The Connemara Cradle Song, lyrics and chords
The easy ukulele chords are included.Hear The Winds Blow Love, Hear The Winds Blow. The 5 string banjo chords are included. A traditional Irish song. It's been mostly women who have recorded this beautiful haunting song. I have given 4 different versions of the guitar / ukulele chords and was surprised at where the different places within the lyrics change chords. I liked each of the versions I listened to and the video I choose was just at random, it could well have been any version. One of the version has only got 2 chords and works surprisingly well. The song was recorded by Johnny McEvoy, Steeleye Span, Maria McColl, Caitlin, Sons Of Erin. Fionnuala O'Donovan also recorded it under the title ''Connemara Lullaby''.The Connemara cradle song beginner piano notes included.
Lyrics And Easy Chords In G Major
On[G] the wings of the wind o'er the dark rolling[D] deep
Angels are [C]coming to[D7] watch o'er thy[G] sheep
Angels are coming to watch over[D] thee
So list to the wind[C] coming[D7] over the[G] sea
Chorus:
[G]Hear the wind blow love, hear the wind[D] blow
Lean your head[C] over and[D7] hear the wind[G] blow
Oh, winds of the night, may your fury be crossed,
May no one who's dear to our island be lost
Blow the winds gently, calm be the foam
Shine the light brightly and guide them back home
Chorus
The currachs are sailing way out on the blue
Laden with herring of silvery hue
Silver the herring and silver the sea
And soon there'll be silver for baby and me
Chorus
The currachs tomorrow will stand on the shore
And daddy goes sailing, a sailing no more
The nets will be drying, the nets heaven blessed
And safe in my arms dear, contented he'll rest.
On[G] the wings of the wind o'er the dark rolling[D] deep
Angels are [C]coming to[D7] watch o'er thy[G] sheep
Angels are coming to watch over[D] thee
So list to the wind[C] coming[D7] over the[G] sea
Chorus:
[G]Hear the wind blow love, hear the wind[D] blow
Lean your head[C] over and[D7] hear the wind[G] blow
Oh, winds of the night, may your fury be crossed,
May no one who's dear to our island be lost
Blow the winds gently, calm be the foam
Shine the light brightly and guide them back home
Chorus
The currachs are sailing way out on the blue
Laden with herring of silvery hue
Silver the herring and silver the sea
And soon there'll be silver for baby and me
Chorus
The currachs tomorrow will stand on the shore
And daddy goes sailing, a sailing no more
The nets will be drying, the nets heaven blessed
And safe in my arms dear, contented he'll rest.
🎵 Hear the Wind Blow
Key: G Major
Time Signature: 3/4 (Waltz)
Tempo: 70–75 bpm (gentle, flowing)
🎸 Strumming Pattern (3/4 Waltz Style)
Bass – Down – Down
Count: 1 – 2 – 3
For each chord:
Play the bass note (the lowest string of the chord) with your thumb on beat 1,
Then two soft downstrokes on beats 2–3 with your fingers or pick.
Example:
On G chord → E (6th string) – down – down
On C chord → A (5th string) – down – down
On D chord → D (4th string) – down – down
This gives a rocking, wave-like rhythm, perfect for lullaby tempo.
Lyrics with Chords
Verse 1
On [G]the wings of the wind o’er the dark rolling [D]deep
Angels are [C]coming to [D7]watch o’er thy [G]sheep
Angels are coming to watch over [D]thee
So list to the wind [C]coming [D7]over the [G]sea
Chorus
[G]Hear the wind blow, love, hear the wind [D]blow
Lean your head [C]over and [D7]hear the wind [G]blow
Oh, winds of the night, may your fury be [D]crossed,
May no one who’s [C]dear to our [D7]island be [G]lost
Blow the winds gently, calm be the [D]foam
Shine the light [C]brightly and [D7]guide them back [G]home
Verse 2
The [G]currachs are sailing way out on the [D]blue
Laden with [C]herring of [D7]silvery [G]hue
Silver the herring and silver the [D]sea
And soon there’ll be [C]silver for [D7]baby and [G]me
→ Chorus
Verse 3
The [G]currachs tomorrow will stand on the [D]shore
And daddy goes [C]sailing, a [D7]sailing no [G]more
The nets will be drying, the nets heaven [D]blessed
And safe in my [C]arms dear, con[D7]tented he’ll [G]rest.
