring's end,
For the honor of Ireland to hold and defend,
He had no veteran soldiers but volunteers raw,
Playing sweet Mauser music for Erin Go Bragh.
Now here's to gallant Pearse and our comrades who died
Tom Clark, MacDonagh, MacDiarmada, McBryde,
And here's to James Connolly who gave one hurrah,
And faced the machine guns for Erin Go Bragh.
One brave English captain was raving that day,
Saying, "Give me one hour and I'll blow you away,"
But a big Mauser bullet got stuck in his jaw,
And he died of lead poisoning in Erin Go Bragh.
Old Ceannt and his comrades like lions at bay,
From the South Dublin Union poured death and dismay,
And what was their horror when the Englishmen saw
All the dead khaki soldiers in Erin Go Bragh.
Now here's to old Dublin, and here's her renown,
In the long generation her fame will go down,
And our children will tell how their forefathers saw,
Here are the tin whistle notes along with a youtube video by Jean Baptiste Meynard
The bold letters are the high notes.
I'll tell you a story of a row in the town, -> B B E E B D A F E D E
When the green flag went up and the Crown rag came down, -> E F G E G F E D B C D E
'Twas the neatest and sweetest thing ever you saw, -> E F G E G F E D B A B D And they played the best games played in Erin Go Bragh. -> D E B B D B G A F D E
The bold letters are the high notes.
I'll tell you a story of a row in the town, -> B B E E B D A F E D E
When the green flag went up and the Crown rag came down, -> E F G E G F E D B C D E
'Twas the neatest and sweetest thing ever you saw, -> E F G E G F E D B A B D And they played the best games played in Erin Go Bragh. -> D E B B D B G A F D E
Erin Go Bragh Guitar Tab
Alternative guitar chords for Erin Go Bragh for the key of Dm
I'll [Dm] sing you a song of a [C] row in the [Dm] town,
When the [F] green flag went [Dm] up and the [C] Crown rag came [Dm] down,
Twas the [F] neatest and [C] sweetest thing [Dm] ever you [F] saw,
And they [Dm] played the best [C] games played in [F] Erin Go [Dm] Bragh.
I'll [Dm] sing you a song of a [C] row in the [Dm] town,
When the [F] green flag went [Dm] up and the [C] Crown rag came [Dm] down,
Twas the [F] neatest and [C] sweetest thing [Dm] ever you [F] saw,
And they [Dm] played the best [C] games played in [F] Erin Go [Dm] Bragh.
Here are a slightly different set of notes.
The capital letters are the lower notes below B.
And the small letter notes are the one's past B.
All the f notes are sharp [#]
B B E E B d A F E D E
I'll sing you a song of a row in the town, -
e f g e g f e d B c d e
When the green flag went up and the Crown rag came down,
e f g e g f e d B A B d
'Twas the neatest and sweetest thing ever you saw,
d e B B d B G A F D E
they played the best games played in Erin Go Bragh.
The capital letters are the lower notes below B.
And the small letter notes are the one's past B.
All the f notes are sharp [#]
B B E E B d A F E D E
I'll sing you a song of a row in the town, -
e f g e g f e d B c d e
When the green flag went up and the Crown rag came down,
e f g e g f e d B A B d
'Twas the neatest and sweetest thing ever you saw,
d e B B d B G A F D E
they played the best games played in Erin Go Bragh.
ANOTHER VERSION OF ERIN GO BRAGH
This eighteenth century street ballad expresses a philosophy probably quite close to that of Dean Swift. The references to England, Scotland, and Ireland joining hands together-if only Britain would recognize that Ireland wished to be her loyal, but equal, partner-is very much a Protestant Ascendancy "nationalist" sentiment. The reference to a land once "happy and free," however, is much more the memory of men in thatched country cabins recalling ancient Gaelic tradition. The two romances, married here within the same song, were to find a common frustration that would lead to rebellion by the end of the century.
Ye sons of Hibernia, however low in station,
Or wherever you be, come attend to my call:
Resist all attempts and unshackle your nation,
Old Ireland I mean, or alas, she must fall.
