The Bridge At Killaloe Christy Moore lyrics and guitar chords
known also as ''The Scariff Martyrs'' . Back to Christy Moore Songs .
[D]The dreadful[G] news through[D] Irelan[D]d has spread from[G] shore to[D] shore Such[D] a deed no living[Am] man has[G] ever[C] heard be[D]fore The[D] deeds of Cromwell in his[Am] time I'm[G] sure no [C]worse could[D] do Than[D] them Black and[G] Tans that[D] murdered[A] those four youths in[G] Killa[D]loe
Three of the four were on the run and searched for all around Until with this brave Egan in Williamstown was found They questioned him and tortured him but to his comrades he proved true And because he would not tell their whereabouts he was shot in Killaloe
On the twelfth day of November the day that they were found Sold and traced through Galway to that house near Williamstown They never got a fighting chance but were captured while asleep And the way that they ill-treated them would cause your blood to creep
The hackled them both hands and feet with twines they could not break And brought them down to Killaloe by steamer on the lake Without clergy judge or jury on the bridge they shot them down And their blood flowed with the Shannon convenient to the town
After three days of perseverance their bodies they let go And ten pm the funeral passed through Ogonnolloe They were kept in Scariff chapel for two nights and a day Now in that place of rest they lie, kind people for them pray
If you were at the funeral it was an awful sight To see four hundred clergymen and they all dressed up in white Such a sight as these four martyrs in one grave was never seen They died to save the flag of love the orange and the green
Now that they are dead and gone I hope in peace they'll rest Like all young Irish martyrs, forever among the blessed The day will come when all will know who sold their lives away Of young McMahon and Rogers, brave Egan and Kildea
[D]The dreadful[G] news through[D] Irelan[D]d has spread from[G] shore to[D] shore Such[D] a deed no living[Am] man has[G] ever[C] heard be[D]fore The[D] deeds of Cromwell in his[Am] time I'm[G] sure no [C]worse could[D] do Than[D] them Black and[G] Tans that[D] murdered[A] those four youths in[G] Killa[D]loe
Three of the four were on the run and searched for all around Until with this brave Egan in Williamstown was found They questioned him and tortured him but to his comrades he proved true And because he would not tell their whereabouts he was shot in Killaloe
On the twelfth day of November the day that they were found Sold and traced through Galway to that house near Williamstown They never got a fighting chance but were captured while asleep And the way that they ill-treated them would cause your blood to creep
The hackled them both hands and feet with twines they could not break And brought them down to Killaloe by steamer on the lake Without clergy judge or jury on the bridge they shot them down And their blood flowed with the Shannon convenient to the town
After three days of perseverance their bodies they let go And ten pm the funeral passed through Ogonnolloe They were kept in Scariff chapel for two nights and a day Now in that place of rest they lie, kind people for them pray
If you were at the funeral it was an awful sight To see four hundred clergymen and they all dressed up in white Such a sight as these four martyrs in one grave was never seen They died to save the flag of love the orange and the green
Now that they are dead and gone I hope in peace they'll rest Like all young Irish martyrs, forever among the blessed The day will come when all will know who sold their lives away Of young McMahon and Rogers, brave Egan and Kildea
🎵 The Scariff Martyrs (in G Major)
Verse 1
[G]The dreadful [C]news through [G]Ireland [G]has spread from [C]shore to [G]shore,
Such [G]a deed no living [Am]man has [G]ever [C]heard be[G]fore.
The [G]deeds of Cromwell in his [Am]time I’m [G]sure no [C]worse could [G]do,
Than [G]them Black and [C]Tans that [G]murdered [D]those four youths in [C]Killa[G]loe.
Verse 2
[G]Three of the four were [C]on the run and [G]searched for [C]all a[G]round,
Un[G]til with brave young [Am]Egan in [G]William[C]stown was [G]found.
They [G]questioned him and [Am]tortured him but [G]to his [C]comrades [G]true,
And [G]because he would not [C]tell their [G]whereabouts he was [D]shot in Killa[C]loe.
Verse 3
[G]On the twelfth day of [C]November the [G]day that [C]they were [G]found,
Sold and traced through [Am]Galway to [G]that house [C]near William[G]stown.
They [G]never got a [Am]fighting chance but [G]were cap[C]tured while a[G]sleep,
And the [G]way that they ill-[C]treated them would [G]cause your blood to [D]creep.
