Daoiri Farrell - The Little Drummer Chords

 The Little Drummer is a song from Daoiri's first album "The First Turn" 

Here's a solo version 

And a fantastic live version with Keeva feat. Alan Doherty, Tola Custy and Gerry Paul

 

{t:The Little Drummer}

{st:Daoiri Farrell}

#Studio Version

O[Dm]ne fine summer's morning, both gallant and gay,

[Dm]Twenty-four ladies went [C]out on the quay,

And a [Bb]regiment of soldiers did [Am]soon pass them [C]by,

[Bb]A drummer and [C]one of them [Am]soon caught his [Dm]eye.

 

He [Dm]went to his comrades and [Am]to them did [Dm]say,

"Tw[Dm]enty-four ladies I [C]saw yesterday,

And [Dm]one of those ladies she [C]has me heart won,

And [Bb]if she den[C]ies me then s[Am]urely I'm [G]done." [F][G][Am]

 

"Go [Dm]off to this woman and [Am]tell her your [Dm]blight

[Dm]Tell her she's wounded your [Am]poor heart inside.

Go and [Bb]tell her she's wounded your [C]poor heart, full sore,

And [Bb]if she de[C]nies you what [Am]can you do [Dm]more?"

 

So [Dm]early next morning this [Am]young man arose,[Dm] 

And he [Dm]dressed himself up in a fine[Am] suit of clothes,

With a [Bb]watch in his pocket and a [Am]cane in his hand,

He sal[Bb]uted those [C]ladies as he [Am]walked down the [G]strand. [F][G][Am]

 

Well he [Dm]walked up to her and he says [Am]"Pardon [Dm]me,

[Dm]Pardon me lady for [C]making so free,

Me fi[Bb]ne honored lady, you [Am]have me heart won,

And [Bb]if you deny [C]me I'm [Am]surely un[Dm]done."

 

"Go [Dm]off little drummer, now [Am]what do you [Dm]mean?

For I[Dm]'m the lord's daughter of [Am]Ballycasteen.

[Bb]I'm the lord's daughter of [Am]honour, you see,

Go[Bb] little [C]drummer, you're [Am]making too [G]free." [F][G][Am]

 

So he [Dm]put on his hat and he [Am]bade her fare[Dm]well

Saying "[Dm]I'll send my soul down to [Am]heaven or hell.

For [Dm]with this long pistol that [C]hangs by my side,

[Bb]I'll put an [C]end to my [Am]own dreary [G]life."

 

 

[Dm]"Come back little drummer, now [Am]what do you [Dm]mean,

[Dm]For I do not want to be [Am]guilty of sin,

[Dm]To be guilty of innocent [Am]blood for to spill.

Come [Bb]back little [C]drummer, I'm [Am]here at your [Bb]will."[C][Bb][A5]

 

"We'[Bb]ll hire a [C]car and to [Am]Bansheer we'll [Dm]go.

[Dm]There we'll be married in s[Am]pite of our foes.

But [Bb]what can they say when it's o[Am]ver and done,

But [Bb]I fell in [C]love with the [Am]roll of your drum?[Dm]"

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.

Here I have collected some videos how this app works.

Here's a tutorial video by Brent Matusik where he explains how to play it:

I asked chatgpt to make a search for the origins of the song. After all I let it write a short text about what it found out. It took some time and help until chatgpt found some more information:

The Little Drummer is a traditional folk song that has been performed by artists like Daoirí Farrell, Christy Moore (with Planxty), and other folk groups including Reel More, Fialla, and Inish. The song tells a romantic narrative: a young drummer courts a noblewoman, is initially rejected due to class, threatens to take his own life, and eventually wins her love.

The song has been catalogued in the Roud Folk Song Index as Roud 2749, confirming its place in the oral folk tradition. One early recording comes from Martin Gorman, a singer from County Sligo, recorded in London in 1966. His version appears in The Voice of the People series, a respected anthology of traditional British and Irish folk song.

While no definitive 19th-century broadside version has been identified yet, the song’s presence in field recordings and its appearance in multiple regional repertoires suggest that it circulated widely in oral tradition. Its classification as “Trad. / Arr.” in recordings further supports its traditional roots.

