The Green Hills Of Sligo Lyrics by Johnny Loughrey
Johnny Loughrey. Also recorded by Kevin Prendergast, Foster And Allen and Daniel O'Donnell. The guitar chords are now included in the key of D and that's the key that Johnny Loughrey sings the song in. Benbulben Of Sligo is another song from County Sligo.
I'm leaving dear old Ireland, I can no longer stay
I have decided to sail west, ore to the U.S.A.
There are many different reasons that have urged me on to go
And leave the place where I was born, around the Green hills of Sligo.
Although I hate to leave this land where I've lived for many years
I find that I must emigrate though my eyes are filled with tears
There's nothing left for me to do, no future that I know
And so I have to bit farewell to the Green hills of Sligo.
I know my friends will disagree and Father Browne will too
They'll all be trying to tell me that the day I leave I'll rue
And the folks at home they will be sad when I tell them I must go
And leave the place where I was born, 'round the Green hills of Sligo.
Although I hate to leave this land where I've lived for many years
I find that I must emigrate though my eyes are filled with tears
There's nothing left for me to do, no future that I know
And so I have to bit farewell to the Green hills of Sligo.
I have decided to sail west, ore to the U.S.A.
There are many different reasons that have urged me on to go
And leave the place where I was born, around the Green hills of Sligo.
Although I hate to leave this land where I've lived for many years
I find that I must emigrate though my eyes are filled with tears
There's nothing left for me to do, no future that I know
And so I have to bit farewell to the Green hills of Sligo.
I know my friends will disagree and Father Browne will too
They'll all be trying to tell me that the day I leave I'll rue
And the folks at home they will be sad when I tell them I must go
And leave the place where I was born, 'round the Green hills of Sligo.
Although I hate to leave this land where I've lived for many years
I find that I must emigrate though my eyes are filled with tears
There's nothing left for me to do, no future that I know
And so I have to bit farewell to the Green hills of Sligo.
[A]I'm[D] leaving [G]dear old [D]Ireland, I can no longer [A]stay
I have decided to sail west, ore to the U.S.[D]A.
There are many [G]different [D]reasons that have urged me on to [G]go[D]
And [G]leave the place where [D]I was born, around the [A]Green hills of Sli[D]go.
Al[G]though I [Bm]hate to [G]leave this land where I've [A]lived for many [D]years
I [E]find that I must emigrate though my [A]eyes are [E]filled with [A]tears
There's [D]nothing [G]left for [D]me to do, no future that I [G]know
And so I have to [D]bit farewell to the [A]Green hills of Sli[D]go.[G][D][A][D][A]
I [D]know my [G]friends will [D]disagree and Father Browne will [A]too
They'll all be trying to tell me that the day I leave I'll [D]rue
And the folks at [G]home they [D]will be sad when I tell them I must [G]go
And leave the place where [D]I was born, 'round the [A]Green hills of Sli[D]go.
Al[G]though I [Bm]hate to [E]leave this [G]land where I've [A]lived for many [D]years
I [E]find that I must emigrate though my [A]eyes are [E]filled with [A]tears
There's [D]nothing [G]left for [D]me to do, no future that I [G]know
And so I have to [D]bit farewell to the [A]Green hills of Sli[D]go.[G][D][A][D]
I have decided to sail west, ore to the U.S.[D]A.
There are many [G]different [D]reasons that have urged me on to [G]go[D]
And [G]leave the place where [D]I was born, around the [A]Green hills of Sli[D]go.
Al[G]though I [Bm]hate to [G]leave this land where I've [A]lived for many [D]years
I [E]find that I must emigrate though my [A]eyes are [E]filled with [A]tears
There's [D]nothing [G]left for [D]me to do, no future that I [G]know
And so I have to [D]bit farewell to the [A]Green hills of Sli[D]go.[G][D][A][D][A]
I [D]know my [G]friends will [D]disagree and Father Browne will [A]too
They'll all be trying to tell me that the day I leave I'll [D]rue
And the folks at [G]home they [D]will be sad when I tell them I must [G]go
And leave the place where [D]I was born, 'round the [A]Green hills of Sli[D]go.
