White Orange And Green lyrics and chords
and sometimes referred to Gay Galtee Mountains. Writer unknown. The first version is by Anne & Francie Brolly who do it in the same key as The Wolfe Tones version which is Gay Galtee Mountains l , the second version is in the key of G Major from the singing of Paddy O'Conner. The guitar chords were worked out by Marc Fahrmach. At the end of the Paddy O'Conner video the songs drifts into an instrumental of Tabhair Dan Do La'mh and which Marc has also provided the guitar chords. And another similar song is The Orange And The Green .
The image link above takes you to the sheet music
WHITE, ORANGE AND GREEN 3/4 (TABHAIR DAN DO LA’MH)
Intro: G-Em-C-G-G
In the (G)bold Galtee (Em)Mountains so (C)far, far a(G)way
I’ll tell you a (Em)story that (Am)happened one (D)day
A(G)bout a young (Em)girl, her (C)age was (D)sixteen
And she (G)carried a (Em)banner, white, (C)orange and (G)green.-G
And a (G)young English (Em)soldier was (C)passing that (G)way
He saw the young (Em)girl with her (Am)banner so (D)gay.
He (G)laughed and he (Em)joked and got (C)off his ma(D)chine
Re(G)turning to (Em)capture white, (C)orange and (G)green -G
Play one verse instrumentally
„Oh you (G)can’t have my (Em)banner!“, the (C)young girl re(G)plied
„Till your blood and (Em)mine on the (Am)bold Galtees (D)lie
(G)I am a (Em)rebel and (C)that’s nothing (D)mean
And I’ll (G)lay down my (Em)life for white, (C)orange and (G)green!“ -G
And the (G)young English (Em)soldier turned (C)white as the (G)snow
Got on his ma(Em)chine and a(Am)way he did (D)go
For there’s (G)no use in (Em)fighting a (C)girl of six(D)teen
Who would (G)die for a (Em)banner white, (C)orange and (G)green -G
Melodic part:
C-G-C-G
C-G-G-Em-D-G-Am-Em
C-G-C-G-C-G-Bm-G
C-G-G-Em-D-G-Am-C
G-C-Am-D-G-Em-C-G
G-G-D-D-C-G-G-Am
G-Em-C-Am-G-Em-D-G
Repeat melodic part
Intro: G-Em-C-G-G
In the (G)bold Galtee (Em)Mountains so (C)far, far a(G)way
I’ll tell you a (Em)story that (Am)happened one (D)day
A(G)bout a young (Em)girl, her (C)age was (D)sixteen
And she (G)carried a (Em)banner, white, (C)orange and (G)green.-G
And a (G)young English (Em)soldier was (C)passing that (G)way
He saw the young (Em)girl with her (Am)banner so (D)gay.
He (G)laughed and he (Em)joked and got (C)off his ma(D)chine
Re(G)turning to (Em)capture white, (C)orange and (G)green -G
Play one verse instrumentally
„Oh you (G)can’t have my (Em)banner!“, the (C)young girl re(G)plied
„Till your blood and (Em)mine on the (Am)bold Galtees (D)lie
(G)I am a (Em)rebel and (C)that’s nothing (D)mean
And I’ll (G)lay down my (Em)life for white, (C)orange and (G)green!“ -G
And the (G)young English (Em)soldier turned (C)white as the (G)snow
Got on his ma(Em)chine and a(Am)way he did (D)go
For there’s (G)no use in (Em)fighting a (C)girl of six(D)teen
Who would (G)die for a (Em)banner white, (C)orange and (G)green -G
Melodic part:
C-G-C-G
C-G-G-Em-D-G-Am-Em
C-G-C-G-C-G-Bm-G
C-G-G-Em-D-G-Am-C
G-C-Am-D-G-Em-C-G
G-G-D-D-C-G-G-Am
G-Em-C-Am-G-Em-D-G
Repeat melodic part
“White, Orange, and Green” is a proud, steady rebel ballad, and it sounds beautiful in G Major.
This kind of song traditionally uses a slow to medium 4/4 rhythm, with strong downbeats and a lilting flow, like a march blended with a waltz.
