The Irish National Anthem chords

A Soldier's Song... Amhrán na bhFiann

  • The Irish National Anthem is also referred to as A Soldier's Song.
  • Music: Original Key Signature of B♭ Major in 4/4 time at ~ 102 bpm (♩)
  • Song Chords: B♭, F, F7, E♭, C, C7, Dm, Gm
  • Easier in G Major: No barre chords if you play Bm in the open position. Both versions are included in the charts below.
  • Chords in G Major: G, D, D7, C, A, A7, Bm, Em
  • Use the Transposer for all other keys.
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
G Major D Major D7 C Major A Major A7 Em Bm Bm
G Major D Major D7 C Major A Major A7 Em Bm Bm

Irish National Anthem - A Soldiers Song

Capo on 3 if playing with the video

Song Key is highlighted - Transpose to any other key
         G      D       C          G
1. We'll sing a song, a sol-dier's song
        C         G        D
   With cheer-ing rous-ing cho-rus
      G         D        C        G
   As round our blaz-ing fires we throng
       D       A        D 
   The star-ry hea-vens o'er us
      C        D7      G 
   Im-pa-tient for the com-ing fight
       D     A7       D          D7 
   And as we wait the morn-ing's light
        G      D        C      Bm
   Here in the si-lence of the night
         G       D7         G 
   We'll chant a sol-dier's song 

        G                        C                    G
Chorus: Sol-diers are we   Whose lives are pledged to Ire-land
        G    Bm   Em            A                D
        Some have come   From a land be-yond the wave
        G                     C                 G
        Sworn to be free   No more our an-cient sire land
              D            A7             D
        Shall shel-ter the des-pot or the slave
           Am       D7      G
        To-night we man the bear-na baoil
          D        A7          D      D7  
        In E-rin's cause, come woe or weal
            G         D        C        A7
       'Mid can-non's roar and ri-fles' peal
              G       D7         G 
        We'll chant a sol-dier's song 

      G       D         C          G
2. In val-ley green, on tow-er-ing crag
       C        G         D
   Our fa-thers fought be-fore us
       G           D         C        G
   And con-quered 'neath the same old flag
          D        A         D 
   That's proud-ly float-ing o'er us
         C         D7   G
   We're child-ren of a fight-ing race
        D      A7      D         D7 
   That ne-ver yet has known dis-grace
       G     D          C      Bm
   And as we march, the foe to face
         G       D7         G 
   We'll chant a sol-dier's song

Chorus:

   G           D     C          G
3. Sons of the Gael! Men of the Pale!
       C            G      D
   The long watched day is break-ing;
       G        D        C     G
   The ser-ried ranks of In-is-fail
         D       A       D 
   Shall set the Ty-rant quak-ing.
       C          D7      G 
   Our camp fires now are burn-ing low;
       D      A7     D        D7 
   See in the east a silv'-ry glow,
       G       D         C      Bm
   Out yon-der waits the Sa-xon foe,
      G       D7         G 
   So chant a sol-dier's song.

Chorus:

A Soldiers Song
Satellite photo of Ireland
Ireland the Beautiful!

English: A Soldier's Song

Irish: Amhran na bhFiann

Music: Patrick Heeney, 1907

English Lyrics: Peadar Kearney, 1907

Irish Lyrics: Liam Ó Rinn, 1923

Chorus: Designated for the Anthem

Officially adopted as the National Irish Anthem by the Executive Council on 2nd July, 1926

The song by The Davitts is featured on the album Celtic Anthems which also includes other favourite Irish songs of Nationhood.

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