The Woods Of Drumbo lyrics and chords
As with many rebel songs of the time the writer remains anonymous, The air of the song is ''The Nightingale'' [ lyrics ] , the video is of that famous ballad group from the 70s The Wolfehound, which were , Ray McAreavey, Gogie McCollough and Danny Byrne. Connolly Was There song is another of Wolfehound's ballads.
The sheet music / tin whistle notes to The Woods Of Drumbo are
in the pdf ebook of rebel songs here .
in the pdf ebook of rebel songs here .
[D]Twas the eve of St.Patrick, at the[A] dawn of the[D] day,
The hills of Tirconnell, lay slumbering and[A] gray.
The [D]first light of morning illumined the [A]sky,
As four [D]Irish soldiers were [G]lead forth to[D] die.
They were Enright, O'Donnell and Dawly by name,
From the counties of Cork and from Kerry they came.
While the gallant Stan Larkin from the banks of the Roe
Completes the four martyrs shot dead at Drumbo.
These four Irish soldiers were dragged from their cell,
For months they had suffered the torments of hell.
No mercy they asked from their merciless foe,
And no mercy was shown by the thugs at Drumbo.
Three left their homesteads in Kerry's green vale,
And one came from Derry to fight for the Gael
But instead of true friends they met traitor and foe
And uncoffined were laid in the woods of Drumbo.
The church bells rang out in the cool morning air,
To summon the faithful to penance and prayer.
When a shot from the wild wood brought terror and woe
'Twas the death knell of Dawly, shot dead at Drumbo.
Let Tireconnel ne'er boast of her honour and fame,
All the waters of Finn could not wash out the stain.
While the Foyle and the Swilly continue to flow,
The stain will remain on the woods of Drumbo.
The hills of Tirconnell, lay slumbering and[A] gray.
The [D]first light of morning illumined the [A]sky,
As four [D]Irish soldiers were [G]lead forth to[D] die.
They were Enright, O'Donnell and Dawly by name,
From the counties of Cork and from Kerry they came.
While the gallant Stan Larkin from the banks of the Roe
Completes the four martyrs shot dead at Drumbo.
These four Irish soldiers were dragged from their cell,
For months they had suffered the torments of hell.
No mercy they asked from their merciless foe,
And no mercy was shown by the thugs at Drumbo.
Three left their homesteads in Kerry's green vale,
And one came from Derry to fight for the Gael
But instead of true friends they met traitor and foe
And uncoffined were laid in the woods of Drumbo.
The church bells rang out in the cool morning air,
To summon the faithful to penance and prayer.
When a shot from the wild wood brought terror and woe
'Twas the death knell of Dawly, shot dead at Drumbo.
Let Tireconnel ne'er boast of her honour and fame,
All the waters of Finn could not wash out the stain.
While the Foyle and the Swilly continue to flow,
The stain will remain on the woods of Drumbo.
Here are the chords for the key of G
🎵 Key: G Major
Chords Used:
G – C – D – Am – Em
🎶 Full Chorded Lyrics
Verse 1
’Twas the (G)eve of St. Patrick, at the (D)dawn of the (G)day,
The hills of Tir(C)connell lay (G)slumbering and (D)gray.
The (G)first light of morning il(C)lumined the (G)sky,
As four (C)Irish soldiers were (D)led forth to (G)die.
Verse 2
They were (G)Enright, O’Donnell and (D)Dawly by (G)name,
From the counties of (C)Cork and from (G)Kerry they (D)came.
While the (G)gallant Stan Larkin from the (C)banks of the (G)Roe,
Completes the four (C)martyrs shot (D)dead at Drum(G)bo.
Verse 3
These (G)four Irish soldiers were (D)dragged from their (G)cell,
For months they had (C)suffered the (G)torments of (D)hell.
No (G)mercy they asked from their (C)merciless (G)foe,
And no (C)mercy was shown by the (D)thugs at Drum(G)bo.
Verse 4
Three (G)left their homesteads in (D)Kerry’s green (G)vale,
And one came from (C)Derry to (G)fight for the (D)Gael.
But (G)instead of true friends they met (C)traitor and (G)foe,
And un(C)coffined were laid in the (D)woods of Drum(G)bo.
Verse 5
The (G)church bells rang out in the (D)cool morning (G)air,
To summon the (C)faithful to (G)penance and (D)prayer.
When a (G)shot from the wild wood brought (C)terror and (G)woe,
’Twas the (C)death knell of Dawly, shot (D)dead at Drum(G)bo.
Verse 6
Let (G)Tirconnell ne’er boast of her (D)honour and (G)fame,
All the waters of (C)Finn could not (G)wash out the (D)stain.
While the (G)Foyle and the Swilly con(C)tinue to (G)flow,
The (C)stain will remain on the (D)woods of Drum(G)bo.
🎸 Strumming Pattern (4/4)
Pattern: ↓ ↓↑ ↑↓↑
Count: 1 2 & 3 & 4 &
Emphasize the first downstroke.
Keep a steady, flowing rhythm — gentle but resolute.
Optional soft version: Bass – Down – Down-Up for quieter verses.
🎼 Fingerpicking Tab (First Verse)
Use a slow tempo (around 70 BPM) and let the notes ring.
Verse 1
’Twas the (G)eve of St. Patrick, at the (D)dawn of the (G)day...
