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.
As we [G]gather in
the chapel here in [C]Old Kilmainham [D]Gaol,
I [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.
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.
Now I [G]know it’s
hard for you, my love, to [C]ever under-[D]stand
The [C]love I bear
for [G]these brave [Em]men,
my [Am]love for this dear [D]land.
But 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.
There [C]won’t
be time to [G]share our [Em]love,
for [D]we must say good- [G]bye.
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,
I [C]love so much
that [G]I can [Em]see
His [D]blood upon the [G]rose.
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.