Roddy McCorley lyrics and guitar chords
The 5 string banjo chords for the key of G Major are included plus the guitar tab. The song was recorded by The Clancys And Tommy Makem also by Shane MacGowan and The Popes and The Dubliners. The first version of the song guitar chords in chordpro is in the key of G' and the second in the key of C' which was worked out by Marc Fahrbach who has included more chords and chord changes which makes the song sound more interesting from a guitar players prospective. Roddy McCorley tenor guitar / mandola tab IN cgda included. The youtube video is of The Dubliners with Ciarán Bourke singing.
The tune of the song is almost the same as that of Sean South From Garryowen [ lyrics ] but it was Roddy McCorley which was written first.
The tune of the song is almost the same as that of Sean South From Garryowen [ lyrics ] but it was Roddy McCorley which was written first.
RODDY MCCORLEY
As was happening already in Leinster-and was to occur in northern Connacht later in the year-the crushing of rebellion in Ulster was the signal for great brutality and slaughter by the authorities. Guilt or innocence of the victims was not normally of primary concern to the soldiery. Indeed, the Reverend James Gordon reported that the redcoats "often plundered without dis- tinction of loyalist or croppy." Lecky's analysis of the carnage transported him to "distant and darker ages, in which the first conditions of civilised society... are unapplicable."
The National Tradition is dotted with the defiant deaths of obscure young insurgents whose names have been lost to record- ed history. If lost to the scholars, their names have not been forgotten by the people. The songwriters have immortalised even minor rebel martyrs.
Ethna Carbery, a minor poet of the late nineteenth century, rewrote a 1798 ballad about just such a young rebel. Roddy McCorley was a County Antrim Defender executed on the shore of Lough Neagh in the wake of the Ulster rising. His public
hanging was not an atypical scene in the months, and years, after the United Irish failure.
The quatrain given immediately below is from the original ballad. The song that follows it is the famous version written by Miss Carbery. Such rewriting of old ballads is a common genesis of rebel balladry.
As was happening already in Leinster-and was to occur in northern Connacht later in the year-the crushing of rebellion in Ulster was the signal for great brutality and slaughter by the authorities. Guilt or innocence of the victims was not normally of primary concern to the soldiery. Indeed, the Reverend James Gordon reported that the redcoats "often plundered without dis- tinction of loyalist or croppy." Lecky's analysis of the carnage transported him to "distant and darker ages, in which the first conditions of civilised society... are unapplicable."
The National Tradition is dotted with the defiant deaths of obscure young insurgents whose names have been lost to record- ed history. If lost to the scholars, their names have not been forgotten by the people. The songwriters have immortalised even minor rebel martyrs.
Ethna Carbery, a minor poet of the late nineteenth century, rewrote a 1798 ballad about just such a young rebel. Roddy McCorley was a County Antrim Defender executed on the shore of Lough Neagh in the wake of the Ulster rising. His public
hanging was not an atypical scene in the months, and years, after the United Irish failure.
The quatrain given immediately below is from the original ballad. The song that follows it is the famous version written by Miss Carbery. Such rewriting of old ballads is a common genesis of rebel balladry.
Roddy McCorley Song Lyrics With Chords In G Major
O [G] see the fleet-foot host of men, who [C] march with faces [G] drawn,
From farmstead and from [C] fishers' [G] cot, a[A7]long the [Am] banks of [D7] Ban;
They [G] come with vengeance [C] in their [G] eyes. Too [A7] late! Too [Am] late are [D7] they,
For young [G] Roddy McCorley goes to die on the [C] bridge of Toome to[G]day.
Oh Ireland, Mother Ireland, you love them still the best.
The fearless brave who fighting fall upon your hapless breast,
But never a one of all your dead more bravely fell in fray,
Than he who marches to his fate on the bridge of Toome today.
Up the narrow street he stepped, so smiling, proud and young.
About the hemp-rope on his neck, the golden ringlets clung;
There's ne'er a tear in his blue eyes, fearless and brave are they,
As young Roddy McCorley goes to die on the bridge of Toome today.
