Down by the Liffeyside – lyrics and chords

The chords to Down by the Liffeyside are presented here in the key of C Major. The Wolfe Tones sing the song in D Major. To play in D Major using these chord shapes, place a capo on the second fret. Use our chord converter to play the song in other keys.

The lyrics of Down by the Liffeyside are more to do with courtship than rebellion although there are strong political overtones. Many singers dropped the final verse once the Troubles began again in Northern Ireland in the 1960s. The lyrics are given in full, as performed by Dominic Behan, the nephew of Peader Kearney who wrote the song.


These known chords are used in this song.


C 
Twas down by
Dm 
Anna
G 
Lif
C 
fey, my  
Am 
love 
 
and
F 
I did  
C 
stray
 
Where in the good old
Am 
slushy
G 
mud the sea gulls
G7 
sport and  
C 
play
 
We got the whiff of
Am 
fish 
 
and
G 
chips and Mary
G7 
softly
C 
sighed
 
“Oh
F 
John, 
 
come
Dm 
along for a
G 
wan 
 
and
Am 
wan
 
Down
C 
by 
 
the
F 
Liffey
C 
side.”

Down by the Liffeyside
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Then down along by George’s street the loving pairs to view
While Mary swanked it like a queen in a skirt of royal blue
Her hat was lately turned and her blouse was newly dyed
You could not match her amber locks
Down by the Liffeyside.

And on her old melodeon how sweetly could she play
“Good-by-ee” and “Don’t sigh-ee” and she’d eke “Down Texas Way”
But when she turned Sinn Feiner I nearly burst with pride
To hear her sing the “Soldier’s Song”
Down by the Liffeyside.

On Sunday morning to Meath street together we will go
Then it’s up to Father Murphy we both will make our vow
We’ll join our hands in wedlock bands and we’ll soon be outside
For a whole afternoon, for our honeymoon
Down by the Liffeyside.

And we’ll have little chidren and we’ll rare then neat clean
To shout up the republic and sing about Sinn Fein
For to emulate their old fellahs who England’s power defied
Sending off big guns against the Saxon huns
Down by the Liffeyside.

Down by the Liffeyside
Down by the Liffeyside videos
Down by the Liffeyside lyrics and chords

Down by the Liffeyside lyrics and chords print version


These known chords are used in this song.


C 
Twas down by
Dm 
Anna
G 
Lif
C 
fey, my  
Am 
love 
 
and
F 
I did  
C 
stray
 
Where in the good old
Am 
slushy
G 
mud the sea gulls
G7 
sport and  
C 
play
 
We got the whiff of
Am 
fish 
 
and
G 
chips and Mary
G7 
softly
C 
sighed
 
“Oh
F 
John, 
 
come
Dm 
along for a
G 
wan 
 
and
Am 
wan
 
Down
C 
by 
 
the
F 
Liffey
C 
side”

Then down along by George’s street the loving pairs to view
While Mary swanked it like a queen in a skirt of royal blue
Her hat was lately turned and her blouse was newly dyed
You could not match her amber locks
Down by the Liffeyside.

And on her old melodeon how sweetly could she play
“Good-by-ee” and “Don’t sigh-ee” and she’d eke “Down Texas Way”
But when she turned Sinn Feiner I nearly burst with pride
To hear her sing the “Soldier’s Song”
Down by the Liffeyside.

On Sunday morning to Meath street together we will go
Then it’s up to Father Murphy we both will make our vow
We’ll join our hands in wedlock bands and we’ll soon be outside
For a whole afternoon, for our honeymoon
Down by the Liffeyside.

And we’ll have little chidren and we’ll rare then neat clean
To shout up the republic and sing about Sinn Fein
For to emulate their old fellahs who England’s power defied
Sending off big guns against the Saxon huns
Down by the Liffeyside.

Down by the Liffeyside
Down by the Liffeyside videos
Down by the Liffeyside lyrics and chords