Wexford Town lyrics and chords
Recently recorded by The Mary Wallopers. For the sheet music notes, see the link below. Written and recorded by ''The Pecker Dunne'', who wrote O'Sullivan's John song also. to change key, C=D, F=G, Am=Bm, the air of this song is the same as ''Tramps And Hawkers'' [ lyrics ] and same as ''Come My Little Son' and ''The Song With No Name''. An Irish folk song.
My[C] family lived in [F]Wexford town, stopped travelling and [C]settled down,
Though[C] my father kept a[F] horse and car, we [C]lived within the [Am]town,
The [C]people there mis[F]understood, or [C]they did not know our [Am]ways,
So with[C] horse and car, back [F]on the road, I began my travelling [C]days
My father was called the Fiddler Dunne, and I'm a fiddler too,
But although I often felt his fist, he taught me all he knew,
I know I'll never be as good, and yet I feel no shame,
For the other things my father taught, I am proud to bear his name.
He taught me pride and how to live, though the road is hard and long,
And how a man will never starve, with a banjo, fiddle or song,
And how to fight for what I own, and what I know is right,
And how to camp beside a ditch on a stormy winter's night.
O times were good and times were bad, and people cruel and kind,
But what I learned of people then, has stayed within my mind,
I'll honour friends with all my heart, do for them all I can,
But I've learnt to go the road again, when they spurn the tinker man.
O Wexford is a town I like, but the travelling man they scorn,
And a man must feel affection for the town where he was born,
I know one day, that I'll go back, when my travelling days are done,
And people will begin to wonder, what has happened to the Pecker Dunne.
Though[C] my father kept a[F] horse and car, we [C]lived within the [Am]town,
The [C]people there mis[F]understood, or [C]they did not know our [Am]ways,
So with[C] horse and car, back [F]on the road, I began my travelling [C]days
My father was called the Fiddler Dunne, and I'm a fiddler too,
But although I often felt his fist, he taught me all he knew,
I know I'll never be as good, and yet I feel no shame,
For the other things my father taught, I am proud to bear his name.
He taught me pride and how to live, though the road is hard and long,
And how a man will never starve, with a banjo, fiddle or song,
And how to fight for what I own, and what I know is right,
And how to camp beside a ditch on a stormy winter's night.
O times were good and times were bad, and people cruel and kind,
But what I learned of people then, has stayed within my mind,
I'll honour friends with all my heart, do for them all I can,
But I've learnt to go the road again, when they spurn the tinker man.
O Wexford is a town I like, but the travelling man they scorn,
And a man must feel affection for the town where he was born,
I know one day, that I'll go back, when my travelling days are done,
And people will begin to wonder, what has happened to the Pecker Dunne.
1. Full Song — Key of G Major
[Verse 1]
My [G]family lived in [C]Wexford town, stopped [G]travelling and settled [G]down,
Though my [G]father kept a [C]horse and car, we [G]lived within the [Em]town,
The [G]people there mis[C]understood, or [G]they did not know our [Em]ways,
So with [G]horse and car, back [C]on the road, I [G]began my travelling [G]days.
[Verse 2]
My [G]father was called the [C]Fiddler Dunne, and [G]I’m a fiddler too,
But al[G]though I often [C]felt his fist, he [G]taught me all he [Em]knew,
I [G]know I’ll never [C]be as good, and [G]yet I feel no [Em]shame,
For the [G]other things my [C]father taught, I [G]am proud to bear his [G]name.
[Verse 3]
He [G]taught me pride and [C]how to live, though the [G]road is hard and long,
And [G]how a man will [C]never starve, with a [G]banjo, fiddle or [Em]song,
And [G]how to fight for [C]what I own, and [G]what I know is [Em]right,
And [G]how to camp be[C]side a ditch, on a [G]stormy winter’s [G]night.
