Patrick Sheehan, Johnny McEvoy lyrics
Also known as ''The Glen Of Aherlow'' , Lyrics with chords included.
The piano sheet music with chords and bass is in the ebook here .
My name is Patrick Sheehan, and my years are thirty-four;
Tipperary is my native place, not far from Galtymore;
I came of honest parents, but now they're lying low;
Though' many's the pleasant days we spent in the Glen of Aherlow.
My father died; I closed his eyes, outside the cabin door;
For the landlord and the sheriff too, were there the day before,
And then my lovin' mother, and my sisters three, also,
Were forced to go with broken hearts, from the Glen of Aherlow
For three long months, in search of work, I wandered far and near;
I then went to the poorhouse to see my mother dear;
The news I heard near broke my heart, but still in all my woe,
I blessed the friends who made their graves in the Glen of Aherlow.
Bereft of home and kith and kin, with plenty all around,
I starved within my cabin, and slept upon the ground;
But cruel as my lot was, I never did hardship know,
Till I joined the English army, far away from Aherlow.
Rouse up there," cried the corporal, "Ya lazy Irish hound!
Why don't you hear the bugle, its call to arms to sound? "
I found I had been dreaming of the days long, long ago,
And I woke upon Sebastopol, and not in Aherlow
I tried to find my musket, how dark I thought the night!
O blessed God! It wasn't dark, it was the broad daylight!
And when I found that I was blind, my tears began to flow,
And I longed for even a pauper's grave in the Glen of Aherlow.
A poor neglected mendicant, I wander Dublin's streets
My nine months' pension it being out, I beg from all I meet;
As I joined my country's tyrants, my face I can never show,
Amongst my dear old neighbors in the Glen of Aherlow.
So Irish youths, dear countrymen, take heed in what I say;
For if you join the English ranks, you'll surely rue the day
And whenever you're tempted, a-soldiering to go.
Remember poor blind Sheehan from the Glen of Aherlow
The piano sheet music with chords and bass is in the ebook here .
My name is Patrick Sheehan, and my years are thirty-four;
Tipperary is my native place, not far from Galtymore;
I came of honest parents, but now they're lying low;
Though' many's the pleasant days we spent in the Glen of Aherlow.
My father died; I closed his eyes, outside the cabin door;
For the landlord and the sheriff too, were there the day before,
And then my lovin' mother, and my sisters three, also,
Were forced to go with broken hearts, from the Glen of Aherlow
For three long months, in search of work, I wandered far and near;
I then went to the poorhouse to see my mother dear;
The news I heard near broke my heart, but still in all my woe,
I blessed the friends who made their graves in the Glen of Aherlow.
Bereft of home and kith and kin, with plenty all around,
I starved within my cabin, and slept upon the ground;
But cruel as my lot was, I never did hardship know,
Till I joined the English army, far away from Aherlow.
Rouse up there," cried the corporal, "Ya lazy Irish hound!
Why don't you hear the bugle, its call to arms to sound? "
I found I had been dreaming of the days long, long ago,
And I woke upon Sebastopol, and not in Aherlow
I tried to find my musket, how dark I thought the night!
O blessed God! It wasn't dark, it was the broad daylight!
And when I found that I was blind, my tears began to flow,
And I longed for even a pauper's grave in the Glen of Aherlow.
A poor neglected mendicant, I wander Dublin's streets
My nine months' pension it being out, I beg from all I meet;
As I joined my country's tyrants, my face I can never show,
Amongst my dear old neighbors in the Glen of Aherlow.
So Irish youths, dear countrymen, take heed in what I say;
For if you join the English ranks, you'll surely rue the day
And whenever you're tempted, a-soldiering to go.
Remember poor blind Sheehan from the Glen of Aherlow
⛰️ "The Glen of Aherlow" Chords in D Major
Verse 1
[D] My [G] name is Patrick [D] Sheehan, and my [A] years are thirty-[D] four; Tippe [G] rary is my [D] native place, not [A] far from Galty [D] more; I [G] came of honest [D] parents, but [A] now they're lying low; Though' many's the pleasant [G] days we spent in the Glen [A] of Aher [D] low.
Verse 2
My [D] father died; I closed his eyes, out [A] side the cabin [D] door; For the [G] landlord and the sheriff too, were [A] there the day be [D] fore, And [G] then my lovin' [D] mother, and my [A] sisters three, also, Were forced to go with [G] broken hearts, from the [A] Glen of Aher [D] low
Verse 3
For [D] three long months, in search of work, I [A] wandered far and [D] near; I [G] then went to the poorhouse to [A] see my mother [D] dear; The [G] news I heard near [D] broke my heart, but [A] still in all my woe, I blessed the friends who [G] made their graves in the [A] Glen of Aher [D] low.
