The Belfast Brigade Lyrics And Chords
The Belfast Brigade lyrics and chords by Christy Moore The video is of The Go Lucky Four who also had a huge hit with ''Up Went Nelson''.The song uses the same tune as, The Battle Hymn of the Republic Glory! Glory! Hallelujah.
The sheet music / tin whistle notes for The Belfast Brigade are the ebook of Irish rebel songs for tin whistle here .
[G] Craigavon sent the Specials out, to shoot the people down,
He [C] thought the IRA were dead, in [G] dear old Belfast town,
But he got a rude awakening, with cannon and [Em] grenade,
When he [Am] met the first [D] Batallion, of the [C] Belfast [G] Brigade.
[chorus]
Glory, glory to old Ireland,
Glory, glory to this island,
Glory to the memory of the men who fought and died,
"No surrender" is the war cry of the Belfast Brigade.
The soldiers came from Holywood,
Equipped with English guns,
There were men by the thousand,
Ammunition by the ton,
But when they got to Belfast,
They were seriously delayed,
By the fighting First Batallion
Of the Belfast Brigade.
We have no ammunition,
Or no armoured tanks to show,
But we're ready to defend ourselves,
No matter where we go,
We're out for our Republic,
And to hell with your Free State,
"No surrender" is the War cry
Of the Belfast Brigade.
Come all you gallant Irishmen,
And join the IRA
We'll strike a blow for freedom,
When it comes a certain day,
You know your country's History,
And the sacrifice it made,
Come join the First Batallion
Of the Belfast Brigade.
He [C] thought the IRA were dead, in [G] dear old Belfast town,
But he got a rude awakening, with cannon and [Em] grenade,
When he [Am] met the first [D] Batallion, of the [C] Belfast [G] Brigade.
[chorus]
Glory, glory to old Ireland,
Glory, glory to this island,
Glory to the memory of the men who fought and died,
"No surrender" is the war cry of the Belfast Brigade.
The soldiers came from Holywood,
Equipped with English guns,
There were men by the thousand,
Ammunition by the ton,
But when they got to Belfast,
They were seriously delayed,
By the fighting First Batallion
Of the Belfast Brigade.
We have no ammunition,
Or no armoured tanks to show,
But we're ready to defend ourselves,
No matter where we go,
We're out for our Republic,
And to hell with your Free State,
"No surrender" is the War cry
Of the Belfast Brigade.
Come all you gallant Irishmen,
And join the IRA
We'll strike a blow for freedom,
When it comes a certain day,
You know your country's History,
And the sacrifice it made,
Come join the First Batallion
Of the Belfast Brigade.
🎸 **Key:** G Major
🕒 **Time Signature:** 4/4
🎶 **Tempo:** ~95 bpm (steady Irish marching feel)
---
### 🎸 Strumming Pattern
> **Pattern (Folk March Feel):** ↓ ↓ ↑ ↑ ↓ ↑
> Count: 1 2 & & 4 &
> Use full, confident downstrokes on beats 1 & 3 — light up-strokes on 2 & 4.
Alternate pattern for softer verses:
> **Bass – Down – Up – Up – Down – Up**
---
### 🎶 Fingerpicking Pattern
> Thumb (p) → Bass note
> Index (i) → G string
> Middle (m) → B string
> Ring (a) → High E
Keep it steady and alternating to mimic a drum march.
---
#### 🎵 Verse 1
[G] Craigavon sent the Specials out, to shoot the people down,
```
G
e|---------3-----------3-|---------3-----------3-|
B|-----0-----------0-----|-----0-----------0-----|
G|---0-----0-----0---0---|---0-----0-----0---0---|
D|-0-----------0---------|-0-----------0---------|
A|-2-----------2---------|-2-----------2---------|
E|-3-----------3---------|-3-----------3---------|
```
He [C] thought the IRA were dead, in [G] dear old Belfast town,
```
C G
e|---------0-----------0-|---------3-----------3-|
B|-----1-----------1-----|-----0-----------0-----|
G|---0-----0-----0---0---|---0-----0-----0---0---|
D|-2-----------2---------|-0-----------0---------|
A|-3-----------3---------|-2-----------2---------|
E|------------------------|-3-----------3---------|
```
But he got a rude awakening, with cannon and [Em] grenade,
```
Em
e|---------0-----------0-|---------0-----------0-|
B|-----0-----------0-----|-----0-----------0-----|
G|---0-----0-----0---0---|---0-----0-----0---0---|
D|-2-----------2---------|-2-----------2---------|
A|-2-----------2---------|-2-----------2---------|
E|-0-----------0---------|-0-----------0---------|
```
When he [Am] met the first [D] Battalion, of the [C] Belfast [G] Brigade.