With burdens so great and her liberty sinking,
Its beauty nigh gone-on destruction its brinking.
Then on, my brave boys, don't let's stand by idly thinking.
While Ireland's our country, dear Erin go bragh.
Oh! Erin, my country, once happy and free
With pleasure I stood on thy once native shore,
But alas! Cruel fortune has turned foe to thee,
Oh! Erin Mavourneen, thy case I deplore.
Bound down by a shackle that's linked to a snare,
By foes base and keen who have filled thee with care;
Then on, my brave boys, we'll show we play fair,
For Ireland's our country, dear Erin go bragh.
Oh! England, your taunts and your censures give o'er,
And spite not that country that's equal to you,
But join hand-in-hand, each day and each hour,
With Scotland, our friends-all to each other true.
United in friendship, we'll join in a band,
Determined to fight for our kings, laws and land;
Then on, my brave boys, don't let us here stand,
While Ireland's our country, dear Erin go bragh.
As the years of the century wore on, the dichotomy be- tween the "haves" and the "have-nots" became entrenched. One history has observed that the Protestants "developed the vices of slaveowners, becoming idle, dissipated, and neglectful of their duties." The Catholics, on the other hand:
grew, as a serf-population always does grow, cringing, shifty, un- truthful. They were lazy because they had nothing to work for, lawless because they knew the law only as an enemy to be defied or invaded wherever possible.
Previous and later generations of Irishmen rose against conditions far less oppressive than those existing under the Penal Laws. Unlike those other generations, however, the Irish of the eighteenth century lacked the strong young arms to wield the weapons-they were in France and Spain, in Austria and Portugal, bearing their pikes and guns under foreign banners. It was perhaps inevitable that the heart of many a cailín was over the sea with them,
This eighteenth century street ballad expresses a philosophy probably quite close to that of Dean Swift. The references to England, Scotland, and Ireland joining hands together-if only Britain would recognize that Ireland wished to be her loyal, but equal, partner-is very much a Protestant Ascendancy "nationalist" sentiment. The reference to a land once "happy and free," however, is much more the memory of men in thatched country cabins recalling ancient Gaelic tradition. The two romances, married here within the same song, were to find a common frustration that would lead to rebellion by the end of the century.
Ye sons of Hibernia, however low in station,
Or wherever you be, come attend to my call:
Resist all attempts and unshackle your nation,
Old Ireland I mean, or alas, she must fall.
With burdens so great and her liberty sinking,
Its beauty nigh gone-on destruction its brinking.
Then on, my brave boys, don't let's stand by idly thinking.
While Ireland's our country, dear Erin go bragh.
Oh! Erin, my country, once happy and free
With pleasure I stood on thy once native shore,
But alas! Cruel fortune has turned foe to thee,
Oh! Erin Mavourneen, thy case I deplore.
Bound down by a shackle that's linked to a snare,
By foes base and keen who have filled thee with care;
Then on, my brave boys, we'll show we play fair,
For Ireland's our country, dear Erin go bragh.
Oh! England, your taunts and your censures give o'er,
And spite not that country that's equal to you,
But join hand-in-hand, each day and each hour,
With Scotland, our friends-all to each other true.
United in friendship, we'll join in a band,
Determined to fight for our kings, laws and land;
Then on, my brave boys, don't let us here stand,
While Ireland's our country, dear Erin go bragh.
As the years of the century wore on, the dichotomy be- tween the "haves" and the "have-nots" became entrenched. One history has observed that the Protestants "developed the vices of slaveowners, becoming idle, dissipated, and neglectful of their duties." The Catholics, on the other hand:
grew, as a serf-population always does grow, cringing, shifty, un- truthful. They were lazy because they had nothing to work for, lawless because they knew the law only as an enemy to be defied or invaded wherever possible.
Previous and later generations of Irishmen rose against conditions far less oppressive than those existing under the Penal Laws. Unlike those other generations, however, the Irish of the eighteenth century lacked the strong young arms to wield the weapons-they were in France and Spain, in Austria and Portugal, bearing their pikes and guns under foreign banners. It was perhaps inevitable that the heart of many a cailín was over the sea with them,