Here’s a detailed guide for how to strum it properly 👇
🎸 STRUMMING PATTERN (4/4 TIME)
You can play this song two different ways depending on the mood you want:
🎵 Option 1 – Ballad Feel (gentle storytelling)
Bass – Down – Down-Up – Down-Up
Count: 1 2 3 & 4 &
Beat 1: Play the bass note of the chord (root string)
For G → 6th string (E)
For C → 5th string (A)
For D → 4th string (D)
For Em → 6th string (E)
For Am → 5th string (A)
Beats 2–4: Light down-up brushing on the higher strings
Feel: Flowing, like a walking pace.
Dynamic: Verses → soft; Instrumental/Final verse → stronger.
🎵 Option 2 – Folk March Feel (bolder, rhythmic)
↓ ↓↑ ↑↓↑
Count: 1 2 & 3 & 4 &
Accent beat 1 and 3 (typical Irish rebel-song rhythm).
Keep it steady and confident — think of it like “the road to freedom” rhythm.
This suits the line “I’ll lay down my life for white, orange and green.”
💡 Pro Tip
Alternate between the two styles:
Use Option 1 for verses (softer, storylike)
Switch to Option 2 for the instrumental and final verse (stronger, marching)
🎧 Sound Reference (feel)
Imagine:
The Dubliners – relaxed, finger-pulse rhythm with emphasis on beat 1
The Wolfe Tones – more driving, accent-heavy version on beats 1 & 3
🎶 Example – How it fits (first verse)
In the **(G)**bold Galtee **(Em)**Mountains so **(C)far, far a(G)**way
I’ll tell you a **(Em)**story that **(Am)**happened one **(D)**day
A **(G)**bout a young **(Em)**girl, her **(C)age was six(D)**teen
And she **(G)**carried a **(Em)**banner, white, **(C)**orange and **(G)**green
🎸 Use pattern: ↓ ↓↑ ↑↓↑ (steady, gentle)
This kind of song traditionally uses a slow to medium 4/4 rhythm, with strong downbeats and a lilting flow, like a march blended with a waltz.
Here’s a detailed guide for how to strum it properly 👇
🎸 STRUMMING PATTERN (4/4 TIME)
You can play this song two different ways depending on the mood you want:
🎵 Option 1 – Ballad Feel (gentle storytelling)
Bass – Down – Down-Up – Down-Up
Count: 1 2 3 & 4 &
Beat 1: Play the bass note of the chord (root string)
For G → 6th string (E)
For C → 5th string (A)
For D → 4th string (D)
For Em → 6th string (E)
For Am → 5th string (A)
Beats 2–4: Light down-up brushing on the higher strings
Feel: Flowing, like a walking pace.
Dynamic: Verses → soft; Instrumental/Final verse → stronger.
🎵 Option 2 – Folk March Feel (bolder, rhythmic)
↓ ↓↑ ↑↓↑
Count: 1 2 & 3 & 4 &
Accent beat 1 and 3 (typical Irish rebel-song rhythm).
Keep it steady and confident — think of it like “the road to freedom” rhythm.
This suits the line “I’ll lay down my life for white, orange and green.”
💡 Pro Tip
Alternate between the two styles:
Use Option 1 for verses (softer, storylike)
Switch to Option 2 for the instrumental and final verse (stronger, marching)
🎧 Sound Reference (feel)
Imagine:
The Dubliners – relaxed, finger-pulse rhythm with emphasis on beat 1
The Wolfe Tones – more driving, accent-heavy version on beats 1 & 3
🎶 Example – How it fits (first verse)
In the **(G)**bold Galtee **(Em)**Mountains so **(C)far, far a(G)**way
I’ll tell you a **(Em)**story that **(Am)**happened one **(D)**day
A **(G)**bout a young **(Em)**girl, her **(C)age was six(D)**teen
And she **(G)**carried a **(Em)**banner, white, **(C)**orange and **(G)**green
🎸 Use pattern: ↓ ↓↑ ↑↓↑ (steady, gentle)
Below is a full fingerpicking tab for the first verse of “White, Orange and Green”, arranged in G Major.
🎸 Fingerpicking Style
Right-hand pattern (for each chord):
Thumb (p) → bass note (E/A/D string)
Index (i) → G string
Middle (m) → B string
Ring (a) → high E string
Use a slow 4/4 rhythm, with one arpeggio per measure (or two if you want more motion).
