The Moorlough Shore Chords Lyrics And Tin Whistle Notes
"The Moorlough Shore" is a traditional Irish folk song that expresses themes of love, longing, and heartbreak. The song is set near Moorlough, a lake in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland, and reflects the narrator’s deep love and sorrow for being separated from their beloved.
Song Meaning and Themes
Notable Lyrics (Paraphrased)"Your beauty has conquered me, your heart I will adore,
And I’ll take you with me, love, across the Moorlough Shore."
These lines convey the narrator’s enduring love and their desire to be reunited, no matter the circumstances.
"Farewell to sweet Moorlough shore, since it was there we met,
I’ll think of you forever, love, with fondness and regret."
These lines reflect the deep emotional ties to both the beloved and the location of their past happiness.
Interpretations and Legacy
Song Meaning and Themes
- Unfulfilled Love:
The narrator mourns the loss of their lover, who has left or been separated from them. The lyrics are filled with sorrow and longing as the narrator reflects on happier times spent along the Moorlough shore. - Nature as a Symbol:
The imagery of the Moorlough shore symbolizes a place of love, memory, and connection. It also represents the narrator’s yearning for the past and the natural beauty of Ireland. - Exile or Separation:
Many interpretations suggest that the separation could be due to emigration, war, or societal pressures—common themes in Irish folk songs that reflect Ireland’s history of hardship and displacement. - Devotion and Hope:
Despite the sadness, the narrator expresses a lasting devotion, hoping that love will prevail and bring them together once again.
Notable Lyrics (Paraphrased)"Your beauty has conquered me, your heart I will adore,
And I’ll take you with me, love, across the Moorlough Shore."
These lines convey the narrator’s enduring love and their desire to be reunited, no matter the circumstances.
"Farewell to sweet Moorlough shore, since it was there we met,
I’ll think of you forever, love, with fondness and regret."
These lines reflect the deep emotional ties to both the beloved and the location of their past happiness.
Interpretations and Legacy
- The song’s themes of love and longing have made it popular among folk singers and traditional Irish music enthusiasts.
- Artists such as Sinéad O’Connor, Paul Brady, and Cara Dillon have recorded their own renditions, each bringing a unique emotional depth to the song.
- Like many Irish folk songs, "The Moorlough Shore" is rich with layered meanings, often reflecting the history and emotions of Ireland’s people and landscape.
A traditional Irish song. The sheet music score for tin whistle is included. The guitar chords suit the youtube version by Sinade O'Connor. The song was also recorded by Caroline Lavelle, The Coors and Dolores Keane. The song uses the very same tune as The Foggy Dew.The Moorlough shore standard sheet music in G Major with the chords is also included.
[Em]Your [Am]hills and dales and [G]flowery vales
That [F]lie near the [D]Moorlough [Am]Shore.
Your vines that blow by [G]borden's grove.
Will I [F]ever [D]see no [Am]more
Where the primrose blows
And the [G]violet grows,
Where the [Am]trout and [G]salmon [F]play.
[Em]With my [Am]line and [D]hook de[G]light [Em]I [G]took
To [F]spend my [D]youthful [Am]days.
[Am]Last night I went to [G]see my love,
And to [F]hear what [D]she might [Am]say.
To see if she'd take [G]pity on me,
Lest [F]I might [D]go a[Am]way.
She said, "I love an [G]Irish lad,
And he [Am]was my [G]only [F]joy,
[Em]And [Am]ever [D]since I [G]saw his [Em]face
I've [F]loved that [D]soldier [Am]boy."[Em][Am]
[Em]per[Am]haps your soldier [G]lad is lost
Sailing [F]over the [D]sea of [Am]Maine.
Or perhaps he is gone with some [G]other lover,
You may [F]never see [D]him a[Am]gain.
Well if my Irish [G]lad is lost,
He's the [Am]one I [G]do a[F]dore,
[Em]And [Am]seven [D]years I will [G]wait for [Em]him
By the [F]banks of the Moorlough [D]Shore[Em][F][D][Em][F][D]
Fare[Am]well to Sinclaire's [G]castle grand.
Fare[F]well to the [D]foggy [Am]dew.
[Em]Where the [Am]linen waves like [G]bleaching silk
And the [F]falling [D]stream runs [Am]still
Near there I spent my [G]youthful days
But a[Am]las they [G]all are [F]gone
For [Am]cruel[D]ty has [G]banished me
Far a[F]way from the Moorlough [D]Shore.
That [F]lie near the [D]Moorlough [Am]Shore.
Your vines that blow by [G]borden's grove.
Will I [F]ever [D]see no [Am]more
Where the primrose blows
And the [G]violet grows,
Where the [Am]trout and [G]salmon [F]play.
[Em]With my [Am]line and [D]hook de[G]light [Em]I [G]took
To [F]spend my [D]youthful [Am]days.
[Am]Last night I went to [G]see my love,
And to [F]hear what [D]she might [Am]say.
To see if she'd take [G]pity on me,
Lest [F]I might [D]go a[Am]way.
She said, "I love an [G]Irish lad,
And he [Am]was my [G]only [F]joy,
[Em]And [Am]ever [D]since I [G]saw his [Em]face
I've [F]loved that [D]soldier [Am]boy."[Em][Am]
[Em]per[Am]haps your soldier [G]lad is lost
Sailing [F]over the [D]sea of [Am]Maine.
Or perhaps he is gone with some [G]other lover,
You may [F]never see [D]him a[Am]gain.
Well if my Irish [G]lad is lost,
He's the [Am]one I [G]do a[F]dore,
[Em]And [Am]seven [D]years I will [G]wait for [Em]him
By the [F]banks of the Moorlough [D]Shore[Em][F][D][Em][F][D]
Fare[Am]well to Sinclaire's [G]castle grand.
Fare[F]well to the [D]foggy [Am]dew.
[Em]Where the [Am]linen waves like [G]bleaching silk
And the [F]falling [D]stream runs [Am]still
Near there I spent my [G]youthful days
But a[Am]las they [G]all are [F]gone
For [Am]cruel[D]ty has [G]banished me
Far a[F]way from the Moorlough [D]Shore.