Irish Ways And Irish Laws lyrics and chords
Written by John Gibbs and recorded by Christy Moore with Moving Hearts. Also recorded by Sinead O'Connor. The sheet music is included in two different keys
[Em] Once [D] upon a [Em] time there [Bm] was
[Em] Irish [Bm] ways and [Em] Irish [D] laws,
[Em] Villa[D]ges of [Em] Irish [Bm] blood
[Em] Waking [D] to the [Em] morning,
[Em] Waking [D] to the [Em] morning.
Once upon a time there was
Irish ways and Irish laws,
Villages of Irish blood
Waking to the morning,
Waking to the morning.
Then the Vikings came around,
Turned us up and turned us down,
Started building boats and towns,
And tried to change our living,
They tried to change our living.
Cromwell and his soldiers came,
Started centuries of shame,
But they could not make us turn,
We are a river flowing,
We are a river flowing.
Again, again the soldiers came,
Burnt our houses, stole our grain.
Shot the farmers in the fields
Working for a living,
Working for a living.
800 years we have been down,
The secret of the water sound
Has kept the spirit of a man
Above the pain descending,
Above the pain descending.
Today the struggle carries on,
I wonder will I live so long
To see the gates been opened up
To people and their freedom,
To people and their freedom.
Here's the chords in the key of Am.
[Am] Once [G] upon a [Am] time there [Em] was
[Am] Irish [Em] ways and [Am] Irish [G] laws,
[Am] Villa[G]ges of [Am] Irish [Em] blood
[Am] Waking [G] to the [Am] morning,
[Am] Waking [G] to the [Am] morning.
[Em] Irish [Bm] ways and [Em] Irish [D] laws,
[Em] Villa[D]ges of [Em] Irish [Bm] blood
[Em] Waking [D] to the [Em] morning,
[Em] Waking [D] to the [Em] morning.
Once upon a time there was
Irish ways and Irish laws,
Villages of Irish blood
Waking to the morning,
Waking to the morning.
Then the Vikings came around,
Turned us up and turned us down,
Started building boats and towns,
And tried to change our living,
They tried to change our living.
Cromwell and his soldiers came,
Started centuries of shame,
But they could not make us turn,
We are a river flowing,
We are a river flowing.
Again, again the soldiers came,
Burnt our houses, stole our grain.
Shot the farmers in the fields
Working for a living,
Working for a living.
800 years we have been down,
The secret of the water sound
Has kept the spirit of a man
Above the pain descending,
Above the pain descending.
Today the struggle carries on,
I wonder will I live so long
To see the gates been opened up
To people and their freedom,
To people and their freedom.
Here's the chords in the key of Am.
[Am] Once [G] upon a [Am] time there [Em] was
[Am] Irish [Em] ways and [Am] Irish [G] laws,
[Am] Villa[G]ges of [Am] Irish [Em] blood
[Am] Waking [G] to the [Am] morning,
[Am] Waking [G] to the [Am] morning.
“Irish Ways and Irish Laws” (by John Gibbs or often performed by Christy Moore) is a haunting, minimalist piece in E minor, usually played with a gentle folk fingerstyle or a slow modal strum.
The chords throughout the song, give you a natural strumming pattern, and then a fingerpicking tab for the first verse in authentic Irish folk style.
🎵 Key: E minor
Time signature: 3/4 (slow waltz feel – “ONE-two-three”)
Tempo: ~70–75 BPM
🎸 CHORDS THROUGHOUT
Verse progression (repeated for all verses):
[Em] Once [D] upon a [Em] time there [Bm] was
[Em] Irish [Bm] ways and [Em] Irish [D] laws,
[Em] Villa[D]ges of [Em] Irish [Bm] blood
[Em] Waking [D] to the [Em] morning,
[Em] Waking [D] to the [Em] morning.
Same chord structure for all subsequent verses.
🪘 STRUMMING PATTERN (3/4 waltz time)
This song flows best with a soft waltz strum, like gentle waves:
👉 Pattern:
Down – Down-Up – Up-Down-Up
Count:
1 2 & 3 &
Example:
Beat 1: strong Down (bass emphasis)
Beat 2: light Down-Up
Beat 3: Up-Down-Up, let ring
Or for a simpler folk version:
Bass – Down-Up (repeat)
(Alternate bass note of each chord)
🎶 FINGERPICKING TAB (First Verse)
Fingerpicking gives this song its ethereal, reflective feel.
