Grace --- Joseph Plunkett
This song was written by Joseph
Plunkett in Kilmainham Gaol as he awaited execution
for his role in the 1916
Easter Rising. His British jailers allowed him to marry his fiancée,
Grace Gifford in the prison
chapel shortly before his execution.
They did NOT allow the newlyweds any
time alone together.
[both]
[male] [female]
As we [G]gather in
the chapel here in [C]Old Kilmainham [D]Gaol,
We [C]think about
these [G]past few [Em]days.
Oh, [Am]will they say we’ve [D]failed?
From our [G]schooldays
they have told us we must [C]yearn for
liber-[D]ty,
Yet [C]all I want in
[G]this dark [Em]place
is to [D]have you here with [G]me.
[both]
[male] [female]
Oh, [D]Grace
just hold me in your arms and [C]let
this moment [G]linger
They’ll [C]take
me out at [G]dawn
and I will [D]die.
With [D]all
my love I place this wedding [C]ring
upon your [G]finger;
There [C]won’t be time to
[G]share our [Em]love,
for [D]we must say good-[G]bye.
[both]
[male] [female]
Oh [G]yes,
my love I know you well, and [C]so
I under[D]stand,
The [C]love
you bear for [G]these
brave [Em]men,
your [Am]love
for this dear [D]land.
So when [G]Padraig
called me to his side down [C]in
the GP[D]O
I [C]had
to leave my [G]own
sick-[Em]bed,
to [D]him
I had to [G]go.
[both]
[male] [female]
Oh, [D]Joseph
hold me in your arms and [C]let
this moment [G]linger
They’ll [C]take
you out at [G]dawn
and you will [D]die.
With [D]all
my love I’ll keep your wedding [C]ring
upon my [G]finger;
There [C]won’t be time
to [G]share our [Em]love,
for [D]we must say good-[G]bye.
[both]
[male] [female]
Now [G]as
the dawn is breaking, my [C]heart
is breaking [D]too.
On [C]this
May morn as [G]I
walk [Em]out,
my [Am]thoughts
will be of [D]you.
And I’ll [G]write
some words upon the wall so [C]everyone
will [D]know,
We [C]love so much
that [G]we can [Em]see
His [D]blood upon the [G]rose.
[both]
[male] [female]
Oh, [D][Grace
just] [Joseph] hold me in your arms and
[C]let this moment [G]linger
They’ll [C]take
[me] [you]
out at [G]dawn and
[I] [you]
will [D]die.
With [D]all our love we’ve
placed these wedding [C]rings upon our [G]fingers;
There [C]won’t
be time to [G]share our [Em]love,
for [D]we must say good-[G]bye.