Rifles Of The I.R.A. lyrics and chords
Irish rebel song lyrics and guitar chords. Written by Dominic Behan and recorded by The Wolfe Tones along with Eire Og, The Fighting Men From Crossmaglen who recorded many other ballads including The Sniper's Promise [ song lyrics ].
The tin whistle / sheet music is in the rebel songs ebook here .
The tin whistle / sheet music is in the rebel songs ebook here .
In [G] nineteen hundred and sixteen,
The [C] Forces [D] of the [G] Crown,
For to Capture Orange, [Em] White and Green,
Bom[D]barded Dublin [G] Town,
But in twenty one, [Em] Britannia's huns,
Be[D]gan to earn their [G] pay,
When the Black and Tans, Like lightning ran
From the [C] rifles of the [D] IR[G]A
They burned their way through Munster
Laid Leinster on the rack,
Through Connaught and through Ulster,
Marched the men in brown and black,
Well, they cut down wives and children,
In their own heroic way,
The black and tans, like lightning ran
From the rifles of the IRA
They hanged young Kevin Barry high,
A lad of eighteen years,
Cork City`s flames lit up the sky,
But our brave boys new no fear.
The Cork Brigade with hand grenade
In ambush waiting lay,
And the black and tans, like lightning ran
From the rifles of the IRA
The tans were taken out and shot
By a brave and fearless few,
Sean Treacy, Denny, Lacey,
And Tom Barry`s famous crew,
Though we`re not free yet but we won`t forget
Until our dying day
When the black and tans like lightning ran
From the rifles of the IRA
The [C] Forces [D] of the [G] Crown,
For to Capture Orange, [Em] White and Green,
Bom[D]barded Dublin [G] Town,
But in twenty one, [Em] Britannia's huns,
Be[D]gan to earn their [G] pay,
When the Black and Tans, Like lightning ran
From the [C] rifles of the [D] IR[G]A
They burned their way through Munster
Laid Leinster on the rack,
Through Connaught and through Ulster,
Marched the men in brown and black,
Well, they cut down wives and children,
In their own heroic way,
The black and tans, like lightning ran
From the rifles of the IRA
They hanged young Kevin Barry high,
A lad of eighteen years,
Cork City`s flames lit up the sky,
But our brave boys new no fear.
The Cork Brigade with hand grenade
In ambush waiting lay,
And the black and tans, like lightning ran
From the rifles of the IRA
The tans were taken out and shot
By a brave and fearless few,
Sean Treacy, Denny, Lacey,
And Tom Barry`s famous crew,
Though we`re not free yet but we won`t forget
Until our dying day
When the black and tans like lightning ran
From the rifles of the IRA
✅ Full chords for all verses (consistent with the first verse’s style).
🎸 Strumming pattern suggestion (folk style).
🎶 Fingerpicking tab for the first verse and chorus (fits nicely for solo performance).
🎵 Chorded Lyrics (Full Song)
Key: G major
Tempo: Moderate march (~90 bpm)
Verse 1
In [G] nineteen hundred and sixteen,
The [C] Forces [D] of the [G] Crown,
For to Capture Orange, [Em] White and Green,
Bom[D]barded Dublin [G] Town,
But in twenty one, [Em] Britannia's huns,
Be[D]gan to earn their [G] pay,
When the Black and Tans, Like lightning ran
From the [C] rifles of the [D] IR[G]A
Verse 2
They [G] burned their way through Munster,
Laid [C] Leinster [D] on the [G] rack,
Through Connaught and through [Em] Ulster,
Marched the [D] men in brown and [G] black,
Well, they cut down wives and [Em] children,
In their [D] own heroic [G] way,
The black and tans, like lightning ran
From the [C] rifles of the [D] IR[G]A
Verse 3
They [G] hanged young Kevin Barry high,
A [C] lad of [D] eighteen [G] years,
Cork City’s flames lit [Em] up the sky,
But our [D] brave boys knew no [G] fear,
The Cork Brigade with [Em] hand grenade,
In [D] ambush waiting [G] lay,
And the black and tans, like lightning ran
From the [C] rifles of the [D] IR[G]A
Verse 4
The [G] tans were taken out and shot
By a [C] brave and [D] fearless [G] few,
Sean Treacy, Denny, [Em] Lacey,
And Tom [D] Barry’s famous [G] crew,
Though we’re not free [Em] yet but we won’t forget
Until our [D] dying [G] day,
When the black and tans like lightning ran
From the [C] rifles of the [D] IR[G]A
🎸 Strumming Pattern (Irish Folk Feel)
Try a lilting march rhythm in 4/4:
Pattern:
👉 D–DUDU (Down – Down Up Down Up)
Accent: Slightly emphasize beat 2 and 4.
