The lyrics to Carrickfergus as we now know them were first recorded by Dominic Behan in the mid 1960s.
Carrickfergus
Carrickfergus meaning
Carrickfergus videos
He said he had learnt the song from fellow Irishman and actor Peter O’Toole.
The words tell the story of a wandering rover who is separated from his lover.
He cannot get to her because the sea lies between them. There are similar versions of the lyrics in most English speaking countries across the world, but Carrickfergus is probably the most widely known and recorded.
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G
G#
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I wish I
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was in
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Carrick
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fergus,
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Fm
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Bm
Cm
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Dm
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Only for
Am
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Cm
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Em
Fm
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Gm
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nights
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in
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gran
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over the
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deepest
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ocean,
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Bm
Cm
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Only for
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nights
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in
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gran.
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wide and I cannot swim over
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And nor have
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I the
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wings to
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fly.
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find me
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a handsome
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boatman,
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Am
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Dm
D#m
To ferry me
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Em
Fm
F#m
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over
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to my love and
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D
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E
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die.
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My childhood days bring back sad reflections of happy times I spent so long ago.
My boyhood friends and my own relations have all passed on now like melting snow.
But I’ll spend my days in endless roaming, soft is the grass my bed is free.
Ah to be back in Carrickfergus on that long road down to the sea.
And in Kilkenny it is reported there are marble stones as black as ink,
With gold and silver I would support her, but I’ll sing no more now till I get a drink.
I’m drunk today and I’m seldom sober, a handsome rover from town to town.
Ah, but I’m sick now, my days are numbered so come all ye young men and lay me down.
Carrickfergus
Carrickfergus meaning
Carrickfergus videos
Lyrics and Chords
Carrickfergus print version
Bb
B
C
Db
D
Eb
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Gb
G
Ab
A
I wish I
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was in
F
F#
G
G#
A
A#
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D#
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Carrick
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C
Db
D
Eb
E
F
Gb
G
Ab
A
fergus,
Gm
G#m
Am
A#m
Bm
Cm
C#m
Dm
D#m
Em
Fm
F#m
only for
Cm
C#m
Dm
D#m
Em
Fm
F#m
Gm
G#m
Am
A#m
Bm
nights
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F#
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G#
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A#
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in
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F
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gran
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Ab
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over the
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A#
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D#
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deepest
Bb
B
C
Db
D
Eb
E
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Gb
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Ab
A
ocean,
Gm
G#m
Am
A#m
Bm
Cm
C#m
Dm
D#m
Em
Fm
F#m
only for
Cm
C#m
Dm
D#m
Em
Fm
F#m
Gm
G#m
Am
A#m
Bm
nights
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F#
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G#
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A#
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C
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in
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Db
D
Eb
E
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Ab
A
gran
Gm
G#m
Am
A#m
Bm
Cm
C#m
Dm
D#m
Em
Fm
F#m
wide and I cannot swim
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F#
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G#
A
A#
B
C
C#
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D#
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over and nor have
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C
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D
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E
F
Gb
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Ab
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I the
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F
Gb
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Ab
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C
Db
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wings to
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A#
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fly
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Gb
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find me
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G#
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A#
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D#
E
a handsome
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D
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Ab
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boatman
Gm
G#m
Am
A#m
Bm
Cm
C#m
Dm
D#m
Em
Fm
F#m
to ferry me
Cm
C#m
Dm
D#m
Em
Fm
F#m
Gm
G#m
Am
A#m
Bm
over
F
F#
G
G#
A
A#
B
C
C#
D
D#
E
to my love and
Bb
B
C
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D
Eb
E
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A
die
My childhood days bring back sad reflections of happy times I spent so long ago
My boyhood friends and my own relations have all passed on now like melting snow
But I’ll spend my days in endless roaming soft is the grass my bed is free
Ah to be back in Carrickfergus on that long road down to the sea
And in Kilkenny it is reported there are marble stones as black as ink
With gold and silver I would support her, but I’ll sing no more now till I get a drink
I’m drunk today and I’m seldom sober, a handsome rover from town to town
Ah, but I’m sick now, my days are numbered so come all ye young men and lay me down
Carrickfergus
Carrickfergus meaning
Carrickfergus videos
Lyrics and Chords
