The Holy Ground

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From: Going for Brogue: Irish Pub Songs and Sea Shanties with an Accent

words and music Traditional

Fare thee well, my lovely Dinah,
A thousand times adieu.
For we're going away from the Holy Ground
And the girls we all love true.
We will sail the salt seas over
And then return for shore
And still I live in hope to see
The Holy Ground once more.
[Fine Girl You Are]

You're the girl that I adore,
And still I live in hope to see
the Holy Ground once more.
[Fine Girl You Are]

Now when we're out a-sailing
And you are far behind
Fine letters will I write to you
With the secrets of my mind,
The secrets of my mind, my girl,
You're the girl that I adore,
And still I live in hope to see
The Holy Ground once more.
[Fine Girl You Are]

Oh now the storm is raging
And we are far from shore;
The poor old ship she's sinking fast
And the riggings they are tore.
The night is dark and dreary,
We can scarcely see the moon,
But still I live in hope to see
the Holy Ground once more.
[Fine Girl You Are]

And now the storm is over
And we are safe and well.
We will go into a public house
And we'll sit and drink like hell.
We will drink strong ale and porter
And we'll make the rafters roar,
And when our money is all spent
We will go to sea once more.

Chords: KEY C

verse/chorus:

Background: Irish lyrics to the tune of "Old Swansea Town Once More". The "Holy Ground" is a quarter of Cobh (once known as Queenstown), which was inhabited mainly by fisherman. The tune is also refered to as The Cobh Sea Shanty. It was popular on the docks of Cork and Cobh as well as on the ships. The tune was originally a capstan shanty - a song sung as sailors turned the capstan to raise the achor.