So:
Down (soft) – Down (strong) Up Down (soft) Up (strong)
If you prefer a more driving rebel-song feel (like The Wolfe Tones):
Use D-DU-UDU and let the bass note ring before strumming.
🎶 Fingerpicking Tab (Verse + Chorus)
Here’s a simple Travis-style picking pattern in G major, perfect for solo singing.
Picking Pattern (per chord):
Bass (Thumb): E (for G), A (for C), D (for D)
Fingers: i = G string, m = B string, a = high E
Pattern: P i m a m i (Thumb alternating if possible)
🎵 Intro / Verse Fingerpicking Tab
[G]
e|-------3---------3-------|
B|-----0---0-----0---0-----|
G|---0-------0-0-------0---|
D|--------------------------|
A|--------------------------|
E|-3-----------3------------|
[C]
e|-------0---------0-------|
B|-----1---1-----1---1-----|
G|---0-------0-0-------0---|
D|--------------------------|
A|-3-----------3------------|
E|--------------------------|
[D]
e|-------2---------2-------|
B|-----3---3-----3---3-----|
G|---2-------2-2-------2---|
D|-0-----------0------------|
A|--------------------------|
E|--------------------------|
[Em]
e|-------0---------0-------|
B|-----0---0-----0---0-----|
G|---0-------0-0-------0---|
D|-2-----------2------------|
A|--------------------------|
E|--------------------------|
You can rotate these for the first verse as:
G - C D G - Em D G - Em D G - C D G
🎶 Chorus Fingerpicking Tab (Last two lines)
When the [C] rifles of the [D] IR[G]A
[C]
e|-------0---------0-------|
B|-----1---1-----1---1-----|
G|---0-------0-0-------0---|
D|-2-----------2------------|
A|-3------------------------|
E|--------------------------|
[D]
e|-------2---------2-------|
B|-----3---3-----3---3-----|
G|---2-------2-2-------2---|
D|-0-----------0------------|
A|--------------------------|
E|--------------------------|
[G]
e|-------3---------3-------|
B|-----0---0-----0---0-----|
G|---0-------0-0-------0---|
D|--------------------------|
A|--------------------------|
E|-3-----------3------------|
🎸 Strumming pattern suggestion (folk style).
🎶 Fingerpicking tab for the first verse and chorus (fits nicely for solo performance).
🎵 Chorded Lyrics (Full Song)
Key: G major
Tempo: Moderate march (~90 bpm)
Verse 1
In [G] nineteen hundred and sixteen,
The [C] Forces [D] of the [G] Crown,
For to Capture Orange, [Em] White and Green,
Bom[D]barded Dublin [G] Town,
But in twenty one, [Em] Britannia's huns,
Be[D]gan to earn their [G] pay,
When the Black and Tans, Like lightning ran
From the [C] rifles of the [D] IR[G]A
Verse 2
They [G] burned their way through Munster,
Laid [C] Leinster [D] on the [G] rack,
Through Connaught and through [Em] Ulster,
Marched the [D] men in brown and [G] black,
Well, they cut down wives and [Em] children,
In their [D] own heroic [G] way,
The black and tans, like lightning ran
From the [C] rifles of the [D] IR[G]A
Verse 3
They [G] hanged young Kevin Barry high,
A [C] lad of [D] eighteen [G] years,
Cork City’s flames lit [Em] up the sky,
But our [D] brave boys knew no [G] fear,
The Cork Brigade with [Em] hand grenade,
In [D] ambush waiting [G] lay,
And the black and tans, like lightning ran
From the [C] rifles of the [D] IR[G]A
Verse 4
The [G] tans were taken out and shot
By a [C] brave and [D] fearless [G] few,
Sean Treacy, Denny, [Em] Lacey,
And Tom [D] Barry’s famous [G] crew,
Though we’re not free [Em] yet but we won’t forget
Until our [D] dying [G] day,
When the black and tans like lightning ran
From the [C] rifles of the [D] IR[G]A
🎸 Strumming Pattern (Irish Folk Feel)
Try a lilting march rhythm in 4/4:
Pattern:
👉 D–DUDU (Down – Down Up Down Up)
Accent: Slightly emphasize beat 2 and 4.
