The chords to When First I Came to the County Limerick are presented here in the key of D minor. Use our chord converter to play the song in other keys.
The lyrics are about a man saying goodbye to his love as he must leave her.
[chordsandlyrics]
[Dm]When first I came to the [Bb]county Limerick
There [Am]I was [Em]stationed at [Dm]sweet Rathkeale
There I fell courting a [Bb]handsome fair maid
She ap[Am]peared to [Em]me like the [Dm]queen of [F]May.
I [Dm]asked her kindly [Bb]would she marry
Or [Am]would she [Em]be a [Dm]soldier’s wife
“O no kind sir, I would [Bb]rather tarry
[Am]I do [Em]choose a brave [Dm]single life.”
[/chordsandlyrics]
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Oh, fairest creature and pride of nature
Why do you differ from all female kind?
Because you’re gentle and young and handsome
To marry you, love I am inclined.
For you’re the fairest of Irish maidens
And you are fit, love, to be a queen
I wish I was in some battle wounded
Before your beautiful face I’d seen.
I wish I had you in Phoenix Island
One hundred miles from your native home
Or in some valley where no one would find us
You might incline, love, to be my own.
‘Tis there I’d cherish you, my loving jewel
If along with me you might incline to go
I’d sail you over to Pennsylvania
Bid adieu to old Ireland for evermore.
In the morning when I cannot see you
My heart lies bleeding for you all day
And in the evening when I can’t be near you
But those who are bound – love, they must obey.
Youth and folly make young men marry
So now no longer, love, can I stay
What can’t be cured must be endured
So farewell darling, I must away.
When First I Came to the County Limerick lyrics and chords print version
[Dm]When first I came to the [Bb]county Limerick
There [Am]I was [Em]stationed at [Dm]sweet Rathkeale
There I fell courting a [Bb]handsome fair maid
She ap[Am]peared to [Em]me like the [Dm]queen of [F]May.
I [Dm]asked her kindly [Bb]would she marry
Or [Am]would she [Em]be a [Dm]soldier’s wife
“O no kind sir, I would [Bb]rather tarry
[Am]I do [Em]choose a brave [Dm]single life.”
Oh, fairest creature and pride of nature
Why do you differ from all female kind?
Because you’re gentle and young and handsome
To marry you, love I am inclined.
For you’re the fairest of Irish maidens
And you are fit, love, to be a queen
I wish I was in some battle wounded
Before your beautiful face I’d seen.
I wish I had you in Phoenix Island
One hundred miles from your native home
Or in some valley where no one would find us
You might incline, love, to be my own.
‘Tis there I’d cherish you, my loving jewel
If along with me you might incline to go
I’d sail you over to Pennsylvania
Bid adieu to old Ireland for evermore.
In the morning when I cannot see you
My heart lies bleeding for you all day
And in the evening when I can’t be near you
But those who are bound – love, they must obey.
Youth and folly make young men marry
So now no longer, love, can I stay
What can’t be cured must be endured
So farewell darling, I must away.
