And today I tabbed the first verse. I had lots of trouble to put in the lyrics in Tabledit, so they may not be at the correct places. You can download the full pdf here.
There's a mistake in the tab, in Tacet 11 the chord has to be G!
This is a fine example of Polka accompanyment. The tune is in G, so you could play it with capo on 5th fret with D chords, but Fintan plays without capo in G. So this is a good example to practice playing in G.
I tried to tab the accompanyment. As the first half is not complete I inserted the first part of the second round through the tune. You can download the whole pdf here.
A lovely version of this Liz Carroll tune here played by Fuar. I can't find any information about the band online. They released an album called "Music in the glen" which you can find on Spotify and Apple Music.
This is what my tab of the bouzouki part looks like. If you like you can download the full tab here:
I found this recording on my harddrive. Tom Oakes sent it to members of a flute workshop some time ago. I love his bouzouki accompaniment here. So I tried to tab it.
As you can't listen to only one tune of the album on bandcamp I uploaded the first part of the jig to youtube so you can have a listen to what it sounds like.
Over the years, I have made and collected several tabs and chord sheets from Daoiri Farrell. Over the last 10 years, he has undoubtedly become one of Ireland's most influential singers.
I first met him in 2011 at a weekend workshop and was impressed by his manner and musicality. At the time, he was still relatively unknown and had just released his first CD, which I had to purchase immediately.
I still have a video of him playing my bouzouki made by Heiner Dreizehnter and singing the song ‘Paddy's Green Shamrock Shore’. I had requested this song because he had sung it at the ceilidh the night before. You can also find this video on YouTube.
A beautiful, well known Jig here played by Shannon Heaton, backed by her husband Matt on bouzouki. This is the warmup Jig at this VGS from Nov. 19, 2023. Delicate playing from Matt with lovely countermelody and second voicings. Jig starts approx. at 6:46.
A beautiful, well known Jig here played by Shannon Heaton, backed by her husband Matt on bouzouki. This is the warmup Jig at this VGS from Nov. 19, 2023. Delicate playing from Matt with lovely countermelody and second voicings. Jig starts approx. at 6:46.
Originally from Tipperary, Vincent Fogarty now lives in the heart of Ireland’s traditional music scene in Corofin, County Clare. A skilled bouzouki player, he is known for his clear, rhythmically precise accompaniment and his deep connection to the musical heritage of the west of Ireland.
Initially influenced by rock and blues, Fogarty discovered his passion for traditional Irish music in the 1990s. It was the vibrant session culture of Doolin that particularly shaped his musical path. Today, he is a regular fixture in the scene and frequently performs in well-known pubs such as McGann’s, McDermott’s, and O’Connor’s.
In addition to his solo work, Vincent is also a member of the band The Red Wellies, with whom he released a well-received album. His bouzouki playing is marked by musical depth, technical finesse, and a strong sense of collaboration—qualities that make him a respected figure in Irish music, both at home and abroad.
Daoiri released this song as a single during Covid. He plays it on his Bass-Bouzouki in C without capo (with D shapes). As I don't own a Bass-Bouzouki I have to play it with capo on 5th fret and G-Shapes.
