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 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"
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"
✅ Full lyrics with chords on every verse
🎸 A recommended strumming pattern (Irish march / ballad feel)
🎶 A fingerpicking tab for the first verse (perfect for a solo intro before switching to strumming)
🎼 Key: G Major
Tempo: Moderate march (≈ 90–100 BPM)
Time Signature: 4/4
🎸 Strumming Pattern (for verses & chorus)
For a strong, rolling Irish feel:
Bass – Down – Up – Down – Up
(Count: 1 – 2& – 3 – 4&)
Alternate the bass note on beat 1:
G: 6th → 4th string
C: 5th → 4th string
A7: 5th → 4th string
D7: 4th → 5th string
Accent beats 1 and 3 slightly to keep the marching drive.
🎶 Fingerpicking Tab (for First Verse)
Gentle Travis-style alternating bass pattern — good for a solo or intro verse.
Picking Pattern (per chord):
Thumb (bass) → Index → Middle → Ring → (alternate bass) → Index → Middle → Ring
Here’s a full tab for the first verse:
G C G
e|--------3-------------3-------------0-------------3-------------|
B|------0---0---------0---0---------1---1---------0---0-----------|
G|----0-------0-----0-------0-----0-------0-----0-------0---------|
D|--0-----------0-2-----------2-2-----------2-0-----------0-------|
A|---------------------------------------------------------------|
E|3--------------------------------------------------------------|
C G A7 Am D7
e|--------0-------------3-------------0-------------0-------------1-------------|
B|------1---1---------0---0---------2---2---------1---1---------1---1-----------|
G|----0-------0-----0-------0-----0-------0-----2-------2-----2-------2---------|
D|--2-----------2-0-----------0-2-----------2-2-----------2-0-----------0-------|
A|3-------------------------------------------------0---------------------------|
E|---------------------------------------------------------------
G C G
e|--------3-------------0-------------3-------------3-------------|
B|------0---0---------1---1---------0---0---------0---0-----------|
G|----0-------0-----0-------0-----0-------0-----0-------0---------|
D|--0-----------0-2-----------2-0-----------0-0-----------0-------|
A|---------------------------------------------------------------|
E|3--------------------------------------------------------------|
🎤 Lyrics with Chords
Verse 1 (Fingerpicking)
O [G]see the fleet-foot [C]host of men who [G]march with faces [C]drawn,
From [G]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 [C]goes to die on the [G]bridge of Toome to[D7]day.
Verse 2
Oh [G]Ireland, Mother [C]Ireland, you [G]love them still the [C]best,
The [G]fearless brave who [C]fighting [G]fall upon your [A7]hapless [Am]breast;
But [G]never a one of [C]all your [G]dead more [A7]bravely [Am]fell in [D7]fray,
Than he who [G]marches to his [C]fate on the [G]bridge of Toome to[D7]day.
Verse 3
Up [G]the narrow street he [C]stepped, so [G]smiling, proud and [C]young,
A[G]bout the hemp-rope [C]on his [G]neck, the [A7]golden [Am]ringlets [D7]clung;
There's [G]ne’er a tear in [C]his blue [G]eyes, so [A7]fearless, [Am]brave are [D7]they,
As young [G]Roddy McCorley [C]goes to die on the [G]bridge of Toome to[D7]day.
Verse 4
When [G]last this narrow [C]street he [G]trod, his [C]shining pike in [G]hand,
Be[C]hind him marched in [G]grim ar[C]ray, a [A7]earnest [Am]stalwart [D7]band;
To [G]Antrim town! to [C]Antrim [G]town! he [A7]led them [Am]to the [D7]fray,
But [G]Roddy McCorley [C]goes to die on the [G]bridge of Toome to[D7]day.
Verse 5
The [G]grey coat and its [C]sash of [G]green were [C]brave and stainless [G]then,
A [C]banner flashed be[G]neath the [C]sun o'[A7]er the [Am]marching [D7]men;
The [G]coat hath many a [C]rent this [G]noon, the [A7]sash is [Am]torn a[D7]way,
And [G]Roddy McCorley [C]goes to die on the [G]bridge of Toome to[D7]day.
Verse 6
Oh [G]how his pike flashed [C]in the [G]sun, then [C]found a foeman’s [G]heart,
Through [C]furious fight and [G]heavy [C]odds he [A7]bore a [Am]true man’s [D7]part;
And [G]many a redcoat [C]bit the [G]dust before his [A7]keen pike-[Am]play,
But [G]Roddy McCorley [C]goes to die on the [G]bridge of Toome to[D7]day.