Style: steady waltz-pulse arpeggio
Right-hand pattern (for 3/4 time):
→ Thumb (P) plays bass (E, A, D)
→ Index (I) plays G string
→ Middle (M) plays B string
→ Ring (A) plays high E string
🎵 First Verse Fingerpicking Tab
[Em] Once [D] upon a [Em] time there [Bm] was
[Em]
e|--------0-------------0-------------0-------------|
B|------0---0---------0---0---------0---0-----------|
G|----0-------0-----0-------0-----0-------0---------|
D|--2-----------------------------------------------|
A|2-------------------------------------------------|
E|0-------------------------------------------------|
[D]
e|--------2-------------2-------------2-------------|
B|------3---3---------3---3---------3---3-----------|
G|----2-------2-----2-------2-----2-------2---------|
D|0----------------------------------------------- |
A|--------------------------------------------------|
E|--------------------------------------------------|
[Bm]
e|--------2-------------2-------------2-------------|
B|------3---3---------3---3---------3---3-----------|
G|----4-------4-----4-------4-----4-------4---------|
D|4----------------------------------------------- |
A|2----------------------------------------------- |
E|--------------------------------------------------|
Continue the verse
[Em] Irish [Bm] ways and [Em] Irish [D] laws,
Repeat same picking pattern for each chord change:
[Em] → [Bm] → [Em] → [D]
[Em] Villages of [D] Irish [Em] blood
[Bm] Waking [Em] to the [D] morning,
[Em] Waking [D] to the [Em] morning.
Repeat the same 3/4 arpeggio for each measure.
🌿 How to play it expressively
Keep a steady pulse—each chord change lasts one bar (3 beats).
Let open strings ring together slightly between chord changes for that Celtic drone feel.
Keep dynamics soft and meditative — this is a storytelling song.
On “Waking to the morning,” let the final Em ring out fully.
The chords throughout the song, give you a natural strumming pattern, and then a fingerpicking tab for the first verse in authentic Irish folk style.
🎵 Key: E minor
Time signature: 3/4 (slow waltz feel – “ONE-two-three”)
Tempo: ~70–75 BPM
🎸 CHORDS THROUGHOUT
Verse progression (repeated for all verses):
[Em] Once [D] upon a [Em] time there [Bm] was
[Em] Irish [Bm] ways and [Em] Irish [D] laws,
[Em] Villa[D]ges of [Em] Irish [Bm] blood
[Em] Waking [D] to the [Em] morning,
[Em] Waking [D] to the [Em] morning.
Same chord structure for all subsequent verses.
🪘 STRUMMING PATTERN (3/4 waltz time)
This song flows best with a soft waltz strum, like gentle waves:
👉 Pattern:
Down – Down-Up – Up-Down-Up
Count:
1 2 & 3 &
Example:
Beat 1: strong Down (bass emphasis)
Beat 2: light Down-Up
Beat 3: Up-Down-Up, let ring
Or for a simpler folk version:
Bass – Down-Up (repeat)
(Alternate bass note of each chord)
🎶 FINGERPICKING TAB (First Verse)
Fingerpicking gives this song its ethereal, reflective feel.
Style: steady waltz-pulse arpeggio
Right-hand pattern (for 3/4 time):
→ Thumb (P) plays bass (E, A, D)
→ Index (I) plays G string
→ Middle (M) plays B string
→ Ring (A) plays high E string
🎵 First Verse Fingerpicking Tab
[Em] Once [D] upon a [Em] time there [Bm] was
[Em]
e|--------0-------------0-------------0-------------|
B|------0---0---------0---0---------0---0-----------|
G|----0-------0-----0-------0-----0-------0---------|
D|--2-----------------------------------------------|
A|2-------------------------------------------------|
E|0-------------------------------------------------|
[D]
e|--------2-------------2-------------2-------------|
B|------3---3---------3---3---------3---3-----------|
G|----2-------2-----2-------2-----2-------2---------|
D|0----------------------------------------------- |
A|--------------------------------------------------|
E|--------------------------------------------------|
[Bm]
e|--------2-------------2-------------2-------------|
B|------3---3---------3---3---------3---3-----------|
G|----4-------4-----4-------4-----4-------4---------|
D|4----------------------------------------------- |
A|2----------------------------------------------- |
E|--------------------------------------------------|
Continue the verse
[Em] Irish [Bm] ways and [Em] Irish [D] laws,
Repeat same picking pattern for each chord change:
[Em] → [Bm] → [Em] → [D]
[Em] Villages of [D] Irish [Em] blood
[Bm] Waking [Em] to the [D] morning,
[Em] Waking [D] to the [Em] morning.
Repeat the same 3/4 arpeggio for each measure.
🌿 How to play it expressively
Keep a steady pulse—each chord change lasts one bar (3 beats).
Let open strings ring together slightly between chord changes for that Celtic drone feel.
Keep dynamics soft and meditative — this is a storytelling song.
On “Waking to the morning,” let the final Em ring out fully.
Below is the ebook list of Irish Folk Songs with guitar chords
in 3 keys. Price €8.90 and I'll email the ebook after purchase .
The chords are suited to ukulele, banjo or mandolin also.
Martin
in 3 keys. Price €8.90 and I'll email the ebook after purchase .
The chords are suited to ukulele, banjo or mandolin also.
Martin
Irish ways and Irish laws tin whistle notes
