The Bard of Armagh
Lyrics attributed to Patrick Donnelly (1650–1716)

Oh, list to the lay of a poor Irish harper
And scorn not the strains of his withered old hands
Remember his fingers, they once could move sharper
To raise up the memory of his dear native land

When I was a young lad King Jamie* did flourish
And I followed the wars in my brogues bound with straw
And all the fair colleens from Wexford to Durrish
Called me Bold Phelam Brady, the Bard of Armagh

How I long for to muse on the days of my boyhood
Tho' four scores and three years have flitted since then
Still it gives sweet reflections, as every young joy should
For light-hearted boys make the best of ould men

At a pattern or fair I could twist me Shillelagh
Or trip through the jig with me brogues bound with straw
Whilst all the pretty maidens around me assembled
Loved Bold Phelam Brady, the Bard of Armagh

Although I have travelled this wide world over
Yet Erin's a home and a parent to me
Then, Oh! Let the ground that my ould bones shall cover
Be cut from the soil that is trod by the free

And when Sergeant Death in his cold arms shall embrace me
Oh, lull me to sleep with sweet 'Erin Go Bragh' **
By the side of my Kathleen, my young wife, oh place me
Then forget Phelam Brady, the Bard of Armagh

Notes:
* James II and VII (14 October 1633 – 16 September 1701) was King of England and Ireland as James II and King of Scotland as James VII, from 6 February 1685 until he was deposed in the Glorious Revolution of 1688.
** Erin go Bragh = Ireland Forever
• 1876 - the Streets of Laredo aka the Cowboy's Lament was written by Francis "Frank" Henry Maynard

DAA & DAD tabs for Appalachian dulcimer below:
DAD
4 4 3 2 3 4 3 2- 1 0 2m 0m

0m 0 0 0 1 2 3 2 1 0 1

4 4 3 2 3 4 3 2 1 0 2m 0m

0m 0 0 0 1 2 3 2 2m 1 0

alternate DAD tab

7 7 6 5 6 7 6 5 4 3 2 0-

0 3- 3 3 4 5 6 4 3 4-

7 7- 6 5 6 7 6 5- 4 3 2 0

0 3- 3 3 4 5 6 5 3 4 3-

DAA
7 7- 6 5 6 7 6 5- 4 3 2 0-

0 0 3- 2 3 4 5 6 5- 4 3 4-

7 7- 6 5 6 7- 6 5- 4 3 2 0-

0 3 2 3 4 5 6 5 2 4 3-