Chords for P.J Murrihy - West Clare Famine Song

_ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ [F] _ _ _
[C] _ _ _ [G] _ _ _
[C] _ _ _ _ As I walk along by the Shannon _ [F] side, that [C] Viking tower [G] I _ _ see
[C] On _ _ Ninnishkike _ _ _ [F] Island _ [C] on the Shannon _ [G] _ _ _
[C] estuary _ _ _
A mile or so _ from Kilrush town in that ancient _ _ [G] cemetery _ _ _ _
[C] The sacred _ soil of _ [F] Shanak Isle [C] holds tearful [G] _ _
[C] memories _ _ _ _
Many victims of those famine _ [F] days in [C] that graveyard _ rest [G] in _ peace _ _
[C] _ _ _ Overcome by _ [F] hunger, _ _
[C] eviction _ [G] and _
[C] _ disease
_ To the workhouse _ in Kilrush they flocked for twenty _ miles [G] or so
_ But no [C] food or shelter _ could be [F] found to [C] spill [G] to _ _
[C] overflow
_ _ From _ _ Iartha and Kilbally _ [F] on [C] a group of people [G] _ sailed _ _
[C] On a _ _ ferryboat to _ Kilrush [F] town but [C] their mission _ [G] sadly _
[C] _ failed
_ From the workhouse they were turned _ away on a cold _ December [G] _ day
_ And [C] their bodies sank just yards from [F] shore [C] at Powal [G] Na Sherry _
[C] Bay
_ _ That tragedy _ _ _ claimed forty [F]-one but just [C] _ four _ surviving [G] _ _ souls
On that [C] _ _ _ overcrowded _
_ _ _ [F] ferryboat [C] that sailed out [G] _ from [C] _ Kamoog _ _ _
Eviction, _ blight and the _ tyrant's hand, the West has _ seen it [G] _ all
_ But [C] the fire it never left their [F] hearts, they [C] _ answered [G] to the [C] _ _ call
In Kilratha _ church lies the little _ [F] ark they [C] built their faith [G] to _ save
When in [C] _ bygone days they were forced [F] to worship [C] by _ [G] the ocean [C] _ wave _ _
[F] From the lighthouse _ top as you look _ [Em] across through [C] the heart of old _
[G] _ _ Westclare
For [C] the victims _ of those famine _ [F] days [C] whisper _ _ a [G]
silent prayer
[C] _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _