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Dubliners - The Irish Rover Ukulele Chords

ChordsG, C, D, Em
Strumming↓-↓↑-↑↓↑

Before you play, tune your ukulele and use the tools below to set up your view and flow.

IntheGFourthofJuly,eighteenhundredandCsix,
WesetGsailfromthesweetcoveofDCork
WewereGsailingawaywithacargoofCbricks
FortheGgrandCityDHallinNewGYork
ShewasaGwonderfulcraft,shewasDrigged‘foreandaft
AndhowGthewildwindsDdroveher
She‘stoodGseveralblasts,shehadEmtwenty-sevenCmasts
AndtheyGcalledhertheDIrishGRover
WehadGonemillionbagsofthebestSligoCrags
WehadGtwomillionbarrelsofDstones
WehadGthreemillionsidesofoldblindhorses’Chides
WehadGfourmillionDbarrelsofGbones
WehadGfivemillionhogsandDsixmilliondogs
GAndsevenmillionbarrelsofDporter
WehadGeightmillionbalesofoldEmnannygoats’Ctails
IntheGholdoftheDIrishGRover
TherewasGBarneyMcGeefromthebanksoftheCLee
TherewasGHoganfromCounty DTyrone
TherewasGJohnnyMcGurkwhowasscaredstiffofCwork
AndaGmanfromDWestmeathcalledGMalone
TherewasGSluggerO’ToolewhowasDdrunkasarule
GAndfightingBillTracyfromDDover
AndyourGmanMickMcCann,fromtheEmbanksoftheBann
WastheGskipperoftheDIrishGRover
WehadGsailedsevenyearswhenthemeaslesbrokeCout
AndourGshiplostherwayintheDfog
AndtheGwholeofthecrewwasreduceddowntoCtwo
‘TwasGmeselfandDthecaptain’soldGdog
ThentheGshipstruckarock;ohLordDwhatashock
GThebulkheadwasturnedrightDover
WeturnedGninetimesaroundthenEmthepoorolddogwasCdrowned
NowI’mGthelastoftheDIrish GRover
Album25 Years Celebration
GenresFolk
Year1987
KeyG
DifficultyEasy

How to play The Irish Rover on Ukulele (Step-by-step)

The Dubliners - The Irish Rover on ukulele requires 4 chords and 4 core chord transitions. You can find the full step-by-step guide below. Before you start, tune your instrument. The song uses the ↓-↓↑-↑↓↑ pattern; practice it muted first, or simplify to downstrokes while you learn the changes.

The Irish Rover uses these transitions most often: D → G (20), G → D (20), and C → G (11). These transitions may feel a little challenging at first, but with steady practice you can play this song quickly.When you are ready, begin with G - C chord transition.

1. G → C chord transition

Here's how to move from G to C:

  1. While playing G, first lift your index finger and middle finger.
  2. Lift your ring finger from E string fret 3 and place it on A string fret 3.

This transition appears in the section, played 8 times.

G to C

2. G → D chord transition

To move from G to D:

  1. Lift your index finger from C string fret 2 and place it on G string fret 2.
  2. Slide your middle finger from A string fret 2 to C string fret 2.
  3. Slide your ring finger on E string from fret 3 to fret 2.

This transition appears in the section, played 20 times.

G to D

3. G → Em chord transition

Here's how to move from G to Em:

  1. Lift your index finger from C string fret 2 and place it on A string fret 2.
  2. Slide your middle finger from A string fret 2 to E string fret 3.
  3. Lift your ring finger from E string fret 3 and place it on C string fret 4.

This transition appears in the section, played 4 times.

G to Em

4. Em → C chord transition

Switching from Em to C:

  1. While playing Em, first lift your index finger and middle finger.
  2. Lift your ring finger from C string fret 4 and place it on A string fret 3.

This transition appears in the section, played 3 times.

Em to C

A short, data-driven summary of the chord flow in The Irish Rover.

  • The Irish Rover includes 67 chord transitions, 4 of them unique.
  • These transitions represent 0.02% of all chord transitions in Ukulelearn.
  • The Irish Rover contains 3 of the top 10 transitions across Ukulelearn.
  • These transition patterns show how The Irish Rover connects to the rest of Ukulelearn. Mastering them helps you move to similar songs faster.
    After G, the most likely next chords across Ukulelearn are C (25%), D (24%), and Am (13%).
    • G → C: 25%
    • G → D: 24%
    After D, the most likely next chords across Ukulelearn are G (28%), A (17%), and Em (17%).
    • D → G: 28%