[Verse 4]
O [G]times were good and [C]times were bad, and [G]people cruel and kind,
But [G]what I learned of [C]people then, has [G]stayed within my [Em]mind,
I’ll [G]honour friends with [C]all my heart, do [G]for them all I [Em]can,
But I’ve [G]learnt to go the [C]road again, when [G]they spurn the tinker [G]man.
[Verse 5]
O [G]Wexford is a [C]town I like, but the [G]travelling man they scorn,
And a [G]man must feel af[C]fection for the [G]town where he was [Em]born,
I [G]know one day, that [C]I’ll go back, when my [G]travelling days are [Em]done,
And [G]people will be[C]gin to wonder, [G]what’s become of the Pecker [G]Dunne.
🎸 2. STRUMMING PATTERN
Time Signature: 4/4
Tempo: ~80–85 BPM (steady folk ballad)
Folk Ballad Pattern:
↓ ↓↑ ↑↓↑
Count: 1 2 & 3 & 4 &
Beat 1: Bass note (thumb)
Beats 2–4: light down–up movement
Let chords ring; keep a “rolling” feel, like the rhythm of walking the road.
Alternate simpler pattern:
Bass – Down – Up – Down Up
🎶 3. FINGERSTYLE GUITAR TAB (First Verse)
Right-hand pattern:
Thumb (p) = bass strings
Index (i) = G string
Middle (m) = B string
Ring (a) = high E string
Play gently, letting each note ring.
Keep the rhythm in triplets or flowing 4/4 arpeggios.
First Verse Fingerstyle Tab
“My [G]family lived in [C]Wexford town, stopped [G]travelling and settled down…”
G
e|--------3-------------3-------------|
B|------0---0---------0---0-----------|
G|----0-------0-----0-------0---------|
D|--0-----------0---------------------|
A|----------------2-------------------|
E|3-----------------3-----------------|
C
e|--------0-------------0-------------|
B|------1---1---------1---1-----------|
G|----0-------0-----0-------0---------|
D|--2-----------2---------------------|
A|3-----------------3-----------------|
E|------------------------------------|
Em
e|--------0-------------0-------------|
B|------0---0---------0---0-----------|
G|----0-------0-----0-------0---------|
D|--2-----------2---------------------|
A|2-----------------2-----------------|
E|0-----------------------------------|
(Repeat picking pattern for each chord; let bass alternate occasionally — G/D or C/G for movement.)
Chorus (Last Two Lines of Verse)
“So with horse and car, back on the road, I began my travelling days.”
Use the same gentle arpeggio picking pattern, returning to G for resolution:
G
e|--------3-----------3-------------|
B|------0---0-------0---0-----------|
G|----0-------0---0-------0---------|
D|--0-----------0-------------------|
A|----------------2-----------------|
E|3-----------------3---------------|
Let the final G ring fully — it’s the “open road” sound.
💡 Playing Tips
Tone: Use flesh of fingers or soft nails for warmth.
Feel: Think of walking tempo — steady, wistful, storytelling.
Dynamics:
Verses 1–2: gentle and reflective
Verses 4–5: slightly stronger, resolve proudly on final line
Thumb motion: alternate bass for variety — G (6th) → D (4th), C (5th) → G (6th).
[Verse 1]
My [G]family lived in [C]Wexford town, stopped [G]travelling and settled [G]down,
Though my [G]father kept a [C]horse and car, we [G]lived within the [Em]town,
The [G]people there mis[C]understood, or [G]they did not know our [Em]ways,
So with [G]horse and car, back [C]on the road, I [G]began my travelling [G]days.
[Verse 2]
My [G]father was called the [C]Fiddler Dunne, and [G]I’m a fiddler too,
But al[G]though I often [C]felt his fist, he [G]taught me all he [Em]knew,
I [G]know I’ll never [C]be as good, and [G]yet I feel no [Em]shame,
For the [G]other things my [C]father taught, I [G]am proud to bear his [G]name.
