The Green Glens Of Antrim, The Wolfe Tones Lyrics And Chords
A traditional Irish song, also recorded by Maureen Hegarty who does an excellent version. Follow the chords below for The Wolfe Tones version which was worked out by Marc Fahrbach. Taken from The Troubles Album. The song was also recorded by Irish country singer Daniel O'Donnell, Bonnie Stewart, Bridie Gallagher,who recorded a lot of ballads and folk songs in her hayday including her big hit A Mother's Love's A Blessing [ lyrics / chords ] .Gerard Connolly, Eileen King who sang Home To Donegal [ lyrics / chords ] before Nathan Carter even began his singing career.and Phil Coulter. Also included here is another County Antrim song, ''The Antrim Glens Are Calling'' which was recorded by accordion player Curtis McGee who's famous for his rendition of Noreen Bawn [ lyrics / chords ] Curtis also covered Absent Friends. The chords are for the version by Curtis. Back to The Wolfe Tones Lyrics And Chords
THE GREEN GLENS OF ANTRIM 4/4 (Traditional)
(For Wolfe Tones Version use capo on 3rd fret)
Far a(D)cross yonder (D7)blue lies a (G)true fairy (D)land
With the sea rippling (Bm)over the (E)shingle and (A)sand
Where the (D)gay honey(D7)suckle is (G)luring the (D)bee
And the green glens of (Bm)Antrim are (A)calling to (D)me
Chorus:
Sure if (G)only you knew how the (D)lamp of the (Bm)moon
Turns a (D)blue Irish (Bm)bay to a (E)silver la(A)goon
You'd (D)imagine a (D7)picture of (G)heaven it would (D)be
Where the green glens of (Bm)Antrim are (A)calling to (D)me.
Soon I hope to return to my own Cuchendall
T’is the one place for me That can outshine them all.
Sure I know every stone I’ll recall every tree
Where the green glens of Antrim are calling to me
I would halt at a cabin close down by the shore
And I’d knock with my heart at that wee cabin door
While the sun showered gold in the lap of the sea
And the green glens of Antrim were smiling at me
Chorus
Now I'd be where the people are simple and so kind
And among them the one who has been on my mind
Sure I pray that the world would in peace let me be
Where the green glens of Antrim are heaven to me
(For Wolfe Tones Version use capo on 3rd fret)
Far a(D)cross yonder (D7)blue lies a (G)true fairy (D)land
With the sea rippling (Bm)over the (E)shingle and (A)sand
Where the (D)gay honey(D7)suckle is (G)luring the (D)bee
And the green glens of (Bm)Antrim are (A)calling to (D)me
Chorus:
Sure if (G)only you knew how the (D)lamp of the (Bm)moon
Turns a (D)blue Irish (Bm)bay to a (E)silver la(A)goon
You'd (D)imagine a (D7)picture of (G)heaven it would (D)be
Where the green glens of (Bm)Antrim are (A)calling to (D)me.
Soon I hope to return to my own Cuchendall
T’is the one place for me That can outshine them all.
Sure I know every stone I’ll recall every tree
Where the green glens of Antrim are calling to me
I would halt at a cabin close down by the shore
And I’d knock with my heart at that wee cabin door
While the sun showered gold in the lap of the sea
And the green glens of Antrim were smiling at me
Chorus
Now I'd be where the people are simple and so kind
And among them the one who has been on my mind
Sure I pray that the world would in peace let me be
Where the green glens of Antrim are heaven to me
✅ Full lyrics with chords for every verse and chorus
🎸 Strumming pattern (folk ballad style)
🎶 Fingerpicking tab for the first verse and chorus
🎵 Full Chorded Lyrics
Far a(D)cross yonder (D7)blue lies a (G)true fairy (D)land
With the sea rippling (Bm)over the (E)shingle and (A)sand
Where the (D)gay honey(D7)suckle is (G)luring the (D)bee
And the green glens of (Bm)Antrim are (A)calling to (D)me.
Chorus:
Sure if (G)only you knew how the (D)lamp of the (Bm)moon
Turns a (D)blue Irish (Bm)bay to a (E)silver la(A)goon
You'd (D)imagine a (D7)picture of (G)heaven it would (D)be
Where the green glens of (Bm)Antrim are (A)calling to (D)me.
