The Lights of Rosslare harbour lyrics and guitar chords

The version of the chords here are for Mary Darcy. Also recorded by Jimmy Hogan, Farmer Dan, Margo and Colette. The link to this song is in the '' Irish Country And Pop Music'' section. Also by singer ''Catlin''.

The piano sheet music with chords and bass is in the ebook here .

The lights of Rosslair Harbour mandolin / banjo tab is in these ebooks . 

​The Lights of Rosslare harbour sheet music / tin whistle notes are in the ebook here .

Song Lyrics And Chords In G Major

Intro C, G, D, G Am
The [G]Lights of Rosslare harbour are [C]fading from my [G]view
A [C]lone on board the [G]ferry [D]as I [G]sail away from [D]you
The [G]dreams and [D]plans we [G]cherished as we [C]shared these last few [G]years
Their [C]showily been ex[G]tenuated they run [D]down my face in tears

[G]This heart of mine it’s [D]breaking – it’s [C]pounding in my [G]breast
Still [C]everybody [G]tells me sure you know it’s for the [D]best
But [G]today I [D]loose my [G]best friends as I [C]leave you both be[G]hind 
Both [C]you my love and [G]Ireland will be [D]always on my [G]mind

[G]The Lights [D]of Ross[G]lare harbour are [C]fading from [G]my view
A [C]lone on board the [G]ferry as I sail away from [D]you
The [G]dreams and [D]plans we [G]cherished as [C]we shared these last few [G]years
Their [C]showily been ex[G]tenuated they run [D]down my face in [G]tears

I’m [G]sitting my the window[C] as the ship sails out to [G]sea
The [C]flashing lights of [G]Tusker their my only [D]company 
And[G] for a [D]few brief [G]moments [C]as we sharer our last fair [G]well
[C]Who knows how long it will[G] be till I [D]see her lights a[G]gain.

​🎸 “Lights of Rosslare Harbour” – Guitar Arrangement

Time: 3/4 Tempo: ~75 BPM
Strumming Pattern: ↓ ↓↑ ↓ (Down – Down-Up – Down)
Play with a soft, flowing rhythm — imagine the gentle motion of a ferry at sea.

🪕 Verse 1
The [G]Lights of Rosslare harbour are [C]fading from my [G]view

e|--------3-----------|--------0-----------|--------3-----------|
B|------0---0---------|------1---1---------|------0---0---------|
G|----0-------0-------|----0-------0-------|----0-------0-------|
D|--------------------|--2-----------------|--------------------|
A|--------------------|--3-----------------|--2-----------------|
E|--3-----------------|--------------------|--3-----------------|

A [C]lone on board the [G]ferry [D]as I [G]sail away from [D]you

e|--------0-----------|--------3-----------|--------2-----------|
B|------1---1---------|------0---0---------|------3---3---------|
G|----0-------0-------|----0-------0-------|----2-------2-------|
D|--2-----------------|--------------------|--0-----------------|
A|--3-----------------|--------------------|--------------------|
E|--------------------|--3-----------------|--------------------|

e|--------3-----------|--------2-----------|--------------------|
B|------0---0---------|------3---3---------|--------------------|
G|----0-------0-------|----2-------2-------|--------------------|
D|--------------------|--0-----------------|--------------------|
A|--------------------|--------------------|--------------------|
E|--3-----------------|--------------------|--------------------|

The [G]dreams and [D]plans we [G]cherished as we [C]shared these last few [G]years

e|--------3-----------|--------2-----------|--------3-----------|
B|------0---0---------|------3---3---------|------0---0---------|
G|----0-------0-------|----2-------2-------|----0-------0-------|
D|--------------------|--0-----------------|--------------------|
A|--------------------|--------------------|--2-----------------|
E|--3-----------------|--------------------|--3-----------------|

e|--------0-----------|--------3-----------|--------------------|
B|------1---1---------|------0---0---------|--------------------|
G|----0-------0-------|----0-------0-------|--------------------|
D|--2-----------------|--------------------|--------------------|
A|--3-----------------|--2-----------------|--------------------|
E|--------------------|--3-----------------|--------------------|

