The Irish Rover

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[Verse 1]
G C
On the Fourth of July, eighteen hundred and six
G D
We set sail from the sweet Cobh of Cork
G C
We were sailing away with a cargo of bricks
G D G
For the Grand City Hall in New York
G
'Twas a wonderful craft
D
She was rigged fore and aft
G D
And oh, how the wild wind drove her
G
She stood several blasts
Em C
She had twenty seven masts
G D G
And they called her The Irish Rover
[Verse 2]
G C
We had one million bags of the best Sligo rags
G D
We had two million barrels of stone
G C
We had three million sides of old blind horses hides
G D G
We had four million barrels of bones
G
We had five million hogs
D
And six million dogs
G D
Seven million barrels of porter
G Em C
We had eight million bails of old nanny-goats' tails
G D G
In the hold of the Irish Rover
[Verse 3]
G
There was awl Mickey Coote
C
Who played hard on his flute
G D
When the ladies lined up for a set
G
He was tootin' with skill
C
For each sparkling quadrille
G D G
Though the dancers were fluther'd and bet
G
With his smart witty talk
D
He was cock of the walk
G D
And he rolled the dames under and over
G
They all knew at a glance
Em C
When he took up his stance
G D G
That he sailed in The Irish Rover
[Verse 4]
G
There was Barney McGee
C
From the banks of the Lee
G D
There was Hogan from County Tyrone
G
There was Johnny McGirr
C
Who was scared stiff of work
G D G
And a man from Westmeath called Malone
G
There was Slugger O'Toole
D
Who was drunk as a rule
G D
And Fighting Bill Treacy from Dover
G
And your man, Mick MacCann
Em C
From the banks of the Bann
G D G
Was the skipper of the Irish Rover
[Verse 5]
G C
For a sailor it's always a bother in life
G D
It's so lonesome by night and day
G
That he longs for the shore
C
And a charming young whore
G D G
Who will melt all his troubles away
G
Oh, the noise and the rout
D
Swillin' poitin and stout
G D
For him soon the torment's over
G
Of the love of a maid
Em C
He is never afraid
G D G
An old salt from the Irish Rover
[Verse 6]
G
We had sailed seven years
C
When the measles broke out
G D
And the ship lost its way in the fog
G
And that whale of a crew
C
Was reduced down to two
G D G
Just myself and the Captain's old dog
G
Then the ship struck a rock
D
Oh Lord what a shock
G D
The bulkhead was turned right over
G
Turned nine times around
Em C
And the poor old dog was drowned
G D G
I'm the last of The Irish Rover

The Irish Rover chords and lyrics

Free chords for The Irish Rover by The Pogues. Scroll the interactive sheet above or read the chord names inline below.

[Verse 1]
[Verse 2]
[Verse 3]
[Verse 4]
[Verse 5]
[Verse 6]

The Irish Rover Chords by The Pogues

Learn how to play The Irish Rover by The Pogues with free guitar chords, lyrics, and interactive chord diagrams. Search for “The Irish Rover chords”, “The Irish Rover guitar chords”, or “The Pogues The Irish Rover 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 The Irish Rover chords and for experienced players who want accurate The Irish Rover lyrics and chords in one place. Common chords in this song include G, C, D, Em.

Frequently asked questions about The Irish Rover

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Is "The Irish Rover" easy to play on guitar?

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What key is "The Irish Rover" in?

The chords for "The Irish Rover" show the original chord names (including G, C, D, Em). Use transpose to move the song into any key that fits your voice or capo.