Words * Guitar Chords * Music Score * Backgrounds

This book took two years to produce. The idea sprang out of a love of music - traditional Irish music and ballads in particular. Each of these songs have been sung at one time or another in the past. Usually in pubs. A sure sign of a mis-spent youth - and what a way to mis-spend it!

In this book you'll be interested to find the history and background story for each song as well as images of Ireland which relate to the ballads.

Although all of these songs are 'great Irish ballads' it's fair to say that a small number of them originated in other lands in the dim and distant past. But they have been sung by so many Irish balladeers on so many occasions up and down the length and breadth of Ireland that they have been adopted as full-blooded Irish ballads. They have found their natural home!

So enjoy these songs! Sing them! Change the words or music or timing if you feel something else works better for you! After all, that's what ballads are all about! - Robert Gogan