Their [C]showily been ex[G]tenuated they run [D]down my face in [G]tears

e|--------0-----------|--------3-----------|--------2-----------|
B|------1---1---------|------0---0---------|------3---3---------|
G|----0-------0-------|----0-------0-------|----2-------2-------|
D|--2-----------------|--------------------|--0-----------------|
A|--3-----------------|--------------------|--------------------|
E|--------------------|--3-----------------|--------------------|

e|--------3-----------|--------3-----------|--------------------|
B|------0---0---------|------0---0---------|--------------------|
G|----0-------0-------|----0-------0-------|--------------------|
D|--------------------|--------------------|--------------------|
A|--2-----------------|--2-----------------|--------------------|
E|--3-----------------|--3-----------------|--------------------|

🪗 Verse 2
[G]This heart of mine it’s [D]breaking – it’s [C]pounding in my [G]breast

e|--------3-----------|--------2-----------|--------0-----------|
B|------0---0---------|------3---3---------|------1---1---------|
G|----0-------0-------|----2-------2-------|----0-------0-------|
D|--------------------|--0-----------------|--2-----------------|
A|--------------------|--------------------|--3-----------------|
E|--3-----------------|--------------------|--------------------|

e|--------3-----------|--------------------|--------------------|
B|------0---0---------|--------------------|--------------------|
G|----0-------0-------|--------------------|--------------------|
D|--------------------|--------------------|--------------------|
A|--2-----------------|--------------------|--------------------|
E|--3-----------------|--------------------|--------------------|

Still [C]everybody [G]tells me sure you know it’s for the [D]best

e|--------0-----------|--------3-----------|--------2-----------|
B|------1---1---------|------0---0---------|------3---3---------|
G|----0-------0-------|----0-------0-------|----2-------2-------|
D|--2-----------------|--------------------|--0-----------------|
A|--3-----------------|--2-----------------|--------------------|
E|--------------------|--3-----------------|--------------------|

But [G]today I [D]loose my [G]best friends as I [C]leave you both be[G]hind 

e|--------3-----------|--------2-----------|--------3-----------|
B|------0---0---------|------3---3---------|------0---0---------|
G|----0-------0-------|----2-------2-------|----0-------0-------|
D|--------------------|--0-----------------|--------------------|
A|--------------------|--------------------|--2-----------------|
E|--3-----------------|--------------------|--3-----------------|

e|--------0-----------|--------3-----------|--------------------|
B|------1---1---------|------0---0---------|--------------------|
G|----0-------0-------|----0-------0-------|--------------------|
D|--2-----------------|--------------------|--------------------|
A|--3-----------------|--2-----------------|--------------------|
E|--------------------|--3-----------------|--------------------|

Both [C]you my love and [G]Ireland will be [D]always on my [G]mind

e|--------0-----------|--------3-----------|--------2-----------|
B|------1---1---------|------0---0---------|------3---3---------|
G|----0-------0-------|----0-------0-------|----2-------2-------|
D|--2-----------------|--------------------|--0-----------------|
A|--3-----------------|--2-----------------|--------------------|
E|--------------------|--3-----------------|--------------------|

e|--------3-----------|--------3-----------|--------------------|
B|------0---0---------|------0---0---------|--------------------|
G|----0-------0-------|----0-------0-------|--------------------|
D|--------------------|--------------------|--------------------|
A|--2-----------------|--2-----------------|--------------------|
E|--3-----------------|--3-----------------|--------------------|

💡 Playing Tips

Fingerpicking (3/4 pattern):

Use P–I–M–I–A–M → Thumb on bass (E/A/D), fingers on G–B–E.

Keep a steady “boom–chick–chick” waltz flow.

Strumming:
Use gentle downstrokes — Down, Down-Up, Down, letting chords sustain.