Keep a light, flowing tempo (~70–80 BPM).
🎵 Fingerpicking Tab – First Verse
“In the bold Galtee Mountains so far, far away…”
[ 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---------------------------------------|
[ Em ]
e|--------0-----------0-------------0-----------0-----------|
B|------0---0-------0---0---------0---0-------0---0---------|
G|----0-------0---0-------0-----0-------0---0-------0-------|
D|--2-----------2-------------------------------------------|
A|2-----------------2---------------------------------------|
E|0---------------------------------------------------------|
[ 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|----------------------------------------------------------|
[ 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|----------------------------------------------------------|
🔁 Progression for Verse 1
In the **(G)**bold Galtee **(Em)**Mountains so **(C)far, far a(G)**way
I’ll tell you a **(Em)**story that **(Am)**happened one **(D)**day
A **(G)**bout a young **(Em)**girl, her **(C)age was six(D)**teen
And she **(G)**carried a **(Em)**banner, white, **(C)**orange and **(G)**green
For Am, use this same pattern:
[ Am ]
e|--------0-----------0-------------0-----------0-----------|
B|------1---1-------1---1---------1---1-------1---1---------|
G|----2-------2---2-------2-----2-------2---2-------2-------|
D|--2-----------2-------------------------------------------|
A|0-----------------0---------------------------------------|
E|----------------------------------------------------------|
💡 Playing Tips
Keep a gentle alternating bass going (for example, on G alternate between the 6th and 4th strings).
Let the notes ring into one another for a flowing, harp-like sound.
Add soft hammer-ons occasionally (for instance, on the 2nd fret of the D string in Em) to add life.
On the last “green,” strum the G chord softly and let it ring.
🎸 Fingerpicking Style
Right-hand pattern (for each chord):
Thumb (p) → bass note (E/A/D string)
Index (i) → G string
Middle (m) → B string
Ring (a) → high E string
Use a slow 4/4 rhythm, with one arpeggio per measure (or two if you want more motion).
Keep a light, flowing tempo (~70–80 BPM).
🎵 Fingerpicking Tab – First Verse
“In the bold Galtee Mountains so far, far away…”
[ 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---------------------------------------|
[ Em ]
e|--------0-----------0-------------0-----------0-----------|
B|------0---0-------0---0---------0---0-------0---0---------|
G|----0-------0---0-------0-----0-------0---0-------0-------|
D|--2-----------2-------------------------------------------|
A|2-----------------2---------------------------------------|
E|0---------------------------------------------------------|
[ 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|----------------------------------------------------------|
[ 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|----------------------------------------------------------|
🔁 Progression for Verse 1
In the **(G)**bold Galtee **(Em)**Mountains so **(C)far, far a(G)**way
I’ll tell you a **(Em)**story that **(Am)**happened one **(D)**day
A **(G)**bout a young **(Em)**girl, her **(C)age was six(D)**teen
And she **(G)**carried a **(Em)**banner, white, **(C)**orange and **(G)**green
For Am, use this same pattern:
[ Am ]
e|--------0-----------0-------------0-----------0-----------|
B|------1---1-------1---1---------1---1-------1---1---------|
G|----2-------2---2-------2-----2-------2---2-------2-------|
D|--2-----------2-------------------------------------------|
A|0-----------------0---------------------------------------|
E|----------------------------------------------------------|
💡 Playing Tips
Keep a gentle alternating bass going (for example, on G alternate between the 6th and 4th strings).
Let the notes ring into one another for a flowing, harp-like sound.
Add soft hammer-ons occasionally (for instance, on the 2nd fret of the D string in Em) to add life.
On the last “green,” strum the G chord softly and let it ring.
Anne & Francie Brolly’s Version:
In the (F)Galtymore (Dm)Mountains so (Bb)far, far a(F)way
I’ll tell you a (Dm)story that (Bb)happened one (C)day
To a (F)fair Irish colleen, her (Bb)age was six(F)teen
And it’s (C)proudly she carried white, (F)orange (C)and (F)green.
