O'Donnell Abu The Clancys Lyrics And Guitar Chords
O'Donnell Abu song lyrics and guitar chords was written around 1843 by Michael Joseph MacCann . O'Donnell abu sheet / Flute music notes in D Major in solfege style of do re mi now added.The video is of Liam Clancy and Tommy Makem. It was also recorded by Michael O'Duffey plus The Irish Brigade.The guitar chords are in C Major in chordpro. The song is an Irish war song about when Red Hugh O'Donnell was in charge of the rebellion that took place in Ireland against the British forces around 1593. The tin whistle sheet music and a youtube video is included.
Lyrics With Guitar Chords
[C]Proudly the note of the [Am]trumpet is [C]sounding
[G7]Loudly the war cries a[C]rise on the gale
Fleetly the steed by Lough [Am]Swilly is [C]bounding
To [G7]join the thick squadrons on [F]Saimer's green [C]vale
On every mountaineer, strangers to flight or fear
[F]Rush to the [C]standard of [G7]dauntless Red Hugh
[C]Bonnaught and Gallowglass, [Am]throng from each[C] mountain
Pass [G7]onward for Erin O'[F]Donnell A[C]bu
Princely O'Neill to our aid is advancing
With many a chieftain and warrior clan
A thousand proud steeds in his vanguard are prancing
'Neath the borderers brave from the Banks of the Bann
Many a heart shall quail under its coat of mail
Deeply the merciless foeman shall rue
When on his ears shall ring bourn on the breeze's wing
Tir Conwell's dread war cry, O'Donnell Abu
Wildly o'er Desmond the war wolf is howling
Fearless the eagle sweeps over the plain
The fox in the streets of the city is prowling
And all who would scare them are banished or slain
On with O'Donnall then, fight the old fight again
Sons of Tir Conwell are valiant and true
Make the proud saxon feel Erin's avenging steel
Strike for your country O'Donnell Abu.
There are a raft more lyrics and chords to The Clancy Brothers And Tommy Makem
in their section plus information on the group and their songs.
[C]Proudly the note of the [Am]trumpet is [C]sounding
[G7]Loudly the war cries a[C]rise on the gale
Fleetly the steed by Lough [Am]Swilly is [C]bounding
To [G7]join the thick squadrons on [F]Saimer's green [C]vale
On every mountaineer, strangers to flight or fear
[F]Rush to the [C]standard of [G7]dauntless Red Hugh
[C]Bonnaught and Gallowglass, [Am]throng from each[C] mountain
Pass [G7]onward for Erin O'[F]Donnell A[C]bu
Princely O'Neill to our aid is advancing
With many a chieftain and warrior clan
A thousand proud steeds in his vanguard are prancing
'Neath the borderers brave from the Banks of the Bann
Many a heart shall quail under its coat of mail
Deeply the merciless foeman shall rue
When on his ears shall ring bourn on the breeze's wing
Tir Conwell's dread war cry, O'Donnell Abu
Wildly o'er Desmond the war wolf is howling
Fearless the eagle sweeps over the plain
The fox in the streets of the city is prowling
And all who would scare them are banished or slain
On with O'Donnall then, fight the old fight again
Sons of Tir Conwell are valiant and true
Make the proud saxon feel Erin's avenging steel
Strike for your country O'Donnell Abu.
There are a raft more lyrics and chords to The Clancy Brothers And Tommy Makem
in their section plus information on the group and their songs.
Below is your complete guitar arrangement in G major, transposed from the original C, including:
✅ Full chords for all verses
✅ An intro fingerpicking tab (Irish march feel)
✅ A strong strumming pattern to match the song’s proud rhythm
🎶 Key: G Major
Tempo: ♩ = ~95–100 (marching rhythm, 4/4 time)
🎸 Chords Used
G 320003
Em 022000
D xx0232
D7 xx0212
C x32010
Am x02210
🎵 Intro Fingerpicking Tab
Play this once before the first verse. It sets the martial yet melodic tone.
G Em D G
e|--------3-----------0-----------2-----------2---------3---------|
B|------0---0-------0---0-------3---3-------3---3-----0---0-------|
G|----0-------0---0-------0---2-------2---2-------2-0-------0-----|
D|----------------2-----------0-----------0------------------------|
A|--2-------------------------------------------------2-----------|
E|3---------------------------------------------------------------|
(Fingerpick gently but rhythmically — think of it as a slow march pulse.)
🪕 Strumming Pattern (March Feel – 4/4)
Pattern: ↓ ↓ ↑ ↑ ↓ ↑
Count: 1 2 & & 4 &
Strong downstroke on beat 1 to give the march pulse.
Keep strumming tight and steady — this is a proud, marching air, not a swing or waltz.