```
Am D
e|---------0-----------0-|---------2-----------2-|
B|-----1-----------1-----|-----3-----------3-----|
G|---2-----2-----2---2---|---2-----2-----2---2---|
D|-2-----------2---------|-0-----------0---------|
A|-0-----------0---------|-----------------------|
E|------------------------|-----------------------|
C G
e|---------0-----------0-|---------3-----------3-|
B|-----1-----------1-----|-----0-----------0-----|
G|---0-----0-----0---0---|---0-----0-----0---0---|
D|-2-----------2---------|-0-----------0---------|
A|-3-----------3---------|-2-----------2---------|
E|------------------------|-3-----------3---------|
```
---
#### 🎶 Chorus
Glory, glory to old [G] Ireland,
```
G
e|---------3-----------3-|---------3-----------3-|
B|-----0-----------0-----|-----0-----------0-----|
G|---0-----0-----0---0---|---0-----0-----0---0---|
D|-0-----------0---------|-0-----------0---------|
A|-2-----------2---------|-2-----------2---------|
E|-3-----------3---------|-3-----------3---------|
```
Glory, glory to this [C] island,
```
C
e|---------0-----------0-|---------0-----------0-|
B|-----1-----------1-----|-----1-----------1-----|
G|---0-----0-----0---0---|---0-----0-----0---0---|
D|-2-----------2---------|-2-----------2---------|
A|-3-----------3---------|-3-----------3---------|
E|------------------------|-----------------------|
```
Glory to the memory of the men who fought and [Em] died,
```
Em
e|---------0-----------0-|---------0-----------0-|
B|-----0-----------0-----|-----0-----------0-----|
G|---0-----0-----0---0---|---0-----0-----0---0---|
D|-2-----------2---------|-2-----------2---------|
A|-2-----------2---------|-2-----------2---------|
E|-0-----------0---------|-0-----------0---------|
```
"No surrender" is the war cry of the [Am] Belfast [D] Brigade.
```
Am D
e|---------0-----------0-|---------2-----------2-|
B|-----1-----------1-----|-----3-----------3-----|
G|---2-----2-----2---2---|---2-----2-----2---2---|
D|-2-----------2---------|-0-----------0---------|
A|-0-----------0---------|-----------------------|
E|------------------------|-----------------------|
```
---
### 🎵 Playing Tips
- Keep a **steady marching pulse** — emphasize the **bass note** on beat 1.
- Use light **palm-muting** on downbeats for rhythmic control.
- On the chorus, **open up the strumming** for that rousing, rebel-song lift.
- Finish with a strong open **G** — let it ring to close the anthem proudly.
🕒 **Time Signature:** 4/4
🎶 **Tempo:** ~95 bpm (steady Irish marching feel)
---
### 🎸 Strumming Pattern
> **Pattern (Folk March Feel):** ↓ ↓ ↑ ↑ ↓ ↑
> Count: 1 2 & & 4 &
> Use full, confident downstrokes on beats 1 & 3 — light up-strokes on 2 & 4.
Alternate pattern for softer verses:
> **Bass – Down – Up – Up – Down – Up**
---
### 🎶 Fingerpicking Pattern
> Thumb (p) → Bass note
> Index (i) → G string
> Middle (m) → B string
> Ring (a) → High E
Keep it steady and alternating to mimic a drum march.