A (F)bold English (Dm)Bobby by (Bb)chance passed that (F)way
Saying „Who is the (Dm)maid with the (Bb)colours so (C)gay?“
With a (F)smile and a sneer he jumped (Bb)off his ma(F)chine
De(C)termined to capture white, (F)orange (C)and (F)green.
„Oh, (F)give me that (Dm)banner!“, the (Bb)bold Bobby (F)cried,
„Come give me your (Dm)banner and (Bb)do what is (C)right!
Oh, (F)give me the banner, and (Bb)do not be (F)mean
For I (C)must have that emblem, the (F)flag of (C)Sinn (F)Féin!“
„You'll (F)not get the (Dm)banner!“, the (Bb)young maiden (F)cried
„Till your blood and (Dm)my blood, its (Bb)colours are (C)died
I (F)here have a rifle and (Bb)that’s nothing (F)mean
And it’s (C)proudly I’ll die for the (F)flag of (C)Sinn (F)Féin!“
Then the (F)poor Bobby’s (Dm)face turned as (Bb)white as the (F)snow
And he mounted his (Dm)cycle and (Bb)started to (C)go
Saying (F)“What is the use when a (Bb)maid of six(F)teen
Would (C)die for those colours, white, (F)orange (C)and (F)green?“
That (F)very same (Dm)day in (Bb)sweet Tipperary (F)town
That gallant young (Dm)girl from the (Bb)Galtees came (C)down
Her (F)poor heart was torn with (Bb)anguish and (F)pain
For that (C)very same day Tom Ashe (F)died for (C)Sinn (F)Féin.
Ye (F)young men and (Dm)maidens of (Bb)Erin’s green (F)shore
Raise a cheer for the (Dm)maid from the (Bb)proud Galty(C)more
And (F)keep on fighting the (Bb)cause of Sinn (F)Féin
Till we (C)make dear old Ireland a re(F)public (C)a(F)gain.
Other songs on the site that use the title colours of Orange White And Green and is also an Irish rebel song is The Orange And The Green Lyrics
In the (F)Galtymore (Dm)Mountains so (Bb)far, far a(F)way
I’ll tell you a (Dm)story that (Bb)happened one (C)day
To a (F)fair Irish colleen, her (Bb)age was six(F)teen
And it’s (C)proudly she carried white, (F)orange (C)and (F)green.
A (F)bold English (Dm)Bobby by (Bb)chance passed that (F)way
Saying „Who is the (Dm)maid with the (Bb)colours so (C)gay?“
With a (F)smile and a sneer he jumped (Bb)off his ma(F)chine
De(C)termined to capture white, (F)orange (C)and (F)green.
„Oh, (F)give me that (Dm)banner!“, the (Bb)bold Bobby (F)cried,
„Come give me your (Dm)banner and (Bb)do what is (C)right!
Oh, (F)give me the banner, and (Bb)do not be (F)mean
For I (C)must have that emblem, the (F)flag of (C)Sinn (F)Féin!“
„You'll (F)not get the (Dm)banner!“, the (Bb)young maiden (F)cried
„Till your blood and (Dm)my blood, its (Bb)colours are (C)died
I (F)here have a rifle and (Bb)that’s nothing (F)mean
And it’s (C)proudly I’ll die for the (F)flag of (C)Sinn (F)Féin!“
Then the (F)poor Bobby’s (Dm)face turned as (Bb)white as the (F)snow
And he mounted his (Dm)cycle and (Bb)started to (C)go
Saying (F)“What is the use when a (Bb)maid of six(F)teen
Would (C)die for those colours, white, (F)orange (C)and (F)green?“
That (F)very same (Dm)day in (Bb)sweet Tipperary (F)town
That gallant young (Dm)girl from the (Bb)Galtees came (C)down
Her (F)poor heart was torn with (Bb)anguish and (F)pain
For that (C)very same day Tom Ashe (F)died for (C)Sinn (F)Féin.
Ye (F)young men and (Dm)maidens of (Bb)Erin’s green (F)shore
Raise a cheer for the (Dm)maid from the (Bb)proud Galty(C)more
And (F)keep on fighting the (Bb)cause of Sinn (F)Féin
Till we (C)make dear old Ireland a re(F)public (C)a(F)gain.
Other songs on the site that use the title colours of Orange White And Green and is also an Irish rebel song is The Orange And The Green Lyrics