[ G ]
e|--------3-----------3-------------3-----------3-----------|
B|------0---0-------0---0---------0---0-------0---0---------|
G|----0-------0---0-------0-----0-------0---0-------0-------|
D|--0-----------0-------------------------------------------|
A|----------------------2-----------2-----------------------|
E|3-----------------3---------------------------------------|
[ D ]
e|--------2-----------2-------------2-----------2-----------|
B|------3---3-------3---3---------3---3-------3---3---------|
G|----2-------2---2-------2-----2-------2---2-------2-------|
D|0-----------0---------------------------------------------|
A|----------------------------------------------------------|
E|----------------------------------------------------------|
[ C ]
e|--------0-----------0-------------0-----------0-----------|
B|------1---1-------1---1---------1---1-------1---1---------|
G|----0-------0---0-------0-----0-------0---0-------0-------|
D|--2-----------2-------------------------------------------|
A|3-----------------3---------------------------------------|
E|----------------------------------------------------------|
Repeat this pattern through the verse:
G – D – G – C – G – D – G
Optional Chorus / Instrumental Break
(Use same picking pattern)
G - D - C - G
C - D - G
💡 Tips
Use thumb (p) for bass (E/A/D), index (i) for G string, middle (m) for B, and ring (a) for high E.
On the last line of each verse, let the final G chord ring.
Add light hammer-ons on the D or G chords for a more Irish, expressive feel.
Would you like me to tab out the melody line of the first verse (so you can play it as a solo instrumental)? It
🎵 Key: G Major
Chords Used:
G – C – D – Am – Em
🎶 Full Chorded Lyrics
Verse 1
’Twas the (G)eve of St. Patrick, at the (D)dawn of the (G)day,
The hills of Tir(C)connell lay (G)slumbering and (D)gray.
The (G)first light of morning il(C)lumined the (G)sky,
As four (C)Irish soldiers were (D)led forth to (G)die.
Verse 2
They were (G)Enright, O’Donnell and (D)Dawly by (G)name,
From the counties of (C)Cork and from (G)Kerry they (D)came.
While the (G)gallant Stan Larkin from the (C)banks of the (G)Roe,
Completes the four (C)martyrs shot (D)dead at Drum(G)bo.
Verse 3
These (G)four Irish soldiers were (D)dragged from their (G)cell,
For months they had (C)suffered the (G)torments of (D)hell.
No (G)mercy they asked from their (C)merciless (G)foe,
And no (C)mercy was shown by the (D)thugs at Drum(G)bo.
Verse 4
Three (G)left their homesteads in (D)Kerry’s green (G)vale,
And one came from (C)Derry to (G)fight for the (D)Gael.
But (G)instead of true friends they met (C)traitor and (G)foe,
And un(C)coffined were laid in the (D)woods of Drum(G)bo.
Verse 5
The (G)church bells rang out in the (D)cool morning (G)air,
To summon the (C)faithful to (G)penance and (D)prayer.
When a (G)shot from the wild wood brought (C)terror and (G)woe,
’Twas the (C)death knell of Dawly, shot (D)dead at Drum(G)bo.
Verse 6
Let (G)Tirconnell ne’er boast of her (D)honour and (G)fame,
All the waters of (C)Finn could not (G)wash out the (D)stain.
While the (G)Foyle and the Swilly con(C)tinue to (G)flow,
The (C)stain will remain on the (D)woods of Drum(G)bo.
🎸 Strumming Pattern (4/4)
Pattern: ↓ ↓↑ ↑↓↑
Count: 1 2 & 3 & 4 &
Emphasize the first downstroke.
Keep a steady, flowing rhythm — gentle but resolute.
Optional soft version: Bass – Down – Down-Up for quieter verses.
🎼 Fingerpicking Tab (First Verse)
Use a slow tempo (around 70 BPM) and let the notes ring.
Verse 1
’Twas the (G)eve of St. Patrick, at the (D)dawn of the (G)day...
[ G ]
e|--------3-----------3-------------3-----------3-----------|
B|------0---0-------0---0---------0---0-------0---0---------|
G|----0-------0---0-------0-----0-------0---0-------0-------|
D|--0-----------0-------------------------------------------|
A|----------------------2-----------2-----------------------|
E|3-----------------3---------------------------------------|
[ D ]
e|--------2-----------2-------------2-----------2-----------|
B|------3---3-------3---3---------3---3-------3---3---------|
G|----2-------2---2-------2-----2-------2---2-------2-------|
D|0-----------0---------------------------------------------|
A|----------------------------------------------------------|
E|----------------------------------------------------------|
[ C ]
e|--------0-----------0-------------0-----------0-----------|
B|------1---1-------1---1---------1---1-------1---1---------|
G|----0-------0---0-------0-----0-------0---0-------0-------|
D|--2-----------2-------------------------------------------|
A|3-----------------3---------------------------------------|
E|----------------------------------------------------------|
Repeat this pattern through the verse:
G – D – G – C – G – D – G
Optional Chorus / Instrumental Break
(Use same picking pattern)
G - D - C - G
C - D - G
💡 Tips
Use thumb (p) for bass (E/A/D), index (i) for G string, middle (m) for B, and ring (a) for high E.
On the last line of each verse, let the final G chord ring.
Add light hammer-ons on the D or G chords for a more Irish, expressive feel.
Would you like me to tab out the melody line of the first verse (so you can play it as a solo instrumental)? It
