Rocky Road to Dublin

(THE) ROCKY ROAD TO DUBLIN

Time signature: 9/8
Tempo: ~125 bpm.

An 19th century Irish song by
D. K. Gavan (The Galway Poet)

UNDER CONSTRUCTION: Everything (especially the "keys") needs to be checked.

This is a challenging tune for at least five reasons:
1. It uses compound triple time (time signature 9-8), with a count of "nine" per bar, but with the left-
hand providing three pronounced beats (perhaps Bass - Chord - Chord) per bar. Sometimes
classified as a "Slip-Jig".
2. It is played and sung very fast with phrases run together.
3. Right fingers cover six buttons, with reaching and/or sliding.
4. Many performers play it in a minor key, as shown in the notation below. Others use another
Greek mode (perhaps mixolydian) that lies between major and minor.
5. As with most older tunes, there are many variants, some small, some large (as can be heard in
the youTube videos below, forcing you to adjust the notation when playing along).

Accordion Notation

Counts per bar = 9 (compound time)
Pronounced (strong) Beats per bar = 3
Pronounced beat symbol = Semicolon ( ; ) or equivalent

EITHER ROW - HIGH

Buttons 4 to 9*

Verse 1 (of 5)

.7 "7 | .7 "7 .7* .6* ;5* | .4 .5*   .5* "6*   .6 "7* |
In the mer - ry month of June, from me home I start-ed;

  .7 "7 .7* "6* ;5* |   .6* "5 .5 "5* "6* "6 "7* |
Left the girls of Tuam near - ly brok - en heart - ed; Sa-

.7 "7 .7* "6* ;5* | .4 "5* .5* "6* .6 "7* |
-lut - ed fath - er dear, kissed me darl - ing moth - er,

.7 "7 .7* "6*   .5* "6 | .6* "5 .5 "5* "6* "6 "7* |
Drank a pint of beer, me grief and tears to smoth - er, then

.7 "9* .9* "8* ;8 | .7 "9* .9* "8* ;8 |
off to reap the corn, leave where I was born.

.7 "9* .9* "8* .8 "7 | .7* "6* .5 "5* "6* "6 "7* |
Cut a stout black thorn to ban - ish ghosts and gob-lins, a

.7 "9* .9* "8* ;8 | .7 "9*   .9* "8* ;8 |
brand new pair of brogues rat - tling o'er the bogs,

.7 "9* .9* "8* ;8 | .7* "7 .7* "6* .5 "5* | "6* "6 "7*
  Fright - 'ning all the dogs on the rock - y road to Dub - el - in

.7 "7   .7* "6* | ;5*
Refrain: One, two, three, four, five,

.4 "5* .5* "6* | .6 "7*   .7 "7 .7* .6* |
Hunt the Hare and turn her down the rock - y

.5* "6 .6* "5 .5 "5* | "6* "6 "7*
Road and all the way to Dub - el - in,

.7 "7 .7* "6* |   ;5*~  ~ ;
Whack - fol - lah - de - dah____

Embedded youTube VIDEOS

Twenty videos, mostly in minor keys Am (played on button-accordion C row), Dm (played on F row), and Em (played on G row)

Key: Am (can be played on "C" row of
a G-C or C-F accordion)

Tempo: ~140 bpm

Group: The High Kings

Posted by: the High Kigngs unofficial

Key: Am (can be played on "C" row of
a G-C or C-F accordion)

Tempo: ~130 bpm

Group: Orthodox Celts

Posted by: Metropolis Music Serbia

Key: Dm ? (Can be played on F row
of a C-F or G-C-F accordion?)

Tempo: ~145 bpm

Group: The Tossers

Posted by: The Tossers - Topic

Key: Dm ? (Can be played on F row
of a C-F or G-C-F accordion)

Tempo: ~125 bpm

Group: Rolling Stones & The Chieftans

Posted by: Marv Mandela

Key: D ?

Tempo: ~110 bpm

Guitarist: John ?

Posted by: "John's" -ROLL & TAP.

Key: D ?

Tempo: ~135 bpm

Performers: Rhodri McDonagh
Rosie Bell

Posted by: Rhodri McDonagh

Key: Dm (can be played on inside row
of a C-F accordion)

Tempo: ~150 bpm

Group: The Windrose

Posted by: Tigran Madoyan

Key: Dm (can be played on inside row
of a C-F accordion)

Tempo: ~120 bpm

Group: The Dubliners

Posted by: The Dubliners

Key: Dm (can be played on inside row
of a C-F accordion)

Tempo: ~150 bpm

Group: The Pogues

Posted by: Nuno Luz

Key: Dm ? (can be played on inside row
of a C-F accordion)

Tempo: ~130 bpm.

Singer: Colm R. McGuinness

Posted by: Colin McGuinness Music

Key: Dm (can be played on inside row
of a C-F accordion)

Tempo: ~130bpm.

