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# This file is the author's own work and represents their interpretation of the #
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Kilkelly chords
Irish Roses (Steve & Peter Jones /Kilkelly, Ireland) (from the Irish Roses 2010
album Women of Celtic)
Capo III*
Bm
Bm D A Bm
Kilkelly, Ireland, 18 and 60, my dear and loving son John
D A
Your good friend the schoolmaster Pat McNamara's so good
Bm
As to write these words down.
D A
Your brothers have all gone to find work in England,
Bm A
The house is so empty and sad
Bm D
The crop of potatoes is sorely infected,
A Bm
A third to a half of them bad.
D A
And your sister Brigid and Patrick O'Donnell
Bm A
Are going to be married in June.
Bm D
Your mother says not to work on the railroad
A Bm
And be sure to come on home soon.
Bm D A Bm
Kilkelly, Ireland, 18 and 70, dear and loving son John
D
Hello to your Mrs and to your 4 children,
A Bm
May they grow to be healthy and strong.
D A
Michael has got in a wee bit of trouble,
Bm A
I guess that he never will learn.
Bm D
Because of the dampness there's no turf to speak of
A Bm
And now we have nothing to burn.
D A
And Brigid is happy, you named a child for her
Bm A
And now she's got six of her own.
Bm D
You say you found work, but you won't say
A Bm
What kind or when you will be coming home.
Bm D A Bm
Kilkelly, Ireland, 18 and 80, dear Michael and John, my sons
D
I'm sorry to give you the very sad news
A Bm
That your dear old mother has gone.
D A
We buried her down at the church in Kilkelly,
Bm A
Your brothers and Brigid were there.
Bm D
And you don't have to worry, she died very quickly,
A Bm
Remember her in your prayers.
D A
And it's so good to hear that Michael's returning,
Bm A
With money he's sure to buy land
Bm D
For the crop has been poor and the people
A Bm
Are selling at any price that they can.
Bm D A Bm
Kilkelly, Ireland, 18 and 90, my dear and loving son John
D
I guess that I must be close on to eighty,
A Bm
It's thirty years since you're gone.
D A
Because of all of the money you send me,
Bm A
I'm still living out on my own.
Bm D
And Michael has built himself a fine house
A Bm
And Brigid's daughters have grown.
D A
Thank you for sending your family picture,
Bm A
They're lovely young women and men.
Bm D
You say that you might even come for a visit,
A Bm
What a joy to see you again.
Bm D A Bm
Kilkelly, Ireland, 18 and 92, my dear brother John
D A Bm
I'm sorry that I didn't write sooner to tell you that father passed on.
D A
He was living with Brigid, she says he was cheerful
Bm A
And healthy right down to the end.
Bm D
Ah, you should have seen him play with
A Bm
The grandchildren of Pat McNamara, your friend.
D A
And we buried him alongside of your poor mother,
Bm A
Down at the Kilkelly churchyard.
Bm D
Oh, he was a strong and a feisty old man,
A Bm
Considering his life was so hard.
D A
And it's funny the way he kept talking about you,
Bm A
He called for you in the end.
Bm D
Oh, why don't you think about coming to visit,
A D
We'd all love to see you again.
*Alternates:
Capo V
Bm = Am
D = C
A = G
Capo I
Bm = C#m
D = E
A = B
Set8