Al[G]though I [Bm]hate to [E]leave this [G]land where I've [A]lived for many [D]years
I [E]find that I must emigrate though my [A]eyes are [E]filled with [A]tears
There's [D]nothing [G]left for [D]me to do, no future that I [G]know
And so I have to [D]bit farewell to the [A]Green hills of Sli[D]go.[G][D][A][D]
this nostalgic Irish emigration song deserves a gentle 3/4 waltz rhythm that flows like the ocean and tugs at the heart.
Below is a mobile-friendly layout with strumming pattern, fingerpicking tabs, and lyrics aligned with chords for smooth scrolling on any device.
🎶 THE GREEN HILLS OF SLIGO
(Key: D Major • Time: 3/4 • Tempo: ~75 BPM • Irish Ballad Style)
-------------------------------------
🎸 STRUMMING PATTERN (3/4 Irish Waltz)
↓ ↓↑ ↓↑
(1 2 3)
💡 Tips:
• Keep a gentle swing — accent the **first beat** slightly.
• Let chords ring naturally — think of waves or slow dancing motion.
• Ideal for solo acoustic or pub singalong.
Alternate:
↓ (bass) ↓↑ (chord) ↓↑ (chord)
-------------------------------------
🎵 FINGERPICKING PATTERN (3/4 Rolling Arpeggio)
p – i – m – i – m – i
(Thumb = bass; Index = G; Middle = B)
→ Thumb plays the root note (beat 1).
→ Fingers roll upward for beats 2–3 softly.
→ Keep consistent and flowing, never rushed.
-------------------------------------
🎸 CHORD TABS
**D Chord**
```
e|--------2-----------2-----------|
B|------3---3-------3---3---------|
G|----2-------2---2-------2-------|
D|--0-----------0-----------------|
A|--------------------------------|
E|--------------------------------|
```
**G Chord**
```
e|--------3-----------3-----------|
B|------0---0-------0---0---------|
G|----0-------0---0-------0-------|
D|--0-----------0-----------------|
A|----------------2---------------|
E|-3-------------------------------|
```
**A Chord**
```
e|--------0-----------0-----------|
B|------2---2-------2---2---------|
G|----2-------2---2-------2-------|
D|--2-----------2-----------------|
A|0-------------------------------|
E|--------------------------------|
```
**Bm Chord**
```
e|--------2-----------2-----------|
B|------3---3-------3---3---------|
G|----4-------4---4-------4-------|
D|--4-----------4-----------------|
A|--2------------------------------|
E|--------------------------------|
```
**E Chord**
```
e|--------0-----------0-----------|
B|------0---0-------0---0---------|
G|----1-------1---1-------1-------|
D|--2-----------2-----------------|
A|--2------------------------------|
E|--0------------------------------|
```
-------------------------------------
🎤 VERSE 1 (Fingerpicked or Soft Strumming)
[A]I'm [D]leaving [G]dear old [D]Ireland,
I can no longer [A]stay.
I have decided to sail west,
O’er to the U.S.[D]A.
There are many [G]different [D]reasons
That have urged me on to [G]go, [D]
And [G]leave the place where [D]I was born,
Around the [A]Green hills of Sli[D]go.
-------------------------------------
🎤 VERSE 2 (Add light strumming, emotional lift)
Al[G]though I [Bm]hate to [G]leave this land
Where I've [A]lived for many [D]years,
I [E]find that I must emigrate,
Though my [A]eyes are [E]filled with [A]tears.
There's [D]nothing [G]left for [D]me to do,
No future that I [G]know,
And so I have to [D]bid farewell
To the [A]Green hills of Sli[D]go.
-------------------------------------
🎶 PLAYING GUIDE
• Start **fingerpicking** for verse 1 — intimate and reflective.
• Move to **gentle strumming** in verse 2 — emotional crescendo.
• Let the final **D chord** ring fully — a farewell carried on the wind.
