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Portlaoise Jail

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Cmajor

90BPM

Lyrics & ChordsClick chords to see diagrams

[Verse 1]
For Cthirty years I've been a Dmtinker
I've Ctramped the mountains and the Amglen
I've Ccourted girls in every Dmcounty
And I Cfought the very Gbest of Cmen
I Cdrank an awful lot of Dmporter
I've Cslept in sun and snow and Amgale
But the Clife I loved was taken from Dmme
When I Cspent two years in GPortlaoise CJail
[Chorus]
CPortlaoise Jail would Amtame a tiger
CTry me boys and do get Dmbail
There's Cmany a heart that sobs and Dmsighs
InCside the walls of GPortlaoise CJail
[Verse 2]
I Cjoined a camp outside DmKillorglin
The Cnight before they crowned the AmKing
There was Csong and dance and plenty Dmporter
With our Cwagons formed round in a Amring
Till a Cfoxy lass sat down beside Dmme
Be Cdad, says I, I'm alright Amhere
But her Chusband roared and leapt between Dmus
And he Cknocked me down with a Gkick in the Cear
I Chit him hard below the Dmnavel
He Chit the ground with a mighty Amwail
His Cneck was broke, he died in Dmseconds
And I Cspent puck fail in GPortlaoise CJail
[Chorus]
CPortlaoise Jail would Amtame a tiger
CTry me boys and do get Dmbail
CThere's many a heart that Amsobs and sighs
CInside the walls of GPortlaoise CJail

All chords in this song (4)

The story behind the song

"Portlaoise Jail" captures the voice of a man whose life as a tinker, a traveler, has been interrupted by time in prison. The song speaks of a life "taken from me" and of joining a camp before landing in Portlaoise Jail, suggesting a journey through the Irish countryside and the challenges that came with it. Pecker Dunne, himself an Irish Traveller and a renowned musician, often drew from his own experiences and the traditions of his people, making this song a poignant reflection on the hardships faced by those living a nomadic life. It plays like a personal lament for lost freedom and the open road.

AI-written from these sources:Pecker Dunne — Wikipedia ↗

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Portlaoise Jail

Portlaoise Jail

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Portlaoise Jail

by Pecker Dunne

Lyrics & chords · Original key

Chords in this song · guitar

[Verse 1]

C Dm

For thirty years I've been a tinker

C Am

I've tramped the mountains and the glen

C Dm

I've courted girls in every county

C G C

And I fought the very best of men

C Dm

I drank an awful lot of porter

C Am

I've slept in sun and snow and gale

C Dm

But the life I loved was taken from me

C G C

When I spent two years in Portlaoise Jail

[Chorus]

C Am

Portlaoise Jail would tame a tiger

C Dm

Try me boys and do get bail

C Dm

There's many a heart that sobs and sighs

C G C

Inside the walls of Portlaoise Jail

[Verse 2]

C Dm

I joined a camp outside Killorglin

C Am

The night before they crowned the King

C Dm

There was song and dance and plenty porter

C Am

With our wagons formed round in a ring

C Dm

Till a foxy lass sat down beside me

C Am

Be dad, says I, I'm alright here

C Dm

But her husband roared and leapt between us

C G C

And he knocked me down with a kick in the ear

C Dm

I hit him hard below the navel

C Am

He hit the ground with a mighty wail

C Dm

His neck was broke, he died in seconds

C G C

And I spent puck fail in Portlaoise Jail

[Chorus]

C Am

Portlaoise Jail would tame a tiger

C Dm

Try me boys and do get bail

C Am

There's many a heart that sobs and sighs

C G C

Inside the walls of Portlaoise Jail

About Portlaoise Jail Chords by Pecker Dunne

Learn how to play Portlaoise Jail by Pecker Dunne with free guitar chords, lyrics, and interactive chord diagrams. Search for “Portlaoise Jail chords”, “Portlaoise Jail guitar chords”, or “Pecker Dunne Portlaoise Jail chords” and you will find this page — transpose to any key, tap chords for diagrams, and use auto-scroll while you play. Perfect for beginners looking for easy Portlaoise Jail chords and for experienced players who want accurate Portlaoise Jail lyrics and chords in one place. Common chords in this song include C, Dm, Am, G.

FAQ — Portlaoise Jail by Pecker Dunne

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Is "Portlaoise Jail" easy to play on guitar?

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What key is "Portlaoise Jail" in?

The chords for "Portlaoise Jail" show the original chord names (including C, Dm, Am, G). Use transpose to move the song into any key that fits your voice or capo.