🎶 Lyrics with Full Chords (Key of G)
Verse 1
[G]Proudly the note of the [Em]trumpet is [G]sounding
[D7]Loudly the war cries a[G]rise on the gale
Fleetly the steed by Lough [Em]Swilly is [G]bounding
To [D7]join the brave squadrons on [C]Saimer’s green [G]vale
On every mountaineer, [C]strangers to [G]flight or fear
[C]Rush to the [G]standard of [D7]dauntless Red Hugh
[G]Bonnaught and Gallowglass, [Em]throng from each [G]mountain
Pass [D7]onward for Erin O’[C]Donnell A[G]bu
Verse 2
[G]Princely O’Neill to our [Em]aid is ad[G]vancing
[D7]With many a chieftain and [G]warrior clan
A thousand proud steeds in his [Em]vanguard are [G]prancing
‘Neath the [D7]borderers brave from the [C]Banks of the [G]Bann
Many a heart shall quail [C]under its [G]coat of mail
[C]Deeply the [G]merciless [D7]foeman shall rue
[G]When on his ears shall ring [Em]bourn on the [G]breeze’s wing
Tir [D7]Conaill’s dread war cry, O’[C]Donnell A[G]bu
Verse 3
[G]Wildly o’er Desmond the [Em]war wolf is [G]howling
[D7]Fearless the eagle sweeps [G]over the plain
The fox in the streets of the [Em]city is [G]prowling
And [D7]all who would scare them are [C]banished or [G]slain
On with O’Donnell then, [C]fight the old [G]fight again
[C]Sons of Tir [G]Conaill are [D7]valiant and true
[G]Make the proud Saxon feel [Em]Erin’s aven[G]ging steel
Strike [D7]for your country O’[C]Donnell A[G]bu!
🎵 Ending Suggestion
After the final line:
“Strike for your country O’Donnell Abu!”
slowly strum G → C → G (hold) and let it ring.
Optional flourish:
e|--3---2---0---3--|
B|--0---1---0---0--|
G|--0---0---0---0--|
D|--0---2---0---0--|
A|--2---3---2---2--|
E|--3-------3---3--|
(a gentle descending finish)
⚔️ Performance Tips
Keep a steady march rhythm throughout; accent every first beat.
During quieter verses, try fingerpicking the chords in the pattern from the intro.
Use a strong strum for the final verse to give it that heroic lift.
✅ Full chords for all verses
✅ An intro fingerpicking tab (Irish march feel)
✅ A strong strumming pattern to match the song’s proud rhythm
🎶 Key: G Major
Tempo: ♩ = ~95–100 (marching rhythm, 4/4 time)
🎸 Chords Used
G 320003
Em 022000
D xx0232
D7 xx0212
C x32010
Am x02210
🎵 Intro Fingerpicking Tab
Play this once before the first verse. It sets the martial yet melodic tone.
G Em D G
e|--------3-----------0-----------2-----------2---------3---------|
B|------0---0-------0---0-------3---3-------3---3-----0---0-------|
G|----0-------0---0-------0---2-------2---2-------2-0-------0-----|
D|----------------2-----------0-----------0------------------------|
A|--2-------------------------------------------------2-----------|
E|3---------------------------------------------------------------|
(Fingerpick gently but rhythmically — think of it as a slow march pulse.)
🪕 Strumming Pattern (March Feel – 4/4)
Pattern: ↓ ↓ ↑ ↑ ↓ ↑
Count: 1 2 & & 4 &
Strong downstroke on beat 1 to give the march pulse.
Keep strumming tight and steady — this is a proud, marching air, not a swing or waltz.
🎶 Lyrics with Full Chords (Key of G)
Verse 1
[G]Proudly the note of the [Em]trumpet is [G]sounding
[D7]Loudly the war cries a[G]rise on the gale
Fleetly the steed by Lough [Em]Swilly is [G]bounding
To [D7]join the brave squadrons on [C]Saimer’s green [G]vale
On every mountaineer, [C]strangers to [G]flight or fear
[C]Rush to the [G]standard of [D7]dauntless Red Hugh
[G]Bonnaught and Gallowglass, [Em]throng from each [G]mountain
Pass [D7]onward for Erin O’[C]Donnell A[G]bu
Verse 2
[G]Princely O’Neill to our [Em]aid is ad[G]vancing
[D7]With many a chieftain and [G]warrior clan
A thousand proud steeds in his [Em]vanguard are [G]prancing
‘Neath the [D7]borderers brave from the [C]Banks of the [G]Bann
Many a heart shall quail [C]under its [G]coat of mail
[C]Deeply the [G]merciless [D7]foeman shall rue
[G]When on his ears shall ring [Em]bourn on the [G]breeze’s wing
Tir [D7]Conaill’s dread war cry, O’[C]Donnell A[G]bu
Verse 3
[G]Wildly o’er Desmond the [Em]war wolf is [G]howling
[D7]Fearless the eagle sweeps [G]over the plain
The fox in the streets of the [Em]city is [G]prowling
And [D7]all who would scare them are [C]banished or [G]slain
On with O’Donnell then, [C]fight the old [G]fight again
[C]Sons of Tir [G]Conaill are [D7]valiant and true
[G]Make the proud Saxon feel [Em]Erin’s aven[G]ging steel
Strike [D7]for your country O’[C]Donnell A[G]bu!
🎵 Ending Suggestion
After the final line:
“Strike for your country O’Donnell Abu!”
slowly strum G → C → G (hold) and let it ring.
Optional flourish:
e|--3---2---0---3--|
B|--0---1---0---0--|
G|--0---0---0---0--|
D|--0---2---0---0--|
A|--2---3---2---2--|
E|--3-------3---3--|
(a gentle descending finish)
⚔️ Performance Tips
Keep a steady march rhythm throughout; accent every first beat.
During quieter verses, try fingerpicking the chords in the pattern from the intro.
Use a strong strum for the final verse to give it that heroic lift.
Irish Chieftain Hugh O'Neill Earl Of Tyrone
O'Donnell abu sheet music notes for tin whistle in D
O'Donnell abu sheet music notes in D Major in solfege, do re mi.
