Em

[Verse]
   Em             Em             C               Em
Oh father dear, I often hear you speak of Erin's isle
    C                 G                  G         C        Em
Her lofty scenes, her valleys green, her mountains rude and wild
     C           G                G    C            Em
They say it is a lovely land wherein a prince might dwell
     D            G                 Em           Em
Then why did you abandon it, oh the reason to me tell

   Em              Em               C          Em
Oh son, I loved my native land with energy and pride
       C                G                    G         C      Em
Till a blight came over all my crops, and my sheep and cattle died
    C               G                  G         C      Em
The rents and taxes were to pay, and I could not them redeem
    D                G        Em              Em
And that's the cruel reason I left old Skibbereen

     Em          Em         C              Em
'Tis well I do remember the bleak November day
         C               G                G        C    Em
When the bailiff and the landlord came to drive us all away
     C               G               G      C       Em
They set the roof on fire with their cursed English spleen
    D              G        Em              Em
And that's another reason I left old Skibbereen

        Em              Em                 C            Em
Oh your mother too, God rest her soul, lay on the snowy ground
    C              G                     G   C       Em
She fainted in her anguishing seeing the desolation 'round
    C               G                 G       C        Em
She never rose, but passed away, from life to immortal dreams
    D              G        Em              Em
And that's another reason I left old Skibbereen

   Em            Em                 C               Em
Oh you were only two years old, and feeble was your frame
  C                   G                        G         C        Em
I could not leave you with my friends, for you bore your father's name
  C                 G               G       C       Em
I wrapped you in my cóta mór in the dead of night unseen
      D                    G               Em              Em
And I heaved a sigh, and I said goodbye to dear old Skibbereen

   Em               Em                    C                 Em
Oh father dear, the day will come when on vengeance we will call
    C              G                   G       C      Em
And Irish men both stout and tall will rally unto the call
     C             G               G         C       Em
I'll be the man to lead the band beneath the flag of green
    D                    G                Em               Em
And loud and high, we'll raise the cry, Revenge for Skibbereen!