---
#### 🎵 Verse 1
[G] Craigavon sent the Specials out, to shoot the people down,
```
G
e|---------3-----------3-|---------3-----------3-|
B|-----0-----------0-----|-----0-----------0-----|
G|---0-----0-----0---0---|---0-----0-----0---0---|
D|-0-----------0---------|-0-----------0---------|
A|-2-----------2---------|-2-----------2---------|
E|-3-----------3---------|-3-----------3---------|
```
He [C] thought the IRA were dead, in [G] dear old Belfast town,
```
C G
e|---------0-----------0-|---------3-----------3-|
B|-----1-----------1-----|-----0-----------0-----|
G|---0-----0-----0---0---|---0-----0-----0---0---|
D|-2-----------2---------|-0-----------0---------|
A|-3-----------3---------|-2-----------2---------|
E|------------------------|-3-----------3---------|
```
But he got a rude awakening, with cannon and [Em] grenade,
```
Em
e|---------0-----------0-|---------0-----------0-|
B|-----0-----------0-----|-----0-----------0-----|
G|---0-----0-----0---0---|---0-----0-----0---0---|
D|-2-----------2---------|-2-----------2---------|
A|-2-----------2---------|-2-----------2---------|
E|-0-----------0---------|-0-----------0---------|
```
When he [Am] met the first [D] Battalion, of the [C] Belfast [G] Brigade.
```
Am D
e|---------0-----------0-|---------2-----------2-|
B|-----1-----------1-----|-----3-----------3-----|
G|---2-----2-----2---2---|---2-----2-----2---2---|
D|-2-----------2---------|-0-----------0---------|
A|-0-----------0---------|-----------------------|
E|------------------------|-----------------------|
C G
e|---------0-----------0-|---------3-----------3-|
B|-----1-----------1-----|-----0-----------0-----|
G|---0-----0-----0---0---|---0-----0-----0---0---|
D|-2-----------2---------|-0-----------0---------|
A|-3-----------3---------|-2-----------2---------|
E|------------------------|-3-----------3---------|
```
---
#### 🎶 Chorus
Glory, glory to old [G] Ireland,
```
G
e|---------3-----------3-|---------3-----------3-|
B|-----0-----------0-----|-----0-----------0-----|
G|---0-----0-----0---0---|---0-----0-----0---0---|
D|-0-----------0---------|-0-----------0---------|
A|-2-----------2---------|-2-----------2---------|
E|-3-----------3---------|-3-----------3---------|
```
Glory, glory to this [C] island,
```
C
e|---------0-----------0-|---------0-----------0-|
B|-----1-----------1-----|-----1-----------1-----|
G|---0-----0-----0---0---|---0-----0-----0---0---|
D|-2-----------2---------|-2-----------2---------|
A|-3-----------3---------|-3-----------3---------|
E|------------------------|-----------------------|
```
Glory to the memory of the men who fought and [Em] died,
```
Em
e|---------0-----------0-|---------0-----------0-|
B|-----0-----------0-----|-----0-----------0-----|
G|---0-----0-----0---0---|---0-----0-----0---0---|
D|-2-----------2---------|-2-----------2---------|
A|-2-----------2---------|-2-----------2---------|
E|-0-----------0---------|-0-----------0---------|
```
"No surrender" is the war cry of the [Am] Belfast [D] Brigade.
```
Am D
e|---------0-----------0-|---------2-----------2-|
B|-----1-----------1-----|-----3-----------3-----|
G|---2-----2-----2---2---|---2-----2-----2---2---|
D|-2-----------2---------|-0-----------0---------|
A|-0-----------0---------|-----------------------|
E|------------------------|-----------------------|
```
---
### 🎵 Playing Tips
- Keep a **steady marching pulse** — emphasize the **bass note** on beat 1.
- Use light **palm-muting** on downbeats for rhythmic control.
- On the chorus, **open up the strumming** for that rousing, rebel-song lift.
- Finish with a strong open **G** — let it ring to close the anthem proudly.
Here's the chords in the key of D.
[D] Craigavon sent the Specials out, to shoot the people down,
He [G] thought the IRA were dead, in [D] dear old Belfast town,
But he got a rude awakening, with cannon and [Bm] grenade,
When he [Em] met the first [A] Batallion, of the [G] Belfast [D] Brigade.
[D] Craigavon sent the Specials out, to shoot the people down,
He [G] thought the IRA were dead, in [D] dear old Belfast town,
But he got a rude awakening, with cannon and [Bm] grenade,
When he [Em] met the first [A] Batallion, of the [G] Belfast [D] Brigade.
The Belfast brigade lyrics
