Joe McDonnell Lyrics Guitar Chords 

The Tin Whistle Sheet Music Notes are included as are the five string banjo chords. The Wolfe Tones, Written By Brian Warfield, I think this is one of Brian's best pieces of work ever.It's also Tommy Byrne's favorite song to sing on stage.-A Classic. On Tuesday 5 May 1981 Bobby Sands died on the hunger strike after 66 days, Joe McDonnell took his place on Friday 8th May 1981 after 61 days, Joe McDonnell died. The mandolin, banjo tab is included along with the letter notes for recorder and flute.Also recorded by Eire Og, The Davitts, The Irish Brigade, and Athenrye. The youtube video is by Irish ballad group, back to the The Wolfe Tones Songs.

Oh[G] me name is Joe McDonnell from[C] Belfast town I [G]came,
That[C] city I will[G] never see a[D]gain
For[G] in the town of Belfast I spent [C]many happy[G] days
I[C] love that town in[G] all so many[D] ways
 
For it's[Am] there I[C] spent my child[Am]hood and found for[C] me a[G] wife
I then[Am] set[C] out to[G] make for me a[D] life
But[G] all my young ambitions met with[C] bitterness and [G]hate
I soon[C] found myself in[G]side a prison[D] gate
 
[Chorus]
And you[Am] dare to[C] call me a terror[Am]ist while you look [C]down your[G] gun
When I[Am] think of[C] all theG] things that you have[D] done
You have[G] plundered many nations divided many lands
You had[C] terrorised my[Am] people you ruled[C] with an iron[D] hand
And you[G] brought this reign of[C] terror to my[D] land
 
[2]
Through those many months internment in the maidstone and the maze
I thought about my land throught those days
Why my country was divided why I was now in jail
Imprisoned without crime or without trial
 
And though I love my country I am not a bitter man
I've seen cruelty and injustice at first hand
So then one faithful morning I shook bold freedom's hand
For right or wrong I'D tried to free my land
 
 
[Repeat chorus]
Then one cold october morning trapped in a lion's den
I found myself in prison once again
I was committed to the H-Blocks for 14 years or more
On the blanket the conditions they were poor
 
Then a hunger strike we did commence for the dignity of man
But it seemed to me that no one gave a damm
But now I am a saddened man I watched my comrades die
If only people cared or wondered why
 
 
[Repeat chorus]
May God shine on you Bobby Sands for the courage you have shown
May your glory and your fame be widely known
And Francis Hughes and Ray McCreesh who died unselfishly
And Patsy O Hara and the next in line ios me
 
And those who lie behind me may your courage be the same
And I pray to God my life is not in vain
Ah but sad and bitter was the year of 1981
For everything I've lost and nothing's won 

Brian Warfield wrote this song on the morning Joe McDonnell died.
''I had just heard it on the news that another hunger
striker had died and I was shocked, saddened and angry.
How could people let this happen ?. They weren't asking
for much, there should have been a solution.
They asked for the right to wear their own clothes, to
accociate with other prisoners in the same position as
they wanted the right to the same political status of
political prisoners. But the obstinate stubbornness of
Thatcher and her government refused to give an inch.
 
Then one by one they died unnecessarily the world
watching and no one crying halt or stop. In anger I put
pen to paper and continued writing for hours until the
song was finished. I always feel that Joe McDonnell 
spoke through me on that morning, the story just flowed.
I then took my guitar and composed the melody, as I did
the tears ran down my face. I then put the words and
melody together and when I finished I broke down and
cried. There was 10 young men who died on hunger strike that
year. Joe McDonnell aged 30 was the fifth man to die.
Those before him were Martin Hurson 24, Kevin Lynch 25,
Thomas McElwee 23 and Micky Devine 27. All brave men
who deserve their place in the history of our country.

Here are the guitar chords as played by Tommy Byrne of The Wolfe Tones.

Oh my [D]name is Joe McDonnell 
From [G]Belfast town I [D]came 
That [G]city I will [D]never see a[A]gain 
For [D]in the town of Belfast 
I spent [G]many happy [D]days 
And I [G]loved that town in [D]oh so many [A]ways 
For it's [Em]there I [G]spent my childhood 
And [Em]found for [G]me a [D]wife 
I [G]then set out to [D]make for her a [A]life 
Oh but [D]all my young ambition 
Met with [G]bitterness and [D]hate 
I soon [G]found myself in[D]side a prison [A]gate 

Chorus
And you [Em]dare to [G]call me a terrorist 
While you look down your [D]gun 
When I [Em]think of [G]all the [D]deeds that you have [A]done - 
You have [D]plundered many nations 
Divided many lands 
You have [G]terrorized their people 
You ruled with an iron [A]hand 
And you [D]brought this reign of terror to my [A]land 

Through the [D]many months internment 
In the [G]Maidstone and the [D]Maze 
I [G]thought about my [D]land throughout those [A]days 
Why my [D]country was divided 
Why [G]I was now in [D]jail 
Im[G]prisoned without [D]crime or without [A]trial 
And [Em]though I [G]love my country 
I am [Em]not a [G]bitter [D]man 
I've seen [G]cruelty and in[D]justice at first [A]hand 
so [D]then one faithful morning 
I [G]shook bold freedom's [D]hand 
For [G]right or wrong I [D]tried to free my [A]land.