---
Soon I (D)hope to re(D7)return to my (G)own Cuchen(D)dall
'Tis the one place for (Bm)me that can (E)outshine them (A)all.
Sure I (D)know every (D7)stone, I’ll re(G)call every (D)tree
Where the green glens of (Bm)Antrim are (A)calling to (D)me.
---
I would (D)halt at a (D7)cabin close (G)down by the (D)shore
And I’d knock with my (Bm)heart at that (E)wee cabin (A)door
While the (D)sun showered (D7)gold in the (G)lap of the (D)sea
And the green glens of (Bm)Antrim were (A)smiling at (D)me.
---
(Repeat Chorus)
Now I’d (D)be where the (D7)people are (G)simple and (D)kind
And among them the (Bm)one who’s been (E)so long on my (A)mind
Sure I (D)pray that the (D7)world would in (G)peace let me (D)be
Where the green glens of (Bm)Antrim are (A)heaven to (D)me.
🎸 Strumming Pattern (4/4 Folk Ballad Style)
Tempo: ~85 bpm (gentle sway)
Pattern:
↓ ↓↑ ↑↓↑
(Down – DownUp – UpDownUp)
Bass emphasis on beat 1 (often root note of chord)
Light upstrokes for a rolling, lilting Irish feel
Optional: alternate between light strums and full strums for dynamics in verses/chorus
If you prefer an arpeggiated strum for verses, try:
↓ (bass) ↓↑ (soft)
repeat every two beats
🎶 Fingerpicking Tab (Verse + Chorus)
Style: Travis picking (thumb alternates bass, fingers pick melody tones lightly)
➤ Verse Fingerpicking Pattern
(for “Far across yonder blue lies a true fairy land”)
D D7 G D
e|---------2---------------2---------------3---------------2---------|
B|-----3-------3-------1-------1-------0-------0-------3-------3-----|
G|---2---2---2---2---2---2---2---0---0---0---0---2---2---2---2---2---|
D|-0---------------0---------------0---------------0-----------------|
A|-----------------------0---------------2---------------------------|
E|---------------------------------------------------2---------------|
Bm E A D
e|---------2---------------0---------------0---------------2---------|
B|-----3-------3-------0-------0-------2-------2-------3-------3-----|
G|---4---4---4---4---1---1---1---1---2---2---2---2---2---2---2---2---|
D|-----------------2---------------2---------------0-----------------|
A|-2---------------2---------------0---------------0-----------------|
E|---------------------------------------------------2---------------|
➤ Chorus Fingerpicking Pattern
(for “Sure if only you knew how the lamp of the moon…”)
G D Bm D
e|---------3---------------2---------------2---------------2---------|
B|-----0-------0-------3-------3-------3-------3-------3-------3-----|
G|---0---0---0---0---2---2---2---2---4---4---4---4---2---2---2---2---|
D|-----------------0---------------4---------------0-----------------|
A|-------2---------------0---------------2---------------0-----------|
E|-3---------------2---------------------------------------2---------|
Bm E A D
e|---------2---------------0---------------0---------------2---------|
B|-----3-------3-------0-------0-------2-------2-------3-------3-----|
G|---4---4---4---4---1---1---1---1---2---2---2---2---2---2---2---2---|
D|-----------------2---------------2---------------0-----------------|
A|-2---------------2---------------0---------------0-----------------|
E|---------------------------------------------------2---------------|
Picking pattern guide:
Thumb: plays alternating bass (E–A–D)
Index: G string
Middle: B string
Ring: high E string
You can use the same pattern throughout — it flows beautifully with this song.
🎸 Strumming pattern (folk ballad style)
🎶 Fingerpicking tab for the first verse and chorus
🎵 Full Chorded Lyrics
Far a(D)cross yonder (D7)blue lies a (G)true fairy (D)land
With the sea rippling (Bm)over the (E)shingle and (A)sand
Where the (D)gay honey(D7)suckle is (G)luring the (D)bee
And the green glens of (Bm)Antrim are (A)calling to (D)me.
Chorus:
Sure if (G)only you knew how the (D)lamp of the (Bm)moon
Turns a (D)blue Irish (Bm)bay to a (E)silver la(A)goon
You'd (D)imagine a (D7)picture of (G)heaven it would (D)be
Where the green glens of (Bm)Antrim are (A)calling to (D)me.
