The Road That Barry Went Lyrics And Chords
(Marc Patrick Fahrbach, 2010)
This song is dedicated to the ten Irishmen who were executed in Mountjoy Jail, Dublin between
1 November 1920 and 7 June 1921 and who later became known as The Forgotten Ten. Among their names the one of Kevin Barry [ lyrics ] is remembered best and has been praised in numerable songs and poems. Nonetheless each of them gave the same ultimate sacrifice and each of them has his own unique story and thus deserves the same amount of recognition, tribute and respect. Here it is…
This song is dedicated to the ten Irishmen who were executed in Mountjoy Jail, Dublin between
1 November 1920 and 7 June 1921 and who later became known as The Forgotten Ten. Among their names the one of Kevin Barry [ lyrics ] is remembered best and has been praised in numerable songs and poems. Nonetheless each of them gave the same ultimate sacrifice and each of them has his own unique story and thus deserves the same amount of recognition, tribute and respect. Here it is…
Intro: G-G-F-C F-C-Am-G F-G-C-F-F F-C-G-C-C
So (C)Whelan, (Am)Moran, (G)Bryan, Doyle, (C)Flood
- (F)Have you (G)ever heard their (C)name? -
Like (G)Ryan and Traynor, (D)Foley, (G)Maher -
They’re (F)nine men (C)dwarfed by (G)Barry’s (C)fame. -C
Chorus
All (G)took the road that (F)Barry (C)went,
Met (Am)fate on (F)England’s (C)scaffold (G)high,
Suc(F)ceeded (G)him whose (C)name is (F)sung, -F
Though (C)just the first of (G)ten to (C)die. -C
They (C)took Tom (Am)Whelan (G)after (C)mass
On (F)Bloody (G)Sunday’s fateful (C)morn
And (G)framed him on a (D)murder (G)charge
By (F)one false (C)testi(G)mony (C)sworn. -C
A (G)grand old women’s (F)guiltless (C)son
Con(Am)demned to (F)find a (C)felon’s (G)grave
Who (F)hugged his (G)warder (C)for fare(F)well -F
And (C)made him change to (G)Catholic (C)faith -C
And (C)Patrick (Am)Moran – (G)just the (C)same
Was (F)witnessed (G)many miles a(C)way
A (G)union chairman (D)well es(G)teemed
And (F)Captain (C)of the (G)IR(C)A. -C
His (G)conscience pure, he (F)said ‘For (C)sure,
Un(Am)til next (F)Christmas (C)I’ll be (G)free!’
Yet (F)on his (G)birthday’s (C)early (F)dawn -F
Hung (C)lifeless from the (G)gallows (C)tree -C
Chorus: They (G)took the road…
Pat (C)Doyle was (Am)one of (G)four more (C)men
The (F)English (G)killed that very (C)day,
Ac(G)cused as traitors (D)to the (G)crown
Yet (F)Irish (C)soldiers (G)caught in (C)fray. -C
He (G)met his newborn (F)twins two (C)days
Be(Am)fore he (F)paid the (C)highest (G)price
And (F)one of (G)them died (C)on the (F)spot -F
To (C)join their dad in (G)para(C)dise. -C
Just (C)four shorts (Am)months be(G)fore that (C)date
Tom (F)Bryan had (G)wed his fair young (C)bride
A (G)man of craic and (D)volun(G)teer
Who (F)joined Tom (C)Ashe in (G)hunger (C)strike. -C
His (G)name was known to (F)England (C)well
His (Am)sentence (F)mere for(C)mali(G)ty
For (F)levying (G)war on (C)Irish (F)soil -F
In (C)brazen hopes to (G)set it (C)free. -C
Chorus: They (G)took the road…
Frank (C)Flood was (Am)Barry’s (G)pal from (C)school,
Stood (F)by his (G)side in Erin’s (C)band
A (G)serious boy who (D)studied (G)hard
And (F)dearly (C)dreamt to (G)free his (C)land. -C
He (G)sought to wave the (F)Irish (C)flag
On (Am)Sackville (F)Street on (C)victory (G)day
And (F)prayed for (G)both his (C)friends and (F)foes -F
The (C)hour he went his (G)final (C)way. -C
And (C)with him (Am)went young (G)Bernard (C)Ryan
A (F)quite lad – (G)twenty-one of (C)age,
Fond (G)lover of the (D)Gaelic (G)tongue
And (F)earner (C)of a (G)family’s (C)wage. -C
He (G)slept so soundly (F)his last (C)night -
One (Am)had to (F)wake him (C)to be (G)hung -
A(F)ssured to (G)wear a (C)Fainné (alt. halo) (F)soon -F
An (C)angel with an (G)Irish (C)tongue. -C
Chorus: They (G)took the road…
Bridge: G-G-F-C F-C-Am-G F-G-C-F-F F-C-G-C-C
The (C)six had (Am)gone just (G)some few (C)hours
When (F)doom reached (G)for a Carlow (C)man
Who’d (G)saved a rebel (D)country(G)man,
But (F)took his (C)place as (G)scapegoat (C)then. -C
So (G)Thomas Traynor (F)stood his (C)trial
Was (Am)battered (F)by the (C)Igoe (G)Gang
And (F)ten poor (G)weans soon (C)mourned their (F)‘Da’
When (C)five weeks later (G)he would (C)hang. -C
Chorus: He (G)took the road…
Ned (C)Foley, (Am)he was (G)Limerick (C)born
A (F)handsome (G)man - a farmer’s (C)son,
A (G)member of the (D)Knocklong (G)raid
The (F)Tans a(C)rrested (G)on the (C)run. -C
They (G)sent him o’er to (F)Limerick (C)Jail
Where (Am)two hung (F)juries (C)gave him (G)hope
Un(F)til a (G)less prim (C)Dublin (F)court -F
Did (C)send him to the (G)hangman’s (C)rope. -C
And (C)second (Am)of these (G)last poor (C)guys
Was (F)Patrick (G)Maher, from Limerick, (C)too.
