Skibbereen chords by The Dubliners

Tuning: Standard (E A D G B E)

Intro:
Em

Verse:
  Em       Em       C        Em
Oh father dear, I often hear you speak of Erin's isle
  C         G         G     C    Em
Her lofty scenes, her valleys green, her mountains rude and wild
   C      G        G  C      Em
They say it is a lovely land wherein a prince might dwell
   D      G         Em      Em
Then why did you abandon it, oh the reason to me tell

  Em       Em        C     Em
Oh son, I loved my native land with energy and pride
    C        G          G     C   Em
Till a blight came over all my crops, and my sheep and cattle died
  C        G         G     C   Em
The rents and taxes were to pay, and I could not them redeem
  D        G    Em       Em
And that's the cruel reason I left old Skibbereen

   Em     Em     C       Em
'Tis well I do remember the bleak November day
     C        G        G    C  Em
When the bailiff and the landlord came to drive us all away
   C        G        G   C    Em
They set the roof on fire with their cursed English spleen
  D       G    Em       Em
And that's another reason I left old Skibbereen

    Em       Em         C      Em
Oh your mother too, God rest her soul, lay on the snowy ground
  C       G           G  C    Em
She fainted in her anguishing seeing the desolation 'round
  C        G         G    C    Em
She never rose, but passed away, from life to immortal dreams
  D       G    Em       Em
And that's another reason I left old Skibbereen

  Em      Em         C        Em
Oh you were only two years old, and feeble was your frame
 C          G            G     C    Em
I could not leave you with my friends, for you bore your father's name
 C         G        G    C    Em
I wrapped you in my cóta mór in the dead of night unseen
   D          G        Em       Em
And I heaved a sigh, and I said goodbye to dear old Skibbereen

  Em        Em          C         Em
Oh father dear, the day will come when on vengeance we will call
  C       G          G    C   Em
And Irish men both stout and tall will rally unto the call
   C       G        G     C    Em
I'll be the man to lead the band beneath the flag of green
  D          G        Em        Em
And loud and high, we'll raise the cry, Revenge for Skibbereen!