Only Our Rivers Run Free chords
Christy Moore

  • Only Our Rivers Run Free was written by Mickey MacConnell from Bellanaleck in County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland - 1973.
  • This cover by Christy Moore is from the album Time Has Come.
  • Music: Key of C Major in 3/4 time at ~102 bpm (♩)
  • Chords: C, G, F, Am, Em
  • Ideal for beginners - excellent song - beautiful rendition
Chart Legend
Numbered Circles: Fingers used to play chords   O: Optional Note
Barre Line: One finger holds down multiple strings   R: Root Note
Unmarked strings: Play open   X: Don't play string    B: Bass Note
C Major G Major F Major Am Em
C Major G Major F Major Am Em

Only Our Rivers Run Free

Song Key is highlighted - Transpose to any other key 
        C             G          C
1. When ap-ples still grow in No-vem-ber
        F               C               G
   When Blos-soms still bloom from each tree
        F                            C
   When leaves are still green in De-cem-ber
        G                          Am
   It's then that our land will be free
     F                     C
   I wan-der her hills and val-leys
       F                          Em
   And still through my sor-row I see
     F                         C
   A land that has never known free-dom
   G                     Am
   On-ly her ri-vers run free 

     F            G            C
2. I drink to the death of her man-hood
         F             C            G
   Those men who would ra-ther have died
           F                          C
   Than to live in the cold chains of bon-dage
      G                            Am
   To bring back their rights were de-nied
   F                         C
   Where are you now when we need you
        F                             Em
   What burns where the flame used to be
          F                           C
   Are ye gone like the snows of last win-ter
        G                     Am
   Will on-ly our ri-vers run free? 

       F        G              C
3. How sweet is life but we're cry-ing
       F           C              G
   How mel-low the wine that were dry
       F                           C
   How fra-grant the rose but it's dy-ing
       G                       Am
   How gen-tle the wind but it sighs 
        F                          C
   What good is in youth when it's age-ing
        F                         Em
   What joy is in eyes that can't see 
                F                        C
   When there's sor-row in sun-shine and flow-ers
       G                     Am
   And on-ly our ri-vers run free

Christy Moore

Christy Moore
Christy Moore

Born: Christopher Andrew Moore on the 7th May 1945 in Newbridge, County Kildare, Ireland

Occupation: Musician, songwriter

Instruments: Vocals, guitar, bodhrán

Active Years: 1969 – present

Music Styles: Folk, Traditional Irish, Pop

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A seasoned performer joyfully playing the guitar