The Maid Of Ballydoo Lyrics And Chords
4/4 (Traditional folk song) Recorded by The Clancy Brothers And Tommy Makem [ songs ]. The sheet music for tin whistle is included.
The Maid Of Ballydoo Irish Song Lyrics And Chords.
It was (C)on a summer's evening all in the (G)month of (C)May
Down by yon shady arbor as I (G)carelessly did stray
It was (C)there I met a charming girl most pleasant to my (F)view
And the (C)title that she (F)gave her(C)self was the Maid of (G)Bally(C)doo
I (C)boldly stepped up to her and unto (G)her did (C)say
Are you Aurora or (G)Flo the Queen of May
Or (C)is it the fair Helen that appears all in my (F)view
But the (C)title that she (F)gave her(C)self was the Maid of (G)Bally(C)doo
I (C)took her by the lilywhite hand and by the (G)waist so (C)small
I showed her my father's garden down (G)by the river Bann
Where the (C)sheep and lambs do sport and play, the trout and salmon, (F)too
And says (C)I, Sweet maid, don't (F)be a(C)fraid for to leave old (G)Bally(C)doo
Well it (C)was with great persuasion that I got her for to (G)give con(C)sent
And had in hand together it was (G)Hilltown down we went
We (C)there had liquor of the best and some of the mountain (F)dew
And she (C)soon forgot the (F)vows she (C)made when leaving (G)Bally(C)doo
It (C)was a summer's evening all in the (G)month of (C)June
As I was sitting silently, con(G)doling at my loom
My (C)scissors they cut sweetly and my shuttle nimbly (F)flew
When I (C)first composed these (F)verses (C)on the Maid of (G)Bally(C)doo
It was (C)on a summer's evening all in the (G)month of (C)May
Down by yon shady arbor as I (G)carelessly did stray
It was (C)there I met a charming girl most pleasant to my (F)view
And the (C)title that she (F)gave her(C)self was the Maid of (G)Bally(C)doo
I (C)boldly stepped up to her and unto (G)her did (C)say
Are you Aurora or (G)Flo the Queen of May
Or (C)is it the fair Helen that appears all in my (F)view
But the (C)title that she (F)gave her(C)self was the Maid of (G)Bally(C)doo
I (C)took her by the lilywhite hand and by the (G)waist so (C)small
I showed her my father's garden down (G)by the river Bann
Where the (C)sheep and lambs do sport and play, the trout and salmon, (F)too
And says (C)I, Sweet maid, don't (F)be a(C)fraid for to leave old (G)Bally(C)doo
Well it (C)was with great persuasion that I got her for to (G)give con(C)sent
And had in hand together it was (G)Hilltown down we went
We (C)there had liquor of the best and some of the mountain (F)dew
And she (C)soon forgot the (F)vows she (C)made when leaving (G)Bally(C)doo
It (C)was a summer's evening all in the (G)month of (C)June
As I was sitting silently, con(G)doling at my loom
My (C)scissors they cut sweetly and my shuttle nimbly (F)flew
When I (C)first composed these (F)verses (C)on the Maid of (G)Bally(C)doo
🎶 The Maid of Ballydoo — in G Major
Verse 1
It was [G]on a summer’s evening all in the [D]month of [G]May,
Down by yon shady arbor as I [D]carelessly did stray,
It was [G]there I met a charming girl most pleasant to my [C]view,
And the [G]title that she [C]gave her[G]self was the Maid of [D]Bally[G]doo.
Verse 2
I [G]boldly stepped up to her and unto [D]her did [G]say,
“Are you Aurora or [D]Flo, the Queen of May?
Or [G]is it the fair Helen that appears all in my [C]view?”
But the [G]title that she [C]gave her[G]self was the Maid of [D]Bally[G]doo.
Verse 3
I [G]took her by the lily-white hand and by the [D]waist so [G]small,
I showed her my father’s garden down [D]by the River Bann,
Where the [G]sheep and lambs do sport and play, the trout and salmon [C]too,
And says [G]I, “Sweet maid, don’t [C]be a[G]fraid for to leave old [D]Bally[G]doo.”
Verse 4
Well, it [G]was with great persuasion that I got her for to [D]give con[G]sent,
And hand in hand together it was [D]Hilltown down we went,
We [G]there had liquor of the best and some of the mountain [C]dew,
And she [G]soon forgot the [C]vows she [G]made when leaving [D]Bally[G]doo.
Verse 5
It [G]was a summer’s evening all in the [D]month of [G]June,
As I was sitting silently, con[D]doling at my loom,
My [G]scissors they cut sweetly and my shuttle nimbly [C]flew,
When I [G]first composed these [C]verses [G]on the Maid of [D]Bally[G]doo.
🎵 Strumming Pattern (4/4)
Gentle Irish ballad feel — steady and lilting, around 90–100 bpm.
Pattern (folk standard):
↓ ↓ ↑ ↑ ↓ ↑
(count: 1 2 & & 4 &)
Or simpler:
Bass ↓ Up ↓ Up
Tips:
Alternate bass notes for depth:
G → play low E (3rd fret), then D string
D → play open D, then G string
C → play A (3rd fret), then G string
Keep it fluid, with light emphasis on beats 2 and 4 for that gentle swing.
🎸 Fingerpicking Tab — First Verse
Here’s a Travis-style fingerpicking arrangement that matches the flow of the melody.
Your thumb alternates bass notes; index and middle pick treble.