Verse 4
[G]They hackled [C]them both [G]hands and feet with [C]twines they [G]could not break,
And [G]brought them down to [Am]Killaloe by [G]steamer [C]on the [G]lake.
With[G]out clergy, judge or [Am]jury on the [G]bridge they [C]shot them [G]down,
And their [G]blood flowed with the [C]Shannon con[G]venient to the [D]town.
Verse 5
[G]After three days of [C]perseverance their [G]bodies [C]they let [G]go,
At [G]ten o’clock the [Am]funeral passed [G]through O[C]gonnol[G]loe.
They [G]were kept in Scariff [Am]chapel for two [G]nights and [C]a long [G]day,
Now in [G]that place of rest they [C]lie—kind [G]people for them [D]pray.
Verse 6
[G]If you were at the [C]funeral it [G]was an [C]awful [G]sight,
To [G]see four hundred [Am]clergymen and [G]they all [C]dressed up in [G]white.
Such a [G]sight as these four [Am]martyrs in [G]one grave [C]was never [G]seen,
They [G]died to save the [C]flag of love— the [G]orange and the [D]green.
Verse 7
[G]Now that they are [C]dead and gone I [G]hope in [C]peace they’ll [G]rest,
Like [G]all young Irish [Am]martyrs, for[G]ever [C]’mong the [G]blest.
The [G]day will come when [Am]all will know who [G]sold their [C]lives a[G]way,
Of [G]young McMahon and [C]Rogers, brave [G]Egan and Kil[D]dea.
🎸 Strumming Pattern
Time signature: 4/4
Tempo: 70–80 bpm (slow and mournful)
For an Irish ballad rhythm, use a steady, soft down–up with emphasis on beats 1 and 3:
↓ ↓↑ ↑↓↑
Count:
1 2-and &-4-and
Keep a light, brushing touch — almost like a slow heartbeat.
Optional variation: palm-mute slightly on beats 1 and 3 for a funeral-march tone.
🎶 Fingerpicking Tab (First Verse + Last Line of Verse 1 as “Chorus” line)
Key: G major
Tuning: Standard (EADGBE)
Tempo: ♩ ≈ 75 bpm
Style: Travis picking (alternating bass with melody)
[Intro / Verse 1]
G C
e|-------3-----------3-----------0-----------0-----------|
B|-----0---0-------0---0-------1---1-------1---1---------|
G|---0-------0---0-------0---0-------0---0-------0-------|
D|-------------------------------------------------------|
A|-----------------------3-----------3-------------------|
E|-3-----------3-----------------------------------------|
G C
e|-------3-----------3-----------0-----------0-----------|
B|-----0---0-------0---0-------1---1-------1---1---------|
G|---0-------0---0-------0---0-------0---0-------0-------|
D|-------------------------------------------------------|
A|-----------------------3-----------3-------------------|
E|-3-----------3-----------------------------------------|
Am G
e|-------0-----------0-----------3-----------3-----------|
B|-----1---1-------1---1-------0---0-------0---0---------|
G|---2-------2---2-------2---0-------0---0-------0-------|
D|-2-----------2----------------------------------------|
A|0-----------0---------------2-----------2-------------|
E|-----------------------------------3-----------3-------|
C G D
e|------0---------3-----------2--------------------------|
B|----1---1-----0---0-------3---3------------------------|
G|--0-------0-0-------0---2-------2----------------------|
D|---------------------------0---------------------------|
A|-3-------------------2---------------------------------|
E|---------------------------3---------------------------|
This pattern maintains a slow rolling feel, mirroring the sorrowful pace of the lyrics while emphasizing the melody.
Use thumb (P) for strings 6–4, index (I) for string 3, middle (M) for string 2, and ring (A) for string 1. Let the bass notes ring to keep a resonant drone beneath the melody.
Verse 1
[G]The dreadful [C]news through [G]Ireland [G]has spread from [C]shore to [G]shore,
Such [G]a deed no living [Am]man has [G]ever [C]heard be[G]fore.
The [G]deeds of Cromwell in his [Am]time I’m [G]sure no [C]worse could [G]do,
Than [G]them Black and [C]Tans that [G]murdered [D]those four youths in [C]Killa[G]loe.
Verse 2
[G]Three of the four were [C]on the run and [G]searched for [C]all a[G]round,
Un[G]til with brave young [Am]Egan in [G]William[C]stown was [G]found.
They [G]questioned him and [Am]tortured him but [G]to his [C]comrades [G]true,
And [G]because he would not [C]tell their [G]whereabouts he was [D]shot in Killa[C]loe.
Verse 3
[G]On the twelfth day of [C]November the [G]day that [C]they were [G]found,
Sold and traced through [Am]Galway to [G]that house [C]near William[G]stown.
They [G]never got a [Am]fighting chance but [G]were cap[C]tured while a[G]sleep,
And the [G]way that they ill-[C]treated them would [G]cause your blood to [D]creep.
Verse 4
[G]They hackled [C]them both [G]hands and feet with [C]twines they [G]could not break,
And [G]brought them down to [Am]Killaloe by [G]steamer [C]on the [G]lake.
With[G]out clergy, judge or [Am]jury on the [G]bridge they [C]shot them [G]down,
And their [G]blood flowed with the [C]Shannon con[G]venient to the [D]town.
Verse 5
[G]After three days of [C]perseverance their [G]bodies [C]they let [G]go,
At [G]ten o’clock the [Am]funeral passed [G]through O[C]gonnol[G]loe.
They [G]were kept in Scariff [Am]chapel for two [G]nights and [C]a long [G]day,
Now in [G]that place of rest they [C]lie—kind [G]people for them [D]pray.
Verse 6
[G]If you were at the [C]funeral it [G]was an [C]awful [G]sight,
To [G]see four hundred [Am]clergymen and [G]they all [C]dressed up in [G]white.
Such a [G]sight as these four [Am]martyrs in [G]one grave [C]was never [G]seen,
They [G]died to save the [C]flag of love— the [G]orange and the [D]green.
Verse 7
[G]Now that they are [C]dead and gone I [G]hope in [C]peace they’ll [G]rest,
Like [G]all young Irish [Am]martyrs, for[G]ever [C]’mong the [G]blest.
The [G]day will come when [Am]all will know who [G]sold their [C]lives a[G]way,
Of [G]young McMahon and [C]Rogers, brave [G]Egan and Kil[D]dea.
🎸 Strumming Pattern
Time signature: 4/4
Tempo: 70–80 bpm (slow and mournful)
For an Irish ballad rhythm, use a steady, soft down–up with emphasis on beats 1 and 3:
↓ ↓↑ ↑↓↑
Count:
1 2-and &-4-and
Keep a light, brushing touch — almost like a slow heartbeat.
Optional variation: palm-mute slightly on beats 1 and 3 for a funeral-march tone.
🎶 Fingerpicking Tab (First Verse + Last Line of Verse 1 as “Chorus” line)
Key: G major
Tuning: Standard (EADGBE)
Tempo: ♩ ≈ 75 bpm
Style: Travis picking (alternating bass with melody)
[Intro / Verse 1]
G C
e|-------3-----------3-----------0-----------0-----------|
B|-----0---0-------0---0-------1---1-------1---1---------|
G|---0-------0---0-------0---0-------0---0-------0-------|
D|-------------------------------------------------------|
A|-----------------------3-----------3-------------------|
E|-3-----------3-----------------------------------------|
G C
e|-------3-----------3-----------0-----------0-----------|
B|-----0---0-------0---0-------1---1-------1---1---------|
G|---0-------0---0-------0---0-------0---0-------0-------|
D|-------------------------------------------------------|
A|-----------------------3-----------3-------------------|
E|-3-----------3-----------------------------------------|
Am G
e|-------0-----------0-----------3-----------3-----------|
B|-----1---1-------1---1-------0---0-------0---0---------|
G|---2-------2---2-------2---0-------0---0-------0-------|
D|-2-----------2----------------------------------------|
A|0-----------0---------------2-----------2-------------|
E|-----------------------------------3-----------3-------|
C G D
e|------0---------3-----------2--------------------------|
B|----1---1-----0---0-------3---3------------------------|
G|--0-------0-0-------0---2-------2----------------------|
D|---------------------------0---------------------------|
A|-3-------------------2---------------------------------|
E|---------------------------3---------------------------|
This pattern maintains a slow rolling feel, mirroring the sorrowful pace of the lyrics while emphasizing the melody.
Use thumb (P) for strings 6–4, index (I) for string 3, middle (M) for string 2, and ring (A) for string 1. Let the bass notes ring to keep a resonant drone beneath the melody.
Killaloe Bridge Road Sign