Singer: Luke Kelly

Posted by: kellyoneill

Key: Dm (can be played on inside row
of a C-F accordion)

Tempo: ~125bpm.

Group: The Jarrah Celts
(from Australia)

Posted by: The Jarrah Celts

Key: Em (can be played on outside row
of a G-C or on the inside row
of a D-G accordion)

Tempo: ~140 bpm

Singers: Tommy Makem & Liam Clancy

Posted by: JVito Likavec

Key: Em (can be played on outside row
of a G-C or on the inside row
of a D-G accordion)

Tempo: ~125 bpm

Singer: Damien Dempsey

Posted by: The Late Late Show

Key: Em ? (can be played on outside row
of a G-C or on the inside row
of a D-G accordion)

Tempo: ~160 bpm

Group: The Dropkick Murphys

Posted by: 5g5e5n5o

Key: Em ? (can be played on outside row
of a G-C or on the inside row
of a D-G accordion)

Tempo: ~145 bpm

Group: Whiskey Y'er the Devil

Posted by: Padraig Conaty

Key: Em (can be played on outside row
of a G-C or on the inside row
of a D-G accordion)

Tempo: ~135 bpm

Group: The Dingle Basterds

Posted by: Dingle Basterds

Key: Em ? (can be played on outside row
of a G-C or on the inside row
of a D-G accordion)

Tempo: ~125 bpm

Damien Dempsey

Posted by: RTE

Key: F ? (can be played on inside row
of a C-F accordion ?)

Tempo: ~145bpm.

Singer: Seth Staton Watkins

Posted by: Seth Staton Watkins

Key: G ? (can be played on outside row
of a G-C or on the inside row
of a D-G accordion ?)

Tempo: ~125 bpm

Group: The Chieftans

Posted by: The Chieftains - Topic

BACKGROUND MATERIALS, INFORMATION & LINKS

Lyrics:
Verse 1

Refrain

Sing the refrain after each verse.

In the merry month of May, from me home I started.
Left the girls of Tuam so sad and broken hearted.
Saluted father dear, kissed me darling mother,
Drank a pint of beer, me grief and tears to smother.

Then off to reap the corn, leave where I was born.
Cut a stout black thorn to banish ghosts and goblins . . .
A brand new pair of brogues rattling o'er the bogs,
Fright'ning all the dogs on the rocky road to Dublin.

One, two, three, four, five,
Hunt the Hare and turn her down the rocky road
And all the way to Dublin,
Whack-fol-lah-de-dah

From wikipedia:

Leaving family, friends & home (Tuam, County Galway, Ireland).

He sets off on foot along the rocky road to Dublin to "reap the corn", that is, to seek his fortune.

Verse 2

In Mullingar that night I rested limbs so weary
Started by daylight next morning blithe and early
Took a drop of pure to keep me heart from sinking
That's a Paddy's cure whenever he's on drinking

See the lassies smile, laughing all the while
At me curious style, 'twould set your heart a bubblin'
Asked me was I hired, wages I required
I was almost tired of the rocky road to Dublin

After a long & tiring walk, he stops for the night in Mullingar (County Westmeath) where "he charms the local women with his curious style and swagger."

Verse 3

In Dublin next arrived, I thought it such a pity
To be soon deprived a view of that fine city
So then I took a stroll, all among the quality
Me bundle it was stole, all in a neat locality

Something crossed me mind, when I looked behind
No bundle could I find upon me stick a wobblin'
Inquiring for the rogue, they said me Connaught brogue
Wasn't much in vogue on the rocky road to Dublin

Arriving in Dublin, he takes a stroll around the city, where he is robbed of his bundle (his possessions).

He tried to find the thief, but is mocked because of his Connaught brogue (his accent).

Verse 4

From there I got away, me spirits never falling
Landed on the quay, just as the ship was sailing
The Captain at me roared, said that no room had he
When I jumped aboard, a cabin found for Paddy

Down among the pigs, played some hearty rigs
Danced some hearty jigs, the water round me bubbling
When off Holyhead, I wished meself was dead
Or better for instead on the rocky road to Dublin

He jumps aboard a ship in the harbour, setting sail for Liverpool, England. He is placed below deck with a cargo of pigs.

When only half-way across, off Holyhead, he is so sea-sick he wished himself dead.

Verse 5

Well, the boys of Liverpool, when we safely landed
Called meself a fool, I could no longer stand it
Blood began to boil, temper I was losing
Poor old Erin's Isle they began abusing

"Hurrah me soul" says I, me Shillelagh I let fly
Some Galway boys were nigh and saw I was a hobble in
With a load "Hurray" joined in the affray
We quietly cleared the way for the rocky road to Dublin

In Liverpool, he is mocked by the locals, probably because he is Irish.

Though outnumbered by the locals, he gets into a fight. A group of men from County Galway come to his rescus.

Background Links:

Click HERE for the (wikipedia) interesting history of this song & tune.