Verse 7
There's [G]never a one of [C]all your [G]dead more [C]bravely died in [G]fray,
Than [C]he who marches [G]to his [C]fate in [A7]Toomebridge [Am]town to[D7]day;
True [G]to the last! True [C]to the [G]last, he [A7]treads the [Am]upwards [D7]way,
And [G]young Roddy McCorley [C]goes to die on the [G]bridge of Toome to
🎸 A recommended strumming pattern (Irish march / ballad feel)
🎶 A fingerpicking tab for the first verse (perfect for a solo intro before switching to strumming)
🎼 Key: G Major
Tempo: Moderate march (≈ 90–100 BPM)
Time Signature: 4/4
🎸 Strumming Pattern (for verses & chorus)
For a strong, rolling Irish feel:
Bass – Down – Up – Down – Up
(Count: 1 – 2& – 3 – 4&)
Alternate the bass note on beat 1:
G: 6th → 4th string
C: 5th → 4th string
A7: 5th → 4th string
D7: 4th → 5th string
Accent beats 1 and 3 slightly to keep the marching drive.
🎶 Fingerpicking Tab (for First Verse)
Gentle Travis-style alternating bass pattern — good for a solo or intro verse.
Picking Pattern (per chord):
Thumb (bass) → Index → Middle → Ring → (alternate bass) → Index → Middle → Ring
Here’s a full tab for the first verse:
G C G
e|--------3-------------3-------------0-------------3-------------|
B|------0---0---------0---0---------1---1---------0---0-----------|
G|----0-------0-----0-------0-----0-------0-----0-------0---------|
D|--0-----------0-2-----------2-2-----------2-0-----------0-------|
A|---------------------------------------------------------------|
E|3--------------------------------------------------------------|
C G A7 Am D7
e|--------0-------------3-------------0-------------0-------------1-------------|
B|------1---1---------0---0---------2---2---------1---1---------1---1-----------|
G|----0-------0-----0-------0-----0-------0-----2-------2-----2-------2---------|
D|--2-----------2-0-----------0-2-----------2-2-----------2-0-----------0-------|
A|3-------------------------------------------------0---------------------------|
E|---------------------------------------------------------------
G C G
e|--------3-------------0-------------3-------------3-------------|
B|------0---0---------1---1---------0---0---------0---0-----------|
G|----0-------0-----0-------0-----0-------0-----0-------0---------|
D|--0-----------0-2-----------2-0-----------0-0-----------0-------|
A|---------------------------------------------------------------|
E|3--------------------------------------------------------------|
🎤 Lyrics with Chords
Verse 1 (Fingerpicking)
O [G]see the fleet-foot [C]host of men who [G]march with faces [C]drawn,
From [G]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 [C]goes to die on the [G]bridge of Toome to[D7]day.
Verse 2
Oh [G]Ireland, Mother [C]Ireland, you [G]love them still the [C]best,
The [G]fearless brave who [C]fighting [G]fall upon your [A7]hapless [Am]breast;
But [G]never a one of [C]all your [G]dead more [A7]bravely [Am]fell in [D7]fray,
Than he who [G]marches to his [C]fate on the [G]bridge of Toome to[D7]day.
Verse 3
Up [G]the narrow street he [C]stepped, so [G]smiling, proud and [C]young,
A[G]bout the hemp-rope [C]on his [G]neck, the [A7]golden [Am]ringlets [D7]clung;
There's [G]ne’er a tear in [C]his blue [G]eyes, so [A7]fearless, [Am]brave are [D7]they,
As young [G]Roddy McCorley [C]goes to die on the [G]bridge of Toome to[D7]day.
Verse 4
When [G]last this narrow [C]street he [G]trod, his [C]shining pike in [G]hand,
Be[C]hind him marched in [G]grim ar[C]ray, a [A7]earnest [Am]stalwart [D7]band;
To [G]Antrim town! to [C]Antrim [G]town! he [A7]led them [Am]to the [D7]fray,
But [G]Roddy McCorley [C]goes to die on the [G]bridge of Toome to[D7]day.
Verse 5
The [G]grey coat and its [C]sash of [G]green were [C]brave and stainless [G]then,
A [C]banner flashed be[G]neath the [C]sun o'[A7]er the [Am]marching [D7]men;
The [G]coat hath many a [C]rent this [G]noon, the [A7]sash is [Am]torn a[D7]way,
And [G]Roddy McCorley [C]goes to die on the [G]bridge of Toome to[D7]day.
Verse 6
Oh [G]how his pike flashed [C]in the [G]sun, then [C]found a foeman’s [G]heart,
Through [C]furious fight and [G]heavy [C]odds he [A7]bore a [Am]true man’s [D7]part;
And [G]many a redcoat [C]bit the [G]dust before his [A7]keen pike-[Am]play,
But [G]Roddy McCorley [C]goes to die on the [G]bridge of Toome to[D7]day.
Verse 7
There's [G]never a one of [C]all your [G]dead more [C]bravely died in [G]fray,
Than [C]he who marches [G]to his [C]fate in [A7]Toomebridge [Am]town to[D7]day;
True [G]to the last! True [C]to the [G]last, he [A7]treads the [Am]upwards [D7]way,
And [G]young Roddy McCorley [C]goes to die on the [G]bridge of Toome to
Roddy McCorley song
Roddy McCorley guitar tab in G
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.