→ Chorus (soft, then fade out)
🌙 Performance Notes
Play fingerstyle or with a soft pick — emphasize the bass note on beat 1.
Keep the rhythm gentle and swaying, like the roll of the sea.
For the final chorus, slow the tempo slightly and finish with a single arpeggiated G chord (let it ring).
Key: G Major
Time Signature: 3/4 (Waltz)
Tempo: 70–75 bpm (gentle, flowing)
🎸 Strumming Pattern (3/4 Waltz Style)
Bass – Down – Down
Count: 1 – 2 – 3
For each chord:
Play the bass note (the lowest string of the chord) with your thumb on beat 1,
Then two soft downstrokes on beats 2–3 with your fingers or pick.
Example:
On G chord → E (6th string) – down – down
On C chord → A (5th string) – down – down
On D chord → D (4th string) – down – down
This gives a rocking, wave-like rhythm, perfect for lullaby tempo.
Lyrics with Chords
Verse 1
On [G]the wings of the wind o’er the dark rolling [D]deep
Angels are [C]coming to [D7]watch o’er thy [G]sheep
Angels are coming to watch over [D]thee
So list to the wind [C]coming [D7]over the [G]sea
Chorus
[G]Hear the wind blow, love, hear the wind [D]blow
Lean your head [C]over and [D7]hear the wind [G]blow
Oh, winds of the night, may your fury be [D]crossed,
May no one who’s [C]dear to our [D7]island be [G]lost
Blow the winds gently, calm be the [D]foam
Shine the light [C]brightly and [D7]guide them back [G]home
Verse 2
The [G]currachs are sailing way out on the [D]blue
Laden with [C]herring of [D7]silvery [G]hue
Silver the herring and silver the [D]sea
And soon there’ll be [C]silver for [D7]baby and [G]me
→ Chorus
Verse 3
The [G]currachs tomorrow will stand on the [D]shore
And daddy goes [C]sailing, a [D7]sailing no [G]more
The nets will be drying, the nets heaven [D]blessed
And safe in my [C]arms dear, con[D7]tented he’ll [G]rest.
→ Chorus (soft, then fade out)
🌙 Performance Notes
Play fingerstyle or with a soft pick — emphasize the bass note on beat 1.
Keep the rhythm gentle and swaying, like the roll of the sea.
For the final chorus, slow the tempo slightly and finish with a single arpeggiated G chord (let it ring).
🎸 Fingerpicked Intro & Outro (G Major – 3/4 time)(Gentle, harp-like arpeggios)
🎼 Tuning: Standard (EADGBE)Tempo: Slow (70–75 bpm)
Time Signature: 3/4
💫 Fingerpicking Pattern (use throughout)P – i – m – i – P – i – m – i
or simply
Bass (thumb) – Middle – Index
Count: 1 – 2 – 3
Keep it soft and flowing, like waves — thumb on the bass string, index and middle for the upper notes.
Use thumb (P) for strings 6/5/4, index (i) for 3rd, and middle (m) for 2nd string.
🌅 Intro (4 bars – Free and Flowing)| G | C | Am | D7 | Tab example (simple arpeggio):
G C Am D7 e|---------3-----------|---------0-----------|---------0-----------|---------1-----------| B|-------0---0---------|-------1---1---------|-------1---1---------|-------1---1---------| G|-----0-------0-------|-----0-------0-------|-----2-------2-------|-----2-------2-------| D|---------------------|-----2---------------|-----2---------------|-----0---------------| A|---------------------|---3-----------------|---0-----------------|---------------------| E|---3-----------------|---------------------|---------------------|---------------------| Let the last note of D7 ring gently before beginning the first verse:
“On the wings of the wind o’er the dark rolling deep…”
🌙 Outro (4 bars – Slow and Tender)After the final line
“...and guide them back home.”
play slowly:
| G | C | D7 | G | Tab:
G C D7 G e|---------3-----------|---------0-----------|---------1-----------|---------3-----------| B|-------0---0---------|-------1---1---------|-------1---1---------|-------0---0---------| G|-----0-------0-------|-----0-------0-------|-----2-------2-------|-----0-------0-------| D|---------------------|-----2---------------|-----0---------------|---------------------| A|---------------------|---3-----------------|---------------------|---------------------| E|---3-----------------|---------------------|---------------------|---3-----------------| Let the final G chord ring out naturally — fading into silence like the sea tide ebbing away.
