There Were Roses Chords by Paddy Reilly

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[G] _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
[C] _ _ _ _ _ _ _
My song for you this evening, _ [F] it's not [G] to make [C] you sad, _
Nor for adding to [G] your sorrows [F] in this troubled northern [C] land. _
But lately I've been thinking, and [F] it just [G] won't leave [C] my mind, _
I'll tell you all [G] two friends one time, [F] they were both good friends [C] of mine. _ _
Alan Bell from Bainer, he [F] lived just [G] across [C] the fields,
He was a great man for [G] the music, _ [F] for the dancing and [C] the reels.
O' Mally came from South Armagh [F] to Court, [G] young [C] Alice Fair, _
And we'd often meet on [G] the Ryan Road, [F] and the laughter filled [C] the air. _ _
_ _ There [F] were _ _ [C] roses, _ _ _ [F] _ _ _
[C] roses, _ _ and the tears of [G] the people [C] ran together. _ _
_ _ _ O' Alan, he was Protestant, _ [F] and John [G] was Catholic [C]-born,
_ Though it never made [G] a difference, for [F] their friendship it was [C] strong.
_ And sometimes in the evening, when [F] we heard [G] the sound of [C] drums,
_ We said it won't [G] divide us, we [F] will always be [C] as one.
On the ground our fathers ploughed in, _ [F] the soil [G] it is [C] the same,
_ And the places where [G] we say our prayers [F] have got different [C] names.
_ We talked about the friends who died, [F] and we hoped [G] there'd be [C] no more,
_ It's little then we [G] _ realised [F] the tragedy [C] in store.
_ _ _ _ There [F] were _ _ _ [C] roses, _ _
[F] _ _ _ [C] roses, _ _ and the tears of [G] the people _ [C] ran together.
_ _ _ _ It was on a Sunday morning, when [F] the awful [G] news [C] came round, _
Another _ killing [G] had been done, [F] just outside Newry [C] Town.
Well we knew that Alan danced up there, [F] we knew [Gm] he liked [C] the band, _
But when we heard that [G] he was dead, we [F] just could not [C] understand. _ _
We gathered at the _ graveside, on [F] the cold [Em] and rainy [C] day, _
And the minister [G] he closed his eyes, [F] and prayed for no [C] revenge. _
And all the ones who knew him, from [F] along [G] the Ryan [C] _ Road,
They bowed their heads [G] and said a prayer, for [F] the resting of [C] his soul. _ _
_ _ There [F] were _ _ [C] roses, _ _ _ [F] _ _ _
[C] roses, _ and the tears [G] of the people [C] ran together. _ _
_ _ Well fear it filled the countryside, there [F] was fear [C] in every home,
And the car of death [G] came crawling round [F] the lonely Ryan [C] Road.
_ _ A Catholic will be killed tonight, just [F] to even [G] up the score.
_ _ Oh Christ, it's young O'Malley, _ [F] that they've taken from the [C] door.
_ _ Alan was my friend, he cried, [F] he begged them [G] in [C] his fear,
But centuries _ [G] of hatred, _ [F] are ears that cannot _
[C] hear.
_ An eye for an eye, was [F] all that [G] filled their [C] minds,
And another eye for [G] another eye, [F] until everyone was [C] blind.
_ _ _ _ There [F] were _ _ [C] roses, _ _ _
[F] _ _ _ [C] roses, _ and the tears of [G] the people ran [C] together. _ _ _ _ _
I don't know where the moral is, [F] or where [G] this song [C] should end,
But I wonder just [G] how many wars [F] are fought between good [C] _ friends.
And those who give the orders, _ [F] they're not [G] the ones to [C] die. _ _
It's Bell and [G] O'Malley, _ [F] and the likes of you and [C] I.
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_ _ _ _ _ _ [N] _ _