This is the Covid Lockdown Version (Sorry for the bad sound, it is as it was )
{t:When The Breakers Go Back On Full Time}
{st:Daoiri Farrell}
Capo 5
{soc}
Oh, and it's [G]ah, sure if the news be true,
The store bills the first thing I'll [C]pay,
A [D]Grand parlor suit for the lounge I will [D7]buy
And an [C]organ for Biddy, [D]hurray ([D7]HOORAY)
Me [G]calico skirt I will throw into the dirt
In a new one I'll cut a [C]shine
And the [D]very next chance, I'll put Seamus in [D7]pants
When the [C]breaker goes [D]back on full [G]time
{eoc}
Oh, our [G]troubles are over, Mrs. Murphy,
The Dutchman next door tells me strai[C]ght
Oh the [D]mines, they go full time on Monday[D7]
[C]That's what he says to me any [D]rate[D7]
And the [G]boss he told Michael this morning
As he was just enterin the [C]mine
That the [C]coal i[D]s quite scarce around in P[G]hilly [Em]
And the [C]breaker goes [D]back on full [G]time
{soc}
Oh, and it's [G]ah, sure if the news be true,
The store bills the first thing I'll [C]pay,
A [D]Grand parlor suit for the lounge I will [D7]buy
And an [C]organ for Biddy, [D]hurray ([D7]HOORAY)
Me [G]calico skirt I will throw into the dirt
In a new one I'll cut a [C]shine
And the [D]very next chance, I'll put Seamus in [D7]pants
When the [C]breaker goes [D]back on full [G]time
{eoc}
I'll [G]ne'er put me hand in the washtub
The Chinaman he'll get me [C]trade
And I'll ne'er [D]pick the coal off the slate bank[D7]
No I'll [C]buy everything ready-[D]made [D7]
We'll [G]dress up our children like fairies
And we'll build a house big and [C]fine
And we'll mo[C]ve right aw[D]ay from the [G]round heads [Em]
When the [C]breaker goes [D]back on full [G]time
{soc}
Oh, and it's [G]ah, sure if the news be true,
The store bills the first thing I'll [C]pay,
A [D]Grand parlor suit for the lounge I will [D7]buy
And an [C]organ for Biddy, [D]hurray ([D7]HOORAY)
Me [G]calico skirt I will throw into the dirt
In a new one I'll cut a [C]shine
And the [D]very next chance, I'll put Seamus in [D7]pants
When the [C]breaker goes [D]back on full [G]time
And the [D]very next chance, I'll put Seamus in [D7]pants
When the [C]breaker goes [D]back on full [G]time
{eoc}
If you copy these lyrics and import them into an lyrics and chords app like Songbook you can see the chords above the lyrics, transpose etc. In the Songbook app you can define Bouzouki as instrument and it has chords implemented so you can see how to play them. You even can define your own chords, which is really handy sometimes. The app is available for most platforms.
Because the full lyrics aren’t generally available in public sources, what follows is a summary based on reviews, commentary, and what DaoirĂ has said about the song.
Theme / Voice: The song is sung from the perspective of a worker (a coal miner or someone connected to mining / the coalfields) who is waiting for better days. The “breakers” here refers to the coal breakers — these are machines or processing plants in coal mines that break coal up and prepare it for transport. When the breaker is “on full time,” it means there’s full work in the mines, seasonal or temporary idleness is over, and full production has resumed.
Desire & Hope: The narrator is longing for the return of steady work. When production is running full‑time, that means more income, stability, being able to meet obligations (pay store bills), better provisions for the family, maybe improvements to clothing or living standards.
Relief from hardship: In periods when the breaker is not working “full‑time,” life is harder: irregular pay, worry, perhaps debt, worry about affording basic necessities. The song expresses hope for a change: that soon things will be better.
Promises & Plans: The lyrics imagine what the narrator will do when work returns — pay the bills, buy a “suit,” dress the kids, improve the house, etc. There is a sense of celebration in anticipation: once the work comes, life will improve.
Contrast & Tension: There is both hope but also doubt; because often in mining communities, promises of resumption of full work are made and then delayed, or conditions fluctuate. So the song reflects both longing and resignation, mixed with optimism.
Background & Context
Here are important details about the song’s origins, meaning, and how DaoirĂ Farrell came to record it:
Traditional / Folk Roots: “When the Breakers Go Back On Fulltime” is a song previously recorded by Frank Harte & DĂłnal Lunny, two well‑known figures in the Irish folk tradition. DaoirĂ’s version is a traditional arrangement.
Album & Timing: It appears on DaoirĂ Farrell’s single The Lockdown, released 26 June 2020. It was recorded live from his home during the COVID‑19 pandemic, as part of his weekly “Corner Sessions” live‑streaming performances.
Relation to Lockdown Experience: DaoirĂ has said that When the Breakers Go Back On Fulltime was chosen in part because its theme — longing for the return of steady work — resonated with many people during the lockdowns, when many workers were furloughed, unemployed, or unable to work. The song’s message parallels the experience of uncertainty, waiting for full normality to resume.