A (G)clerk at Knocklong (D)Station (G)though
Yet (F)inno(C)cent as (G)me and (C)you. -C
His (G)last deep wish was (F)‘Let me (C)rest
At (Am)home in (F)Bally(C)landers’ (G)ground.’
But (F)then for (G)more than (C)eighty (F)years -F
He (C)was to lie in (G)jail soil (C)bound. -C
Chorus: They (G)took the road…
Bridge: G-G-F-C F-C-Am-G F-G-C-F-F F-C-G-C-C
And (C)Kevin (Am)Barry, (G)here’s to (C)you
The (F)first and (G)youngest one of (C)ten
Who (G)gave their lives for (D)Ireland’s (G)sake
Re(F)member (C)these brave (G)Irish(C)men! -C
(F)And the (C)Road, that (G7)they all (C)went. -G-C-G7-C
So (C)Whelan, (Am)Moran, (G)Bryan, Doyle, (C)Flood
- (F)Have you (G)ever heard their (C)name? -
Like (G)Ryan and Traynor, (D)Foley, (G)Maher -
They’re (F)nine men (C)dwarfed by (G)Barry’s (C)fame. -C
Chorus
All (G)took the road that (F)Barry (C)went,
Met (Am)fate on (F)England’s (C)scaffold (G)high,
Suc(F)ceeded (G)him whose (C)name is (F)sung, -F
Though (C)just the first of (G)ten to (C)die. -C
They (C)took Tom (Am)Whelan (G)after (C)mass
On (F)Bloody (G)Sunday’s fateful (C)morn
And (G)framed him on a (D)murder (G)charge
By (F)one false (C)testi(G)mony (C)sworn. -C
A (G)grand old women’s (F)guiltless (C)son
Con(Am)demned to (F)find a (C)felon’s (G)grave
Who (F)hugged his (G)warder (C)for fare(F)well -F
And (C)made him change to (G)Catholic (C)faith -C
And (C)Patrick (Am)Moran – (G)just the (C)same
Was (F)witnessed (G)many miles a(C)way
A (G)union chairman (D)well es(G)teemed
And (F)Captain (C)of the (G)IR(C)A. -C
His (G)conscience pure, he (F)said ‘For (C)sure,
Un(Am)til next (F)Christmas (C)I’ll be (G)free!’