Verse 4
Be [D] reft of home and kith and kin, with [A] plenty all a [D] round, I [G] starved within my cabin, and [A] slept upon the [D] ground; But [G] cruel as my [D] lot was, I [A] never did hardship know, Till I joined the English [G] army, far a [A] way from Aher [D] low.
Verse 5
"Rouse [D] up there," cried the corporal, "Ya [A] lazy Irish [D] hound! Why [G] don't you hear the bugle, its [A] call to arms to [D] sound? " I [G] found I had been [D] dreaming of the [A] days long, long ago, And I woke upon Sebas [G] topol, and not [A] in Aher [D] low
Verse 6
I [D] tried to find my musket, how [A] dark I thought the [D] night! O [G] blessed God! It wasn't dark, it was the [A] broad day [D] light! And [G] when I found that [D] I was blind, my [A] tears began to flow, And I longed for even a [G] pauper's grave in the [A] Glen of Aher [D] low.
Verse 7
A [D] poor neglected mendicant, I [A] wander Dublin's [D] streets My [G] nine months' pension it being out, I [A] beg from all I [D] meet; As [G] I joined my country's [D] tyrants, my [A] face I can never show, Amongst my dear old [G] neighbors in the [A] Glen of Aher [D] low.
Verse 8
So [D] Irish youths, dear countrymen, take [A] heed in what I [D] say; For [G] if you join the English ranks, you'll [A] surely rue the [D] day And [G] whenever you're [D] tempted, a- [A] soldiering to go. Remember poor blind [G] Sheehan from the [A] Glen of Aher [D] low
Verse 1
[D] My [G] name is Patrick [D] Sheehan, and my [A] years are thirty-[D] four; Tippe [G] rary is my [D] native place, not [A] far from Galty [D] more; I [G] came of honest [D] parents, but [A] now they're lying low; Though' many's the pleasant [G] days we spent in the Glen [A] of Aher [D] low.
Verse 2
My [D] father died; I closed his eyes, out [A] side the cabin [D] door; For the [G] landlord and the sheriff too, were [A] there the day be [D] fore, And [G] then my lovin' [D] mother, and my [A] sisters three, also, Were forced to go with [G] broken hearts, from the [A] Glen of Aher [D] low
Verse 3
For [D] three long months, in search of work, I [A] wandered far and [D] near; I [G] then went to the poorhouse to [A] see my mother [D] dear; The [G] news I heard near [D] broke my heart, but [A] still in all my woe, I blessed the friends who [G] made their graves in the [A] Glen of Aher [D] low.
Verse 4
Be [D] reft of home and kith and kin, with [A] plenty all a [D] round, I [G] starved within my cabin, and [A] slept upon the [D] ground; But [G] cruel as my [D] lot was, I [A] never did hardship know, Till I joined the English [G] army, far a [A] way from Aher [D] low.
Verse 5
"Rouse [D] up there," cried the corporal, "Ya [A] lazy Irish [D] hound! Why [G] don't you hear the bugle, its [A] call to arms to [D] sound? " I [G] found I had been [D] dreaming of the [A] days long, long ago, And I woke upon Sebas [G] topol, and not [A] in Aher [D] low
Verse 6
I [D] tried to find my musket, how [A] dark I thought the [D] night! O [G] blessed God! It wasn't dark, it was the [A] broad day [D] light! And [G] when I found that [D] I was blind, my [A] tears began to flow, And I longed for even a [G] pauper's grave in the [A] Glen of Aher [D] low.
Verse 7
A [D] poor neglected mendicant, I [A] wander Dublin's [D] streets My [G] nine months' pension it being out, I [A] beg from all I [D] meet; As [G] I joined my country's [D] tyrants, my [A] face I can never show, Amongst my dear old [G] neighbors in the [A] Glen of Aher [D] low.
Verse 8
So [D] Irish youths, dear countrymen, take [A] heed in what I [D] say; For [G] if you join the English ranks, you'll [A] surely rue the [D] day And [G] whenever you're [D] tempted, a- [A] soldiering to go. Remember poor blind [G] Sheehan from the [A] Glen of Aher [D] low
Below you’ll find a strumming pattern and a fingerpicking tab for the first verse, arranged in D major for that warm, traditional tone.
🎵 Patrick Sheehan (The Glen of Aherlow)
Key: D Major
Time Signature: 3/4 (waltz feel)
🎸 Strumming Pattern (3/4)
Count: 1 – 2 – 3
Pattern: 🎵 Bass – Down – Down
Keep it slow, flowing, and expressive — this song tells a story.
Slightly accent beat 1, then let the chords breathe on 2–3.