Repeat chorus

Then one [D]cold October's morning 
I was[G]trapped in the lion's [D]den 
And I [G]found myself in [D]prison once a[A]gain 
I was [D]committed to the H-Blocks 
For [G]fourteen years or [D]more 
On the [G]"blanket" the con[D]ditions they were [A]poor 
Then a [Em]hunger [G]strike we did commence 
For the [Em]digni[G]ty of [D]man 
But it [G]seemed to me that [D]no one gave a [A]damn 
but [D]now I am a saddened man 
I've [G]watched my comrades [D]die 
If [G]only people [D]cared or wondered [A]why 

Repeat chorus

may [D]God shine on you, Bobby Sands [ song lyrics ] 
For the [G]courage you have [D]shown 
May your [G]glory and your [D]fame be widely [A]known 
And [D]Francis Hughes and Ray McCreesh 
Who [G]died unselfish[D]ly 
And [G]Patsy O'Hara, and the [D]next in line is [A]me 
And [Em]those who [G]lie behind me 
May your [Em]courage [G]be the [D]same 
And I [G]pray to god my [D]life was not in [A]vain 

Ah but [D]sad and bitter was the year of [G]198[D]1 
For [G]every thing I've [D]lost and nothing's [A]won

 Joe Mc Donnell Abc music notes for Mandolin/Banjo Whistle (Key = G) The video of the tin whistle is played by Jean-Baptiste Meynard
 
(Verse)
F#EDDDEF#A              F#ABABD'F#     ABAGF#AGF#GF#E
F#EDDDEF#A              F#ABABD'F#     ABAGF#AGF#GF#E
 
(Bridge)
AABE'D'BAB                 E'E'E'D'BD'      ABE'D'BAD'F#GF#E
F#EDDDEF#A              F#ABABD'F#     ABAGF#AGF#GF#E
 
(Chorus)
AABE'D'BAB                  E'E'E'D'BD'     ABE'D'BAD'F#GF#E
DEF#F#EDF#F#            F#F#F#EDF#        ABBAGBB     BAGBABD'E'
D'E'F'#E'D'BAD'F#GF#E
 
 
Mandolin tab
 
//2 //0 /5 /5 /5 //0 //2 //5 //2 //5 ///0 //5 ///0 ///3 //2
//5 ///0 //5 //3 //2 //5 //3 //2 //3 //2 //2 //0
//2 //0 /5 /5 /5 //0 //2 //5 //2 //5 ///0 //5 ///0 ///3 //2
//5 ///0 //5 //3 //2 //5 //3 //2 //3 //2 //2 //0
///0 //5 ///0 ///5 ///3 ///0 //5 ///0 ///5 ///5 ///5 ///3 ///0 ///3
///0 //5 ///0 ///5 ///3 ///0 //5 ///3 //2 //3 //2 //2 //0
//2 //0 /5 /5 /5 //0 //2 //5 //2 //5 ///0 //5 ///0 ///3 //2
//5 ///0 //5 //3 //2 //5 //3 //2 //3 //2 //2 //0
 
 
 
[chorus]
///0 //5 ///0 ///5 ///3 ///0 //5 ///0 ///5 ///5 ///5 ///3 ///0 ///3
///0 //5 ///0 ///5 ///3 ///0 //5 ///3 //2 //3 //2 //2 //0
/5 //0 //2 //2 //0 /5 //2 //2 /5 //0 //2 //2 //0 /5 //2
//5 ///0 ///0 //5 //3 ///0>///0 ///0 //5 //3 ///0 //5 ///0 ///3 ///5
///3 ///5 ///7 ///5 ///3 ///0 //5 ///3 //2 //3 //2 //2 //0


Here's my version of the tin whistle notes. If you're playing this on the recorder, banjo mandolin or other lead instrument then remember that all the F notes are sharp [#] and that all the notes in CAPITAL letters are the low notes up as far as B and the small letters are the high notes past the B.


F  E   D       D  D   E  F    A    A       B  A     B     d F
O' my name is Joe McDonnell From Belfast town I came 
A    B A   G  F    A G    F   F E
That city  I  will never see again 
FE  D  D    D      E  F  A     F  A      B  A    B  d   F
For in that town of Belfast I  spent many happy days 
A B     A    G       F  A  G   F  F   E
I  love that town in oh so many ways. 
A   A    B      e  d       B    A    B      e     e       e   d   B  d
For it's there I  spent my childhood and found for me a wife 
A B    e    d    B  A       d   F    F E
I then set out to make for her a life. 
F    E    D   D   D        E  F  A     A     A     B    A B    d     F 
Ah  But all  my young ambitions met with bitterness and hate 
A A     B       A  G    F A    G  F   F   E
I soon found myself inside a prison gate. 

CHORUS
A     A    B     e  d    B   B  A  A  B
And you dare to call me a terrorist 
e       e     e     d      B      d
While you look down your gun 
A      A B      e   d   B   A        d     F    F      E
When I think of all the deeds that you have done, 
D    E      F     F       E  D    F  F      F F F    E  D   F
You have plundered many nations Divided many lands 
A    A      B  B   A     G      B   B   A    G       B    A   B d  e  
You have terrorized  their people You ruled with an iron hand. 
d     e    f           e     d      B  A  d    F  F    E
And you brought this reign of terror to my land.