“The Little Drummer” remains a staple in Irish folk circles, offering a blend of romance, class conflict, and timeless melody that continues to resonate with modern audiences.

Daoiri Farrell - Valentine O'Hara - Chords

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

Valentine O’Hara is a traditional Irish ballad telling the dramatic life story of a doomed antihero. The narrator, Valentine, is an Irishman who flees his homeland after getting a woman pregnant. He joins the British army, serves abroad, but is flogged by a cruel officer and deserts. Homeless and hunted, he turns to highway robbery—stealing from nobles and giving to the poor, in a Robin Hood-like twist. Ultimately, he is captured and sentenced to hang at Tyburn.

The ballad exists in multiple versions across Ireland and Britain, often under titles like Alan Tyne of Harrow. The Irish version, Valentine O’Hara, is believed to be the oldest. Daoirí Farrell learned it from Frank Harte’s powerful rendition and included his own arrangement on his 2019 album A Lifetime of Happiness, with contributions from Dónal Lunny.

The song captures themes of exile, injustice, rebellion, and fate, and stands as a vivid example of Irish folk storytelling. Though rooted in history, its emotional core—freedom lost and honor sought—remains timeless.

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

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.

Here I have collected some videos how this app works.

Eoin O'Neill - Collected Tabs

Eoin O’Neill is a bouzouki player, singer, radio presenter, and a central figure in the traditional Irish music scene of County Clare.

Although not originally from Clare, he moved to Doolin in late 1979 and quickly became an integral part of the local music tradition. His style is characterized by dynamic accompaniment: powerful bouzouki rhythms, a strong sense of groove, and a keen ear for the musical atmosphere in both sessions and concerts.

He has performed with renowned musicians such as Mary Custy, Sharon Shannon, and Kevin Griffin, and has contributed to numerous albums as both a collaborator and accompanist. In addition, he hosts radio shows on Clare FM, where he often highlights local and lesser-known musicians.

In recognition of his contributions, he received the MÓRglór Award in 2015—an honor celebrating outstanding achievements in traditional music in County Clare.

Over the years I tried to make tabs of his playing. Here's a list of my tabs:

- The Cliffs Of Moher (In Session 2)

- Martyn Wynne's No. 3 (Video Recording with Manus McGuire)

- The Pinches Snuff (Video Recording with Manus McGuire)

- The Laurel Tree (Video Recording with Manus McGuire)

- Down By The Sally Gardens (Song ADAD)

- The Road To Drumlemon (Song with Noirin Lynch)

- Whelan's Old Sow (with Brid O'Gorman)

Those were the days - Piaras Ó Lorcáin (written by Barry Ker)

 Piaras Ó Lorcáin is definitely one of the upcoming new voices in Irish Folk. I posted about him some time ago (look here).

This is a video of a live performance for TG4. He sings a song composed by Barry Kerr, who is an acclaimed Irish composer, singer-songwriter, and visual artist from Co. Armagh now based in Connemara. A touring musician for over two decades, he has collaborated with some of Irelands most renowned artists and was the recipient of the inaugural Liam O'Flynn Award from the National Concert Hall.

This is the Original Version by Barry Kerr:

Here are the chords: Piaras has the capo on 1st fret!

{t:Those Were The Days}

{st:Berry Kerr}

{soh}Piaras Ó Lorcáin{eoh}

{soc}

Oh, I [G]Wish I Was Singing With [D]Mickie And Margies Girls

[G]Down In Wood[D]lawn 

Where The [G]Songs From Home

Turned [D]Way Up Loud

And The [Bm]Football And Hurling [A]On

Those We're The [G]Days

And The [D]Nights

The [G]Laughter And The [D]Fights

The [G]Phone Call Home When [D]Feeling Alone

[Bm]Somehow Made It Seem [A]Right

Those We're The [G]Days 

And The [D]Nights

{eoc}

 

[A]

I Was Making The [G]Money Doing [D]Well

But I [G]Lost It And I [D]Fell 

Oh I [G]Backed The Wrong Horse

And [D]Out Of My Cost

And [Bm]Serving My Penance In [A]Hell

 