When last this narrow street he trod, his shining pike in hand.
Behind him marched, in grim array, a earnest stalwart band.
To Antrim town! To Antrim town, he led them to the fray,
But young Roddy McCorley goes to die on the bridge of Toome today.
The grey coat and its sash of green were brave and stainless then.
A banner flashed beneath the sun over the marching men;
The coat hath many a rent this noon, the sash is torn away,
And Roddy McCorley goes to die on the bridge of Toome today.
Oh, how his pike flashed in the sun! Then found a foeman's heart.
Through furious fight, and heavy odds he bore a true man's part.
And many a red-coat bit the dust before his keen pike-play,
But Roddy McCorley goes to die on the bridge of Toome today.
There's never a one of all your dead more bravely died in fray
Than he who marches to his fate in Toomebridge town today;
True to the last! True to the last, he treads the upwards way,
And young Roddy McCorley goes to die on the bridge of Toome today.
Alternative first two lines in the last verse,
"Because he loved his Motherland, because he loved the green"
"He goes to meet the martyrs fate, with proud and joyous mien"
Included below are the 5 string banjo chords in the key of G Major for Roddy McCorley
O [G] see the fleet-foot host of men, who [C] march with faces [G] drawn,
From farmstead and from [C] fishers' [G] cot, a[A7]long the [Am] banks of [D7] Ban;
They [G] come with vengeance [C] in their [G] eyes. Too [A7] late! Too [Am] late are [D7] they,
For young [G] Roddy McCorley goes to die on the [C] bridge of Toome to[G]day.
Oh Ireland, Mother Ireland, you love them still the best.
The fearless brave who fighting fall upon your hapless breast,
But never a one of all your dead more bravely fell in fray,
Than he who marches to his fate on the bridge of Toome today.
Up the narrow street he stepped, so smiling, proud and young.
About the hemp-rope on his neck, the golden ringlets clung;
There's ne'er a tear in his blue eyes, fearless and brave are they,
As young Roddy McCorley goes to die on the bridge of Toome today.
When last this narrow street he trod, his shining pike in hand.
Behind him marched, in grim array, a earnest stalwart band.
To Antrim town! To Antrim town, he led them to the fray,
But young Roddy McCorley goes to die on the bridge of Toome today.
The grey coat and its sash of green were brave and stainless then.
A banner flashed beneath the sun over the marching men;
The coat hath many a rent this noon, the sash is torn away,
And Roddy McCorley goes to die on the bridge of Toome today.
Oh, how his pike flashed in the sun! Then found a foeman's heart.
Through furious fight, and heavy odds he bore a true man's part.
And many a red-coat bit the dust before his keen pike-play,
But Roddy McCorley goes to die on the bridge of Toome today.
There's never a one of all your dead more bravely died in fray
Than he who marches to his fate in Toomebridge town today;
True to the last! True to the last, he treads the upwards way,
And young Roddy McCorley goes to die on the bridge of Toome today.
Alternative first two lines in the last verse,
"Because he loved his Motherland, because he loved the green"
"He goes to meet the martyrs fate, with proud and joyous mien"
Included below are the 5 string banjo chords in the key of G Major for Roddy McCorley
Roddy McCorley tenor guitar / mandola tab tuning CGDA
Key Of D
O [D] see the fleet-foot host of men, who [G] march with faces [D] drawn,
From farmstead and from [G] fishers' [D] cot, a[E7]long the [Em] banks of [A7] Ban;
They [D] come with vengeance [G] in their [D] eyes. Too [E7] late! Too [Em] late are [A7] they,
For young [D] Roddy McCorley goes to die on the [G] bridge of Toome to[D]day.
O [D] see the fleet-foot host of men, who [G] march with faces [D] drawn,
From farmstead and from [G] fishers' [D] cot, a[E7]long the [Em] banks of [A7] Ban;
They [D] come with vengeance [G] in their [D] eyes. Too [E7] late! Too [Em] late are [A7] they,
For young [D] Roddy McCorley goes to die on the [G] bridge of Toome to[D]day.