Irish folk songs
  • Home
  • Lyrics And Chords
  • Tin Whistle Song Book
  • Tin Whistle

​Horses And Plough Lyrics And Chords

This is a lovely song from a great Singer & Farmer P.J. Murrihy
from Mullagh in County Clare.
He played many years ago with the Kilfenora Ceili Band
Also he joined up with a really great Accordionist from Elphin County Roscommon
Seamus Shannon.
They were many years together before Seamus joined Shannonside Radio
where he has his own program there Shannons Corner every Sunday.
 
The song tells the sad story of the changing times in early Ireland on the Farm
As the big tractors took over & the great working Horses were out of a job.
In many countries today they have returned to many of the old & forgotten ways
People are beginning to realize that the old fashioned ways were not all that bad.
​The lyrics were sent to the site by Patrick Burke. The horse and plough was over taking by 
the tractor, talking of tractors, country singer Marty Mone Hit The Diff on one such tractor a couple
of years ago and became famous overnight.
​Many the breezes that blow in
the spring
Sweeter the sound that the
song thrushes
sing.
I sighed for a sidehead
I seldom see now
A man in the fields with
his Horses & Plough
2
Farewell to the days of my youth
long ago
When I harness my team
Near the Bann below
Then away through the highland
beside portarown
To turn the hard green sod
With Horses & Plough.
3
Invoking a Blessing
I started my day
I earned another
Thats what I would say
Asking for guidence
To keep my knowhow
And plough straight furrows
With Hoprses & Plough
4
When up at the headland
Every once in awhile
I rested my body
All aching with toil
With the sleeve of my shirt
Wipe the sweat from my brow
As I gazed at the warm clouds
My Horses & Plough
5
But the clatter of Tractors
Polution & all
Has crippled the Capall>> (Irish for Horse)
And sad was its fall
While in far away hogeheg
We reached leenendown
Not counting the value
Of Horses & Plough
6
Very soon I'll be called
From this valley my home
To the fair fields of Heaven
I hope I will go
One request of Saint Peter
That I hope he'l allow
Eternall employment
With Horses & Plough
Here's the guitar chords as played by P.J. Murrihy.

​[E] intro chords [E][B][E]
Many the breather that blow in
the spring
[A]Sweeter the [E]sound that the
[C#m]song thrushes[B]sing.
I [E]sighed for a sidehead
I seldom [A]see now
A [E]man in the fields with
his [B]Horses & [E]Plough
2
[E]Farewell to the days of my youth
long ago
When I [A]harvest my [E]team
Near the [C#m]Bann be[B]low
Then a[E]way through the highland
beside porta[A]rown
To [E]turn the hard green sod
With [B]Horses & [E]Plough
3
[E]Invoking a Blessing
I started my day
I [A]earned a[E]nother
Thats [C#m]what I would [B]say
[E]Asking for guidence
To keep my know[A]how
And [E]plough straight furrows
With [B]Hoprses & [E]Plough
4
[E]When up at the headland
Every once in awhile
I [A]rested my[E] body
All [C#m]aching with [B]toil
With the[E]sleeve of my shirt
Wipe the sweat from my brow
As I gazed at the warm clouds
My [B]Horses &[E] Plough
[C#m][B][A][E][C#m][B][A][B]
5
But the [E]clatter of Tractors
Polution & all
Has crippled the Capall>> (Irish for Horse)
And [C#m]sad was its [B]fall
While in [E]far away hogeheg
We reached leenen[A]down
Not[E] counting the value
Of [B]Horses &[E] Plough
6
[E]Very soon I'll be called
From this valley my home
To the [A]fair fields of [E]Heaven
I [C#m]hope I will [B]go
One re[E]quest of Saint Peter
That I hope he'l al[A]low
E[E]ternall employment
With Horses & Plough
Two horses ploughing a field, one brown and one white horse
Picture
Irish Sheet Music Ebook
Blog
Privacy Policy
Cookie Consent
Copyright 2002 - 2025
Contact
  • Home
  • Lyrics And Chords
  • Tin Whistle Song Book
  • Tin Whistle