Chord Bass Notes (alternate)
D 4th → 3rd
G 6th → 4th
A 5th → 4th
Example:
| D (bass) ↓ ↓ | G (bass) ↓ ↓ | D (bass) ↓ ↓ |
Try letting some downstrokes ring gently to evoke the melancholy tone typical of Irish ballads.
🎶 Fingerpicking Tab (First Verse)
This pattern uses thumb–index–middle (P–I–M) across beats 1–2–3 in each measure — a soft rolling arpeggio.
Keep it steady and resonant; let open strings ring out.
Tempo: ♩ = 85 | Time: 3/4
D G D A
e|---------2-------------3-------------2-------------0-------------|
B|-----3-----3-------0-----0-------3-----3-------2-----2-----------|
G|---2---2-----2---0---0-----0---2---2-----2---2---2-----2---------|
D|-0-------------0-------------0-------------2---------------------|
A|----------------------------2------------------------------------|
E|----------------3-----------------------------------------------|
D G A D
e|---------2-------------3-------------0-------------2-------------|
B|-----3-----3-------0-----0-------2-----2-------3-----3-----------|
G|---2---2-----2---0---0-----0---2---2-----2---2---2-----2---------|
D|-0-------------0-------------2-------------0---------------------|
A|----------------------------0------------------------------------|
E|----------------3-----------------------------------------------|
🎵 How It Fits the Lyrics
[D]My [G]name is Patrick [D]Sheehan, and my [A]years are thirty-[D]four;
Tippe[G]rary is my [D]native place, not [A]far from Galty[D]more;
I [G]came of honest [D]parents, but [A]now they're lying low;
Though' many's the pleasant [G]days we spent in the Glen [A]of Aher[D]low.
The fingerpicking version flows beautifully under the melody — each arpeggio matches the slow 3/4 phrasing of each line.
🎵 Patrick Sheehan (The Glen of Aherlow)
Key: D Major
Time Signature: 3/4 (waltz feel)
🎸 Strumming Pattern (3/4)
Count: 1 – 2 – 3
Pattern: 🎵 Bass – Down – Down
Keep it slow, flowing, and expressive — this song tells a story.
Slightly accent beat 1, then let the chords breathe on 2–3.
Chord Bass Notes (alternate)
D 4th → 3rd
G 6th → 4th
A 5th → 4th
Example:
| D (bass) ↓ ↓ | G (bass) ↓ ↓ | D (bass) ↓ ↓ |
Try letting some downstrokes ring gently to evoke the melancholy tone typical of Irish ballads.
🎶 Fingerpicking Tab (First Verse)
This pattern uses thumb–index–middle (P–I–M) across beats 1–2–3 in each measure — a soft rolling arpeggio.
Keep it steady and resonant; let open strings ring out.
Tempo: ♩ = 85 | Time: 3/4
D G D A
e|---------2-------------3-------------2-------------0-------------|
B|-----3-----3-------0-----0-------3-----3-------2-----2-----------|
G|---2---2-----2---0---0-----0---2---2-----2---2---2-----2---------|
D|-0-------------0-------------0-------------2---------------------|
A|----------------------------2------------------------------------|
E|----------------3-----------------------------------------------|
D G A D
e|---------2-------------3-------------0-------------2-------------|
B|-----3-----3-------0-----0-------2-----2-------3-----3-----------|
G|---2---2-----2---0---0-----0---2---2-----2---2---2-----2---------|
D|-0-------------0-------------2-------------0---------------------|
A|----------------------------0------------------------------------|
E|----------------3-----------------------------------------------|
🎵 How It Fits the Lyrics
[D]My [G]name is Patrick [D]Sheehan, and my [A]years are thirty-[D]four;
Tippe[G]rary is my [D]native place, not [A]far from Galty[D]more;
I [G]came of honest [D]parents, but [A]now they're lying low;
Though' many's the pleasant [G]days we spent in the Glen [A]of Aher[D]low.
The fingerpicking version flows beautifully under the melody — each arpeggio matches the slow 3/4 phrasing of each line.
Chords for the key of G[G] My [C] name is Patrick [G] Sheehan, and my [D] years are thirty-[G] four;
Tippe [C] rary is my [G] native place, not [D] far from Galty [G] more;
I [C] came of honest [G] parents, but [D] now they're lying low;
Though' many's the pleasant [C] days we spent in the Glen [D] of Aher [G] low.
Tippe [C] rary is my [G] native place, not [D] far from Galty [G] more;
I [C] came of honest [G] parents, but [D] now they're lying low;
Though' many's the pleasant [C] days we spent in the Glen [D] of Aher [G] low.
The above list of sheet music / tin whistle notes are in
The Johnny McEvoy ebook of songs at the bottom of this page.
The Johnny McEvoy ebook of songs at the bottom of this page.
The glen of Aherlow / Patrick Sheehan sheet music and tin whistle notes