Feel:
Imagine the roll of the sea — slow, emotional, and steady.

End:
Finish softly with an arpeggiated G chord, letting it ring.

The key of C

The [C]Lights of Rosslare harbour are [F]fading from my [C]view
A [F]lone on board the [C]ferry [G]as I [C]sail away from [G]you
The [C]dreams and [G]plans we [C]cherished as we [F]shared these last few [C]years
Their [F]showily been ex[C]tenuated they run [G]down my face in tears

Catlin song The Lights Of Rosslare Harbour

Here are the guitar chords for the key of D.

The [D]Lights of Rosslare harbour are [G]fading from my [D]view
A [G]lone on board the [D]ferry [A]as I [D]sail away from [A]you
The [D]dreams and [A]plans we [D]cherished as we [G]shared these last few [D]years
Their [G]showily been ex[D]tenuated they run [A]down my face in tears

[D]This heart of mine it’s [A]breaking – it’s [G]pounding in my [D]breast
Still [G]everybody [D]tells me sure you know it’s for the [A]best
But [D]today I [A]loose my [D]best friends as I [G]leave you both be[D]hind 
Both [G]you my love and [D]Ireland will be [A]always on my [D]mind

[D]The Lights [A]of Ross[D]lare harbour are [G]fading from [D]my view
A [G]lone on board the [D]ferry as I sail away from [A]you
The [D]dreams and [A]plans we [D]cherished as [G]we shared these last few [D]years
Their [G]showily been ex[D]tenuated they run [A]down my face in [D]tears

I’m [D]sitting my the window[G] as the ship sails out to [D]sea
The [G]flashing lights of [D]Tusker their my only [A]company 
And[D] for a [A]few brief [D]moments [G]as we sharer our last fair [D]well
[G]Who knows how long it will[D] be till I [A]see her lights a[D]gain.

About The Song.
"The Lights Of Rosslare Harbour" is a modern Irish country song that beautifully captures the poignant emotions associated with emigration, separation, and longing for home.

Here's a breakdown of the song:

Songwriter: The song was written by Jimmy Hogan.

Theme and Meaning: The central theme revolves around a person leaving Ireland, likely for work or a new life abroad, and the emotional farewell as their ferry pulls away from Rosslare Harbour in County Wexford.

Emigration/Departure: The song vividly describes the act of sailing away, with the "lights of Rosslare Harbour fading from my view." This is a deeply resonant image for anyone who has left Ireland or watched a loved one depart.

Heartbreak and Loss: The lyrics express profound sadness and a "breaking" heart, mourning the dreams and plans cherished with a loved one left behind. The tears flow as these aspirations are "extinguished."

Longing for Home: Despite the journey, the singer explicitly states, "Both you my love and Ireland will be always on my mind." The homeland and the person left behind are inseparable in their thoughts.

Solitude and Reflection: Sitting by the window as the ship sails out to sea, the "flashing lights of Tuskar" (referring to the Tuskar Rock lighthouse off the Wexford coast) become the only company, emphasizing the isolation and the weight of the decision.

Uncertainty of Return: The question "Who knows how long it will be till I see her lights again" highlights the uncertainty of when, or if, the return journey will be made.

Rosslare Harbour's Significance: Rosslare Europort in County Wexford is a major ferry terminal connecting Ireland with Great Britain and mainland Europe (France, Spain). As such, it has been a gateway for generations of Irish emigrants leaving the country and, conversely, for those returning. This makes it a highly symbolic location for songs about departure and longing.

Popularity and Performers: "The Lights Of Rosslare Harbour" has been widely covered by many Irish country and folk artists. Its relatable themes of farewell and longing for home have made it a staple at dances and on Irish radio. Notable artists who have performed it include:

Farmer Dan (whose version is very popular)

Margo

P.J. Murrihy

Liam Mannering

And many more.​

The song resonates deeply with the Irish diaspora and anyone who understands the pain of separation from loved ones and homeland, making it a truly enduring piece of Irish music.