{soc}

Those We're The [G]Days

And The [D]Nights

The [G]Laughter And The [D] Fights

The [G]Phone Call Home When [D]Feeling Alone

[Bm]Somehow Made It Seem [A]Right

Those We're The [G]Days pause

And The [D]Nights

{eoc}

 

{soc}

I [G]Wish I Was Singing With [D]Mickie And Margies Girls

[G]Down In Wood[D]lawn 

Where The [G]Songs From Home

Turned [D]Way Up Loud

And The [Bm]Football And Hurling [A]On

Those We're The [G]Days

And The [D]Nights

The [G]Laughter And The [D] Fights

The [G]Phone Call Home When [D]Feeling Alone

[Bm]Somehow Made It Seem [A]Right

Those We're The [G]Days pause

And The [D]Nights

{eoc}

[G]Come All You Bar Stool [D]Heroes

Oh, [G]Sing out Your Favourite [D]Songs

Some [G]Whiskey For The [D]Courage

Ah, We'll [Bm]Sing And Right The [A]Wrongs

Oh, We [G]Are The Music [D]Makers

We [G]Are The Dreamers Of [D]Dreams

Oh, [G]Chasing The Ad[D]venture 

And What[Bm]ever It May [A]Bring

 

{soc}

I [G]Wish I Was Singing With [D]Mickie And Margies Girls

[G]Down In Wood[D]lawn 

Where The [G]Songs From Home

Turned [D]Way Up Loud

And The [Bm]Football And Hurling [A]On

Those We're The [G]Days

And The [D]Nights

The [G]Laughter And The [D] Fights

The [G]Phone Call Home When [D]Feeling Alone

[Bm]Somehow Made It Seem [A]Right

Those We're The [G]Days pause

And The [D]Nights

{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.

Here I have collected some videos how this app works.

This is what chatgpt found out about the song:

“Those Were the Days” — Barry Kerr

Barry Kerr’s “Those Were the Days” is a reflective song, written and recorded on tour in the USA, often in hotel rooms or at gig venues. The song tells the story of an Irishman who is “down on his luck,” thinking back with nostalgia to happier times — particularly longing to be back in New York, enjoying the liveliness (“the craic”) of Bronx bars. 

In doing so, Kerr explores themes of homesickness, regret, and the pull of places and memories that once felt alive. The setting — being on the road, in between performances — adds a dimension of longing and transience: the contrast between the current difficult circumstances and the vibrant life once had. 

Source: Berry Kerr on Bandcamp

Interpretation & deeper reading

Putting together what is stated plus what can reasonably be inferred, here is a more in-depth reading:

1. Longing and nostalgia
   The central emotional core of the song is nostalgia — longing for better times, for places and moments that felt full of life. The narrator is “down on his luck,” so the past is not just memory but a contrast to present hardship.

2. Exile, displacement, and homesickness
   The setting includes being on tour in the U.S., away from home. The protagonist is Irish, longing to be back in New York (in the Bronx) where he once felt close to the pulse of social life, “having the craic” (i.e. enjoying good conversation, music, dance, community). The distance and dislocation amplify the emotional weight of memory.

3. Communal restoration / music as solace
   In the opening lines, the idea of “barstool heroes” gathering, singing their favorite songs, and issuing “some whiskey for the courage” suggests that community and music are the means by which the narrator (and those around him) cope with regret or loss. It is as though in singing together, they seek to “right the wrongs” — heal or reinterpret the past, or find strength in shared memory.

4. Regret, missed opportunities, and reflection
   The contrast between past and present suggests that certain choices, chances, or relationships may have been lost or mismanaged. The tone is not triumphant; it is tinged with sadness, but also with a kind of hopeful reckoning — through remembering, through gathering, one might reclaim something or find solace.

5. Temporal tension
   Because the song was literally composed on the road, in transient spaces (hotel rooms, venues), that sense of impermanence seeps into the song. The present is unstable; the past, though unreachable, feels more stable by comparison. This heightens the emotional urgency of the nostalgia.