[Verse 3]
He [G]taught me pride and [C]how to live, though the [G]road is hard and long,
And [G]how a man will [C]never starve, with a [G]banjo, fiddle or [Em]song,
And [G]how to fight for [C]what I own, and [G]what I know is [Em]right,
And [G]how to camp be[C]side a ditch, on a [G]stormy winter’s [G]night.
[Verse 4]
O [G]times were good and [C]times were bad, and [G]people cruel and kind,
But [G]what I learned of [C]people then, has [G]stayed within my [Em]mind,
I’ll [G]honour friends with [C]all my heart, do [G]for them all I [Em]can,
But I’ve [G]learnt to go the [C]road again, when [G]they spurn the tinker [G]man.
[Verse 5]
O [G]Wexford is a [C]town I like, but the [G]travelling man they scorn,
And a [G]man must feel af[C]fection for the [G]town where he was [Em]born,
I [G]know one day, that [C]I’ll go back, when my [G]travelling days are [Em]done,
And [G]people will be[C]gin to wonder, [G]what’s become of the Pecker [G]Dunne.
🎸 2. STRUMMING PATTERN
Time Signature: 4/4
Tempo: ~80–85 BPM (steady folk ballad)
Folk Ballad Pattern:
↓ ↓↑ ↑↓↑
Count: 1 2 & 3 & 4 &
Beat 1: Bass note (thumb)
Beats 2–4: light down–up movement
Let chords ring; keep a “rolling” feel, like the rhythm of walking the road.
Alternate simpler pattern:
Bass – Down – Up – Down Up
🎶 3. FINGERSTYLE GUITAR TAB (First Verse)
Right-hand pattern:
Thumb (p) = bass strings
Index (i) = G string
Middle (m) = B string
Ring (a) = high E string
Play gently, letting each note ring.
Keep the rhythm in triplets or flowing 4/4 arpeggios.
First Verse Fingerstyle Tab
“My [G]family lived in [C]Wexford town, stopped [G]travelling and settled down…”
G
e|--------3-------------3-------------|
B|------0---0---------0---0-----------|
G|----0-------0-----0-------0---------|
D|--0-----------0---------------------|
A|----------------2-------------------|
E|3-----------------3-----------------|
C
e|--------0-------------0-------------|
B|------1---1---------1---1-----------|
G|----0-------0-----0-------0---------|
D|--2-----------2---------------------|
A|3-----------------3-----------------|
E|------------------------------------|
Em
e|--------0-------------0-------------|
B|------0---0---------0---0-----------|
G|----0-------0-----0-------0---------|
D|--2-----------2---------------------|
A|2-----------------2-----------------|
E|0-----------------------------------|
(Repeat picking pattern for each chord; let bass alternate occasionally — G/D or C/G for movement.)
Chorus (Last Two Lines of Verse)
“So with horse and car, back on the road, I began my travelling days.”
Use the same gentle arpeggio picking pattern, returning to G for resolution:
G
e|--------3-----------3-------------|
B|------0---0-------0---0-----------|
G|----0-------0---0-------0---------|
D|--0-----------0-------------------|
A|----------------2-----------------|
E|3-----------------3---------------|
Let the final G ring fully — it’s the “open road” sound.
💡 Playing Tips
Tone: Use flesh of fingers or soft nails for warmth.
Feel: Think of walking tempo — steady, wistful, storytelling.
Dynamics:
Verses 1–2: gentle and reflective
Verses 4–5: slightly stronger, resolve proudly on final line
Thumb motion: alternate bass for variety — G (6th) → D (4th), C (5th) → G (6th).
Wexford lyrics
Wexford Sheet Music / Tin Whistle Notes Are In The Ebooks Below
Below is the list of sheet music and tin whistle songs that are in my ebooks. This is the largest collection of tin whistle songs ever put together.[over 1,000 songs ] Including folk, pop and trad tunes plus German And French songs along with Christmas Carols.
All of the sheet music tabs have been made as easy to play as was possible.
The price of the ebooks is €7.50
Pecker Dunne song Wexford Town
Wexford Town Road Sign