---
Soon I (D)hope to re(D7)return to my (G)own Cuchen(D)dall
'Tis the one place for (Bm)me that can (E)outshine them (A)all.
Sure I (D)know every (D7)stone, I’ll re(G)call every (D)tree
Where the green glens of (Bm)Antrim are (A)calling to (D)me.
---
I would (D)halt at a (D7)cabin close (G)down by the (D)shore
And I’d knock with my (Bm)heart at that (E)wee cabin (A)door
While the (D)sun showered (D7)gold in the (G)lap of the (D)sea
And the green glens of (Bm)Antrim were (A)smiling at (D)me.
---
(Repeat Chorus)
Now I’d (D)be where the (D7)people are (G)simple and (D)kind
And among them the (Bm)one who’s been (E)so long on my (A)mind
Sure I (D)pray that the (D7)world would in (G)peace let me (D)be
Where the green glens of (Bm)Antrim are (A)heaven to (D)me.
🎸 Strumming Pattern (4/4 Folk Ballad Style)
Tempo: ~85 bpm (gentle sway)
Pattern:
↓ ↓↑ ↑↓↑
(Down – DownUp – UpDownUp)
Bass emphasis on beat 1 (often root note of chord)
Light upstrokes for a rolling, lilting Irish feel
Optional: alternate between light strums and full strums for dynamics in verses/chorus
If you prefer an arpeggiated strum for verses, try:
↓ (bass) ↓↑ (soft)
repeat every two beats
🎶 Fingerpicking Tab (Verse + Chorus)
Style: Travis picking (thumb alternates bass, fingers pick melody tones lightly)
➤ Verse Fingerpicking Pattern
(for “Far across yonder blue lies a true fairy land”)
D D7 G D
e|---------2---------------2---------------3---------------2---------|
B|-----3-------3-------1-------1-------0-------0-------3-------3-----|
G|---2---2---2---2---2---2---2---0---0---0---0---2---2---2---2---2---|
D|-0---------------0---------------0---------------0-----------------|
A|-----------------------0---------------2---------------------------|
E|---------------------------------------------------2---------------|
Bm E A D
e|---------2---------------0---------------0---------------2---------|
B|-----3-------3-------0-------0-------2-------2-------3-------3-----|
G|---4---4---4---4---1---1---1---1---2---2---2---2---2---2---2---2---|
D|-----------------2---------------2---------------0-----------------|
A|-2---------------2---------------0---------------0-----------------|
E|---------------------------------------------------2---------------|
➤ Chorus Fingerpicking Pattern
(for “Sure if only you knew how the lamp of the moon…”)
G D Bm D
e|---------3---------------2---------------2---------------2---------|
B|-----0-------0-------3-------3-------3-------3-------3-------3-----|
G|---0---0---0---0---2---2---2---2---4---4---4---4---2---2---2---2---|
D|-----------------0---------------4---------------0-----------------|
A|-------2---------------0---------------2---------------0-----------|
E|-3---------------2---------------------------------------2---------|
Bm E A D
e|---------2---------------0---------------0---------------2---------|
B|-----3-------3-------0-------0-------2-------2-------3-------3-----|
G|---4---4---4---4---1---1---1---1---2---2---2---2---2---2---2---2---|
D|-----------------2---------------2---------------0-----------------|
A|-2---------------2---------------0---------------0-----------------|
E|---------------------------------------------------2---------------|
Picking pattern guide:
Thumb: plays alternating bass (E–A–D)
Index: G string
Middle: B string
Ring: high E string
You can use the same pattern throughout — it flows beautifully with this song.
Below are the chord shapes for ukulele
The Green Glens Of Antrim Old Road Sign
Margo song The Green Glens Of Antrim
Below is the list of sheet music and tin whistle songs that are in my ebooks. This is the largest collection of tin whistle songs ever put together.[over 900 songs ] Including folk, pop and trad tunes plus German And French songs along with Christmas Carols.
All of the sheet music tabs have been made as easy to play as was possible.
The price of the ebooks is €7.50
The Green Glens Of Antrim Sheet Music Tin Whistle Notes Included.
All of the sheet music tabs have been made as easy to play as was possible.
The price of the ebooks is €7.50
The Green Glens Of Antrim Sheet Music Tin Whistle Notes Included.
