Sweet Dublin Bay waltz

This is one of my favourite songs. I only heard it performed by Silly Wizard but I think it’s a traditional tune. I found very vague information on the Internet, though. Here are the lyrics:

They sailed away in that gallant bark Roy Neal and his fair young bride
They had ventured all on that bounding ship that danced on the silvery tide
And his heart was young and his spirit light as he kissed her tears away
And they watched the shore retreat from sight of their own sweet Dublin bay

Three days they sailed when the storm arose and the lightning swept the deep
And the thunderclaps broke the short repose of the weary sailors’ sleep
Roy Neal, he clasped his weeping bride and he kissed her tears away
“Oh love, ’twas a fearful hour” - he cried - “When we left sweet Dublin Bay”

On the crowded deck of that doomed ship some fell into deep despair
And some more calm with a holier heart sought the god of the storm in prayer
“She has struck a rock” the sailors cried in a breath of wild dismay
And the ship went down with the fair young bride that left from Dublin bay

They sailed away in that gallant bark Roy Neal and his fair young bride
They had ventured all on that bounding ship that danced on the silvery tide
And his heart was young and his spirit light as he kissed her tears away
And they watched the shore retreat from sight of their own sweet Dublin bay

Just found another very nice rendition by The Washington Square Harp and Shamrock Orchestra on youtube (already listed here in the recordings section by the way 🙂 )

This is the way I play the tune, based on the Liam Farrell and Joe Whelan recording of the same name. Lovely, lovely waltz.

I transposed this from D minor to E minor to make it easier for whistle players.
Enjoy!

Sorry about that; I thought I had changed it to A dorian. Key sig changed!

Also recorded by the McNulty Family in America as “They Sailed Away From Dublin Bay”.