Yet (F)on his (G)birthday’s (C)early (F)dawn -F
Hung (C)lifeless from the (G)gallows (C)tree -C
Chorus: They (G)took the road…
Pat (C)Doyle was (Am)one of (G)four more (C)men
The (F)English (G)killed that very (C)day,
Ac(G)cused as traitors (D)to the (G)crown
Yet (F)Irish (C)soldiers (G)caught in (C)fray. -C
He (G)met his newborn (F)twins two (C)days
Be(Am)fore he (F)paid the (C)highest (G)price
And (F)one of (G)them died (C)on the (F)spot -F
To (C)join their dad in (G)para(C)dise. -C
Just (C)four shorts (Am)months be(G)fore that (C)date
Tom (F)Bryan had (G)wed his fair young (C)bride
A (G)man of craic and (D)volun(G)teer
Who (F)joined Tom (C)Ashe in (G)hunger (C)strike. -C
His (G)name was known to (F)England (C)well
His (Am)sentence (F)mere for(C)mali(G)ty
For (F)levying (G)war on (C)Irish (F)soil -F
In (C)brazen hopes to (G)set it (C)free. -C
Chorus: They (G)took the road…
Frank (C)Flood was (Am)Barry’s (G)pal from (C)school,
Stood (F)by his (G)side in Erin’s (C)band
A (G)serious boy who (D)studied (G)hard
And (F)dearly (C)dreamt to (G)free his (C)land. -C
He (G)sought to wave the (F)Irish (C)flag
On (Am)Sackville (F)Street on (C)victory (G)day
And (F)prayed for (G)both his (C)friends and (F)foes -F
The (C)hour he went his (G)final (C)way. -C
And (C)with him (Am)went young (G)Bernard (C)Ryan
A (F)quite lad – (G)twenty-one of (C)age,
Fond (G)lover of the (D)Gaelic (G)tongue
And (F)earner (C)of a (G)family’s (C)wage. -C
He (G)slept so soundly (F)his last (C)night -
One (Am)had to (F)wake him (C)to be (G)hung -
A(F)ssured to (G)wear a (C)Fainné (alt. halo) (F)soon -F
An (C)angel with an (G)Irish (C)tongue. -C
Chorus: They (G)took the road…
Bridge: G-G-F-C F-C-Am-G F-G-C-F-F F-C-G-C-C
The (C)six had (Am)gone just (G)some few (C)hours
When (F)doom reached (G)for a Carlow (C)man
Who’d (G)saved a rebel (D)country(G)man,
But (F)took his (C)place as (G)scapegoat (C)then. -C
So (G)Thomas Traynor (F)stood his (C)trial
Was (Am)battered (F)by the (C)Igoe (G)Gang
And (F)ten poor (G)weans soon (C)mourned their (F)‘Da’
When (C)five weeks later (G)he would (C)hang. -C
Chorus: He (G)took the road…
Ned (C)Foley, (Am)he was (G)Limerick (C)born
A (F)handsome (G)man - a farmer’s (C)son,
A (G)member of the (D)Knocklong (G)raid
The (F)Tans a(C)rrested (G)on the (C)run. -C
They (G)sent him o’er to (F)Limerick (C)Jail
Where (Am)two hung (F)juries (C)gave him (G)hope
Un(F)til a (G)less prim (C)Dublin (F)court -F
Did (C)send him to the (G)hangman’s (C)rope. -C
And (C)second (Am)of these (G)last poor (C)guys
Was (F)Patrick (G)Maher, from Limerick, (C)too.
A (G)clerk at Knocklong (D)Station (G)though
Yet (F)inno(C)cent as (G)me and (C)you. -C
His (G)last deep wish was (F)‘Let me (C)rest
At (Am)home in (F)Bally(C)landers’ (G)ground.’
But (F)then for (G)more than (C)eighty (F)years -F
He (C)was to lie in (G)jail soil (C)bound. -C
Chorus: They (G)took the road…
Bridge: G-G-F-C F-C-Am-G F-G-C-F-F F-C-G-C-C
And (C)Kevin (Am)Barry, (G)here’s to (C)you
The (F)first and (G)youngest one of (C)ten
Who (G)gave their lives for (D)Ireland’s (G)sake
Re(F)member (C)these brave (G)Irish(C)men! -C
(F)And the (C)Road, that (G7)they all (C)went. -G-C-G7-C
Song Lyrics Without The Chords.
So Whelan, Moran, Bryan, Doyle, Flood
- Have you ever heard their name? -
Like Ryan and Traynor, Foley, Maher -
They’re nine men dwarfed by Barry’s fame.
Chorus
All took the road that Barry went,
Met fate on England’s scaffold high,
Succeeded him whose name is sung,
Though just the first of ten to die.
They took Tom Whelan after mass
On Bloody Sunday’s fateful morn
And framed him on a murder charge
By one false testimony sworn.
A grand old women’s guiltless son
Condemned to find a felon’s grave
Who hugged his warder for farewell
And made him change to Catholic faith
And Patrick Moran – just the same
Was witnessed many miles away
A union chairman well esteemed
And Captain of the IRA.
His conscience pure, he said ‘For sure,
Until next Christmas I’ll be free!’
Yet on his birthday’s early dawn
Hung lifeless from the gallows tree
Chorus: They took the road…
Pat Doyle was one of four more men
The English killed that very day,
Accused as traitors to the crown
Yet Irish soldiers caught in fray.
He met his newborn twins two days
Before he paid the highest price
And one of them died on the spot
To join their dad in paradise.
Just four shorts months before that date
Tom Bryan had wed his fair young bride
A man of craic and volunteer
Who joined Tom Ashe [ lyrics ] in hunger strike.
His name was known to England well
His sentence mere formality
For levying war on Irish soil
In brazen hopes to set it free.
