Daoiri Farrell - Valentine O'Hara - Chords

 This is song from his "A Lifetime of Happiness" album. 

Now here's lyrics and chords. Daoiri plays in C so put capo on the 5th fret.

{t:Valentine O'Hara}

{st:Daori Farrell}

Capo 5

I [G]am a gallant [C]highway [G]man, called [C]Valen[D]tine O'[G]Hara

And I [C]come from poor but [G]decent [D]folk nigh [G]to the [C]Hill of [D]Tara

By the [D]getting of a [G]maid with child, to [C]England [F]I went[G] over

I [G]left my [C]parents and [G]I be[D]came a [G]wild and [D]daring [G]rover

 

Well, it's [G]straight to England [C]I did [G]go, where [C]I be[D]came a [G]soldier

Re[C]solved to fight Bri[G]tannia's [D]foes; no [G]Hector [C]great was [D]bolder

I [D]fought all in some [G]foreign shores, where the [C]cannons [F]loud did[G] rattle

[G]Believe me [C]boys, I [G]do not [D]boast how [G]I be[D]haved in [G]battle

 

Well it's [G]many's the battle [C]I fought [G]in, in [C]Holland [D]and French [G]Flanders

For I [C]always fought with a [G]courage [D]keen, led [G]on by [C]great [D]commanders

Until a [D]cruel Ensign [G]found me out, and [C]I was [F]flogged and[G] carted

Oh [G]Cruel [C]Usage [G]they gave [D]me, and [G]so I [D]soon de[G]parted

 

 

Well it's [G]straight back to England [C]I did [G]go as [C]fast as [D]winds would [G]drive me

Re[C]solved that of my [G]liber[D]ty, no [G]man could [C]e'er [D]deny me

For I [D]slept out in the [G]fields at night, by [C]all my [F]friends[G] forsaken

I [G]dared not [C]walk the [G]road by [D]day, for [G]fear I [D]might be [G]taken

 

But [G]I being of a [C]courage [G]keen and [C]likewise [D]able-[G]bodied

I [C]robbed Lord Nelson on the [G]King's [D]Highway with my [G]pistols [C]heavy [D]loaded

I [D]placed my pistols [G]to his breast which [C]caused his [F]heart to[G] quiver

Five-[G]hundred [C]pounds in [G]ready [D]gold to [G]me he [D]did de[G]liver

 

Well, with [G]part of my new [C]store of [G]gold I [C]bought a [D]famous [G]gelding

That [C]could jump o'er a [G]five-bar [D]gate, and I [G]bought it [C]from Ned [D]Fielding

Lord [D]Arkinstone all [G]in his coach I [C]robbed near [F]Covent[G] Garden

And [G]two hours [C]later [G]that same [D]night I [G]robbed the [D]Earl of [G]Warren

 

In [G]Turnham Green I [C]next did [G]rob the [C]reve[D]nue col[G]lector

And [C]what I took from [G]him I [D]gave to a [G]widow [C]to pro[D]tect her

I [D]always robbed the [G]rich and great, for to [C]rob the [F]poor I[G] scorned it

And [G]now in [C]iron [G]chains I'm [D]bound and [G]dooomed I [D]now lie [G]burning

 

And it's [G]straight to Newgate [C]I do [G]go, all [C]by the [D]law con[G]victed

To [C]hang all on the [G]Tyburn [D]tree, of [G]which I'm [C]much af[D]frighted

[D]Farewell my friends and [G]neighbors all, like[C]wise my [F]native[G] Tara

Kind [G]provi[C]dence may [G]test the [D]soul of [G]Valen[D]tine O'[G]Hara

I have to admit, that I really enjoy asking AI about lyrics of songs. Here's what came out:

Here’s a summary of “Valentine O’Hara” as sung by Daoirí Farrell, including its main narrative and themes:

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 Story / Narrative

1. Valentine’s origins & departure
   Valentine O’Hara introduces himself as a highwayman, born into “poor but decent folk” near the Hill of Tara in Ireland. 
   He has a child with a maid, and for that reason he leaves for England, abandoning his parents and becoming a “wild and daring rover.” 

2. Service as a soldier
   In England, Valentine becomes a soldier. He’s resolved to fight against “Britannia’s foes,” demonstrating bravery and participating in battles overseas. 
   He fights in places like Holland and French Flanders under distinguished commanders. 

3. Betrayal / downfall of soldier’s life
   Valentine is discovered (or “found out”) by a cruel ensign. As punishment, he is flogged and “carted.” Disillusioned, he leaves or deserts the service. 

4. Turning to outlawry
   Back in England (or returning from abroad), he can’t fully reintegrate. He’s forced into hiding, sleeping in fields at night, walking by night rather than day for fear of capture. He becomes a highwayman: he robs wealthy people (lords, coaches, etc.), often with pistols, and takes large sums of gold. 

5. Some acts of a moral tone
   While doing these robberies, Valentine has a certain moral code: he “always robbed the rich and great,” but shuns robbing the poor. In one case, what he took from a revenue collector is given to a widow. 

6. Capture & impending execution
   Ultimately, Valentine is caught, convicted, and imprisoned (in Newgate). He fears execution (Tyburn Tree is mentioned—a notorious gallows in old England). He bids farewell to his “friends, neighbours, and native Tara.” 

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 Themes & Meanings

• Rebellion & Identity: Valentine rejects constraints—of his background, of military injustice, even of legal authority. His identity as an outlaw becomes his statement.

• Honor among rogues: The song plays with the idea that even someone who breaks the law can keep a moral code (e.g. not robbing the poor, giving to the needy).

• Punishment, injustice, luck: The idea that bravery alone doesn’t protect you. Valentine suffers punishment by superiors, then by the law.

• Home & exile: Even when he is far from home, hiding or outlawed, his native Tara remains significant—a sense of belonging, regret, or longing for origins.

• Inevitability of fate: Despite all his deeds, both noble and outlawed, Valentine faces the consequences; death (or execution) approaches. There's also resignation in his tone.