🌾 Optional Variation (Celtic Ornamentation)
💡 Performance Flow
🎼 Tuning: Standard (EADGBE)Tempo: Slow (70–75 bpm)
Time Signature: 3/4
💫 Fingerpicking Pattern (use throughout)P – i – m – i – P – i – m – i
or simply
Bass (thumb) – Middle – Index
Count: 1 – 2 – 3
Keep it soft and flowing, like waves — thumb on the bass string, index and middle for the upper notes.
Use thumb (P) for strings 6/5/4, index (i) for 3rd, and middle (m) for 2nd string.
🌅 Intro (4 bars – Free and Flowing)| G | C | Am | D7 | Tab example (simple arpeggio):
G C Am D7 e|---------3-----------|---------0-----------|---------0-----------|---------1-----------| B|-------0---0---------|-------1---1---------|-------1---1---------|-------1---1---------| G|-----0-------0-------|-----0-------0-------|-----2-------2-------|-----2-------2-------| D|---------------------|-----2---------------|-----2---------------|-----0---------------| A|---------------------|---3-----------------|---0-----------------|---------------------| E|---3-----------------|---------------------|---------------------|---------------------| Let the last note of D7 ring gently before beginning the first verse:
“On the wings of the wind o’er the dark rolling deep…”
🌙 Outro (4 bars – Slow and Tender)After the final line
“...and guide them back home.”
play slowly:
| G | C | D7 | G | Tab:
G C D7 G e|---------3-----------|---------0-----------|---------1-----------|---------3-----------| B|-------0---0---------|-------1---1---------|-------1---1---------|-------0---0---------| G|-----0-------0-------|-----0-------0-------|-----2-------2-------|-----0-------0-------| D|---------------------|-----2---------------|-----0---------------|---------------------| A|---------------------|---3-----------------|---------------------|---------------------| E|---3-----------------|---------------------|---------------------|---3-----------------| Let the final G chord ring out naturally — fading into silence like the sea tide ebbing away.
🌾 Optional Variation (Celtic Ornamentation)
- On Am, try hammering-on from open D → 2nd fret (D string).
- On C, hammer-on 0 → 2 (D string) softly.
- On G, slide 2 → 4 on the G string before resolving to open G again.
💡 Performance Flow
- Intro (4 bars arpeggio)
- Verse 1 (fingerpicked or lightly strummed 3/4)
- Chorus (light strumming for swell)
- Verse 2–3
- Final chorus – slow and tender
- Outro (4 bars)
- Let final G ring out.
Here are the chords for the featured youtube video of The Grey Well
Intro Chords
G D C G D C G
On[G] the wings of the wind o'er the dark roll[D]ing deep
Angels are com[C]ing to watch or thy [G]sleep
Angels are coming to watch over[D] thee
So list to the wind [C]blowing over the[G] sea
Chorus:
[G]Hear the wind blow love, hear the wind[D] blow
Lean your head ov[C]er and hear the wind[G] blow
Intro Chords
G D C G D C G
On[G] the wings of the wind o'er the dark roll[D]ing deep
Angels are com[C]ing to watch or thy [G]sleep
Angels are coming to watch over[D] thee
So list to the wind [C]blowing over the[G] sea
Chorus:
[G]Hear the wind blow love, hear the wind[D] blow
Lean your head ov[C]er and hear the wind[G] blow
Here are the chords for the Maria McCool version
On[Eb] the wings of the wind o'er the dark rolling[Bb] deep[Eb]
An[Bb]gels are coming [Eb]to [Bb]watch or thy [Eb]sleep
Angels are coming to watch over[Bb] thee
So list to the wind blow[Eb]ing [Bb]over the[Eb] sea[Cm][Eb]
Chorus:
[Cm]Hear the wind [Eb]blow [Cm]love, hear [Eb]the wind[Bb] blow
Lean your head over and hear the wind[eB] blow.
The Connemara Cradle Song Sheet Music
On[Eb] the wings of the wind o'er the dark rolling[Bb] deep[Eb]
An[Bb]gels are coming [Eb]to [Bb]watch or thy [Eb]sleep
Angels are coming to watch over[Bb] thee
So list to the wind blow[Eb]ing [Bb]over the[Eb] sea[Cm][Eb]
Chorus:
[Cm]Hear the wind [Eb]blow [Cm]love, hear [Eb]the wind[Bb] blow
Lean your head over and hear the wind[eB] blow.
The Connemara Cradle Song Sheet Music
The Connemara cradle song lyrics