So:
Down (soft) – Down (strong) Up Down (soft) Up (strong)
If you prefer a more driving rebel-song feel (like The Wolfe Tones):
Use D-DU-UDU and let the bass note ring before strumming.
🎶 Fingerpicking Tab (Verse + Chorus)
Here’s a simple Travis-style picking pattern in G major, perfect for solo singing.
Picking Pattern (per chord):
Bass (Thumb): E (for G), A (for C), D (for D)
Fingers: i = G string, m = B string, a = high E
Pattern: P i m a m i (Thumb alternating if possible)
🎵 Intro / Verse Fingerpicking Tab
[G]
e|-------3---------3-------|
B|-----0---0-----0---0-----|
G|---0-------0-0-------0---|
D|--------------------------|
A|--------------------------|
E|-3-----------3------------|
[C]
e|-------0---------0-------|
B|-----1---1-----1---1-----|
G|---0-------0-0-------0---|
D|--------------------------|
A|-3-----------3------------|
E|--------------------------|
[D]
e|-------2---------2-------|
B|-----3---3-----3---3-----|
G|---2-------2-2-------2---|
D|-0-----------0------------|
A|--------------------------|
E|--------------------------|
[Em]
e|-------0---------0-------|
B|-----0---0-----0---0-----|
G|---0-------0-0-------0---|
D|-2-----------2------------|
A|--------------------------|
E|--------------------------|
You can rotate these for the first verse as:
G - C D G - Em D G - Em D G - C D G
🎶 Chorus Fingerpicking Tab (Last two lines)
When the [C] rifles of the [D] IR[G]A
[C]
e|-------0---------0-------|
B|-----1---1-----1---1-----|
G|---0-------0-0-------0---|
D|-2-----------2------------|
A|-3------------------------|
E|--------------------------|
[D]
e|-------2---------2-------|
B|-----3---3-----3---3-----|
G|---2-------2-2-------2---|
D|-0-----------0------------|
A|--------------------------|
E|--------------------------|
[G]
e|-------3---------3-------|
B|-----0---0-----0---0-----|
G|---0-------0-0-------0---|
D|--------------------------|
A|--------------------------|
E|-3-----------3------------|
Here's a version of the song chords in the key of D
In [D] nineteen hundred and sixteen,
The [G] Forces [A] of the [D] Crown,
For to Capture Orange, [Bm] White and Green,
Bom[A]barded Dublin [D] Town,
But in twenty one, [Bm] Britannia's huns,
Be[A]gan to earn their [D] pay,
When the Black and Tans, Like lightning ran
From the [G] rifles of the [A] IR[D]A.
Back to The Wolfe Tones Songs
In [D] nineteen hundred and sixteen,
The [G] Forces [A] of the [D] Crown,
For to Capture Orange, [Bm] White and Green,
Bom[A]barded Dublin [D] Town,
But in twenty one, [Bm] Britannia's huns,
Be[A]gan to earn their [D] pay,
When the Black and Tans, Like lightning ran
From the [G] rifles of the [A] IR[D]A.
Back to The Wolfe Tones Songs
The Wolfe Tones Rifles of the IRA