• Optionally hum the melody once more as an outro.
-------------------------------------
🎵 OUTRO CHORD
D
e|--2--|
B|--3--|
G|--2--|
D|--0--|
A|-----|
E|-----|
✨ Let it ring — soft, wistful, and eternal like the Irish sea.
Below is a mobile-friendly layout with strumming pattern, fingerpicking tabs, and lyrics aligned with chords for smooth scrolling on any device.
🎶 THE GREEN HILLS OF SLIGO
(Key: D Major • Time: 3/4 • Tempo: ~75 BPM • Irish Ballad Style)
-------------------------------------
🎸 STRUMMING PATTERN (3/4 Irish Waltz)
↓ ↓↑ ↓↑
(1 2 3)
💡 Tips:
• Keep a gentle swing — accent the **first beat** slightly.
• Let chords ring naturally — think of waves or slow dancing motion.
• Ideal for solo acoustic or pub singalong.
Alternate:
↓ (bass) ↓↑ (chord) ↓↑ (chord)
-------------------------------------
🎵 FINGERPICKING PATTERN (3/4 Rolling Arpeggio)
p – i – m – i – m – i
(Thumb = bass; Index = G; Middle = B)
→ Thumb plays the root note (beat 1).
→ Fingers roll upward for beats 2–3 softly.
→ Keep consistent and flowing, never rushed.
-------------------------------------
🎸 CHORD TABS
**D Chord**
```
e|--------2-----------2-----------|
B|------3---3-------3---3---------|
G|----2-------2---2-------2-------|
D|--0-----------0-----------------|
A|--------------------------------|
E|--------------------------------|
```
**G Chord**
```
e|--------3-----------3-----------|
B|------0---0-------0---0---------|
G|----0-------0---0-------0-------|
D|--0-----------0-----------------|
A|----------------2---------------|
E|-3-------------------------------|
```
**A Chord**
```
e|--------0-----------0-----------|
B|------2---2-------2---2---------|
G|----2-------2---2-------2-------|
D|--2-----------2-----------------|
A|0-------------------------------|
E|--------------------------------|
```
**Bm Chord**
```
e|--------2-----------2-----------|
B|------3---3-------3---3---------|
G|----4-------4---4-------4-------|
D|--4-----------4-----------------|
A|--2------------------------------|
E|--------------------------------|
```
**E Chord**
```
e|--------0-----------0-----------|
B|------0---0-------0---0---------|
G|----1-------1---1-------1-------|
D|--2-----------2-----------------|
A|--2------------------------------|
E|--0------------------------------|
```
-------------------------------------
🎤 VERSE 1 (Fingerpicked or Soft Strumming)
[A]I'm [D]leaving [G]dear old [D]Ireland,
I can no longer [A]stay.
I have decided to sail west,
O’er to the U.S.[D]A.
There are many [G]different [D]reasons
That have urged me on to [G]go, [D]
And [G]leave the place where [D]I was born,
Around the [A]Green hills of Sli[D]go.
-------------------------------------
🎤 VERSE 2 (Add light strumming, emotional lift)
Al[G]though I [Bm]hate to [G]leave this land
Where I've [A]lived for many [D]years,
I [E]find that I must emigrate,
Though my [A]eyes are [E]filled with [A]tears.
There's [D]nothing [G]left for [D]me to do,
No future that I [G]know,
And so I have to [D]bid farewell
To the [A]Green hills of Sli[D]go.
-------------------------------------
🎶 PLAYING GUIDE
• Start **fingerpicking** for verse 1 — intimate and reflective.
• Move to **gentle strumming** in verse 2 — emotional crescendo.
• Let the final **D chord** ring fully — a farewell carried on the wind.
• Optionally hum the melody once more as an outro.
-------------------------------------
🎵 OUTRO CHORD
D
e|--2--|
B|--3--|
G|--2--|
D|--0--|
A|-----|
E|-----|
✨ Let it ring — soft, wistful, and eternal like the Irish sea.