Verse 1 Fingerpicking
[G]
e|-------3---------3-|-------3---------3-|
B|-----0---0-----0---|-----0---0-----0---|
G|---0-------0-------|---0-------0-------|
D|-------------------|-------------------|
A|-------------------|-------------------|
E|-3-------2---------|-3-------2---------|
[D]
e|-------2---------2-|-------2---------2-|
B|-----3---3-----3---|-----3---3-----3---|
G|---2-------2-------|---2-------2-------|
D|-0-------0---------|-0-------0---------|
A|--------------------|------------------|
E|--------------------|------------------|
[G]
e|-------3---------3-|-------3---------3-|
B|-----0---0-----0---|-----0---0-----0---|
G|---0-------0-------|---0-------0-------|
D|-------------------|-------------------|
A|-------------------|-------------------|
E|-3-------2---------|-3-------2---------|
[C]
e|-------0---------0-|-------0---------0-|
B|-----1---1-----1---|-----1---1-----1---|
G|---0-------0-------|---0-------0-------|
D|-2-------2---------|-2-------2---------|
A|3-------------------|3------------------|
E|--------------------|------------------|
[G]
e|-------3---------3-|-------3-----------|
B|-----0---0-----0---|-----0-------------|
G|---0-------0-------|---0---------------|
D|-------------------|-------------------|
A|-------------------|-------------------|
E|-3-----------------|-------------------|
💡 Playing tip:
Keep the bass alternating steady and even.
Let open strings (like the high E and B) ring — it gives that shimmering “Irish breeze” sound.
If you sing, keep your picking gentle and consistent beneath your voice.
Verse 1
It was [G]on a summer’s evening all in the [D]month of [G]May,
Down by yon shady arbor as I [D]carelessly did stray,
It was [G]there I met a charming girl most pleasant to my [C]view,
And the [G]title that she [C]gave her[G]self was the Maid of [D]Bally[G]doo.
Verse 2
I [G]boldly stepped up to her and unto [D]her did [G]say,
“Are you Aurora or [D]Flo, the Queen of May?
Or [G]is it the fair Helen that appears all in my [C]view?”
But the [G]title that she [C]gave her[G]self was the Maid of [D]Bally[G]doo.
Verse 3
I [G]took her by the lily-white hand and by the [D]waist so [G]small,
I showed her my father’s garden down [D]by the River Bann,
Where the [G]sheep and lambs do sport and play, the trout and salmon [C]too,
And says [G]I, “Sweet maid, don’t [C]be a[G]fraid for to leave old [D]Bally[G]doo.”
Verse 4
Well, it [G]was with great persuasion that I got her for to [D]give con[G]sent,
And hand in hand together it was [D]Hilltown down we went,
We [G]there had liquor of the best and some of the mountain [C]dew,
And she [G]soon forgot the [C]vows she [G]made when leaving [D]Bally[G]doo.
Verse 5
It [G]was a summer’s evening all in the [D]month of [G]June,
As I was sitting silently, con[D]doling at my loom,
My [G]scissors they cut sweetly and my shuttle nimbly [C]flew,
When I [G]first composed these [C]verses [G]on the Maid of [D]Bally[G]doo.
🎵 Strumming Pattern (4/4)
Gentle Irish ballad feel — steady and lilting, around 90–100 bpm.
Pattern (folk standard):
↓ ↓ ↑ ↑ ↓ ↑
(count: 1 2 & & 4 &)
Or simpler:
Bass ↓ Up ↓ Up
Tips:
Alternate bass notes for depth:
G → play low E (3rd fret), then D string
D → play open D, then G string
C → play A (3rd fret), then G string
Keep it fluid, with light emphasis on beats 2 and 4 for that gentle swing.
🎸 Fingerpicking Tab — First Verse
Here’s a Travis-style fingerpicking arrangement that matches the flow of the melody.
Your thumb alternates bass notes; index and middle pick treble.
Verse 1 Fingerpicking
[G]
e|-------3---------3-|-------3---------3-|
B|-----0---0-----0---|-----0---0-----0---|
G|---0-------0-------|---0-------0-------|
D|-------------------|-------------------|
A|-------------------|-------------------|
E|-3-------2---------|-3-------2---------|
[D]
e|-------2---------2-|-------2---------2-|
B|-----3---3-----3---|-----3---3-----3---|
G|---2-------2-------|---2-------2-------|
D|-0-------0---------|-0-------0---------|
A|--------------------|------------------|
E|--------------------|------------------|
[G]
e|-------3---------3-|-------3---------3-|
B|-----0---0-----0---|-----0---0-----0---|
G|---0-------0-------|---0-------0-------|
D|-------------------|-------------------|
A|-------------------|-------------------|
E|-3-------2---------|-3-------2---------|
[C]
e|-------0---------0-|-------0---------0-|
B|-----1---1-----1---|-----1---1-----1---|
G|---0-------0-------|---0-------0-------|
D|-2-------2---------|-2-------2---------|
A|3-------------------|3------------------|
E|--------------------|------------------|
[G]
e|-------3---------3-|-------3-----------|
B|-----0---0-----0---|-----0-------------|
G|---0-------0-------|---0---------------|
D|-------------------|-------------------|
A|-------------------|-------------------|
E|-3-----------------|-------------------|
💡 Playing tip:
Keep the bass alternating steady and even.
Let open strings (like the high E and B) ring — it gives that shimmering “Irish breeze” sound.
If you sing, keep your picking gentle and consistent beneath your voice.
The Maid Of Ballydoo Sheet Music