Chorus: They took the road…
Frank Flood was Barry’s pal from school,
Stood by his side in Erin’s band
A serious boy who studied hard
And dearly dreamt to free his land.
He sought to wave the Irish flag
On Sackville Street on victory day
And prayed for both his friends and foes
The hour he went his final way.
And with him went young Bernard Ryan
A quite lad – twenty-one of age,
Fond lover of the Gaelic tongue
And earner of a family’s wage.
He slept so soundly his last night
One had to wake him to be hung -
Assured to wear a Fainné soon
An angel with an Irish tongue.
Chorus: They took the road…
The six had gone just some few hours
When doom reached for a Carlow man
Who’d saved a rebel countryman,
But took his place as scapegoat then.
So Thomas Traynor stood his trial
Was battered by the Igoe Gang
And ten poor weans soon mourned their ‘Da’
When five weeks later he would hang.
Chorus: He took the road…
Ned Foley, he was Limerick born
A handsome man - a farmer’s son,
A member of the Knocklong raid
The Tans arrested on the run.
They sent him o’er to Limerick Jail
Where two hung juries gave him hope
Until a less prim Dublin court
Did send him to the hangman’s rope.
And second of these last poor guys
Was Patrick Maher, from Limerick, too.
A clerk at Knocklong Station though
Yet innocent as me and you.
His last deep wish was ‘Let me rest
At home in Ballylanders’ ground.’
But then for more than eighty years
He was to lie in jail soil bound.
Chorus: They took the road…
And Kevin Barry, here’s to you
The first and youngest one of ten
Who gave their lives for Ireland’s sake
Remember these brave Irishmen!
So Whelan, Moran, Bryan, Doyle, Flood
- Have you ever heard their name? -
Like Ryan and Traynor, Foley, Maher -
They’re nine men dwarfed by Barry’s fame.
Chorus
All took the road that Barry went,
Met fate on England’s scaffold high,
Succeeded him whose name is sung,
Though just the first of ten to die.
They took Tom Whelan after mass
On Bloody Sunday’s fateful morn
And framed him on a murder charge
By one false testimony sworn.
A grand old women’s guiltless son
Condemned to find a felon’s grave
Who hugged his warder for farewell
And made him change to Catholic faith
And Patrick Moran – just the same
Was witnessed many miles away
A union chairman well esteemed
And Captain of the IRA.
His conscience pure, he said ‘For sure,
Until next Christmas I’ll be free!’
Yet on his birthday’s early dawn
Hung lifeless from the gallows tree
Chorus: They took the road…
Pat Doyle was one of four more men
The English killed that very day,
Accused as traitors to the crown
Yet Irish soldiers caught in fray.
He met his newborn twins two days
Before he paid the highest price
And one of them died on the spot
To join their dad in paradise.
Just four shorts months before that date
Tom Bryan had wed his fair young bride
A man of craic and volunteer
Who joined Tom Ashe [ lyrics ] in hunger strike.
His name was known to England well
His sentence mere formality
For levying war on Irish soil
In brazen hopes to set it free.
Chorus: They took the road…
Frank Flood was Barry’s pal from school,
Stood by his side in Erin’s band
A serious boy who studied hard
And dearly dreamt to free his land.
He sought to wave the Irish flag
On Sackville Street on victory day
And prayed for both his friends and foes
The hour he went his final way.
And with him went young Bernard Ryan
A quite lad – twenty-one of age,
Fond lover of the Gaelic tongue
And earner of a family’s wage.
He slept so soundly his last night
One had to wake him to be hung -
Assured to wear a Fainné soon
An angel with an Irish tongue.
Chorus: They took the road…
The six had gone just some few hours
When doom reached for a Carlow man
Who’d saved a rebel countryman,
But took his place as scapegoat then.
So Thomas Traynor stood his trial
Was battered by the Igoe Gang
And ten poor weans soon mourned their ‘Da’
When five weeks later he would hang.
Chorus: He took the road…
Ned Foley, he was Limerick born
A handsome man - a farmer’s son,
A member of the Knocklong raid
The Tans arrested on the run.
They sent him o’er to Limerick Jail
Where two hung juries gave him hope
Until a less prim Dublin court
Did send him to the hangman’s rope.
And second of these last poor guys
Was Patrick Maher, from Limerick, too.
A clerk at Knocklong Station though
Yet innocent as me and you.
His last deep wish was ‘Let me rest
At home in Ballylanders’ ground.’
But then for more than eighty years
He was to lie in jail soil bound.
Chorus: They took the road…
And Kevin Barry, here’s to you
The first and youngest one of ten
Who gave their lives for Ireland’s sake
Remember these brave Irishmen!
