Mo Ghrá Thú
Tabbed by Richard J.M. Fry for Moira Green. (Best student ever)
Verbatim, check notes and notations. There is much helpful information for
interpreting this song, as well as an English translation for you non-Gaeileg/non-
Irish speaking folk. The pronunciation is half the fun, so I'm not going to put that in
here, heh.
Ms. Fhearraigh's website: http://www.aoife.ie/
*This is quite a simple song
Chords used in order:
Em: 022000
Am: X02210
D: XX0232
G: 3X0003
Am6sus2: X02202 *This chord is not, by any means, required.*
Capo 3
Key: G Minor (Chord are relative to the capo; you know the drill.)
Intro:
Em Am D G
Am D Em Am6sus2
Em Am
Mo ghrá Thú, a Thiarna
D G
Mo neart Thú
Am D Em Am6sus2-Em
Mo ghrá Thú, a Thiarna
Em Am D G
Mo Dhia Thú mo charraig is mo dhídean
Am G D Em Am6sus2
Mo sciath, adharc mo shlánaithe, mo dhún
Em Am D G
Glaoim ar an Tiarna dar dIeacht moladh
Am G D Em
Agus déarta mo shaoradh ó mo naimhde
Em Am
Mo ghrá Thú, a Thiarna
D G
Mo neart Thú
Am D Em Am6sus2-Em
Mo ghrá Thú, a Thiarna
Em Am D G
Go maire an Tiarna, is é mo charraig É
Am G D Em Am6sus2
Go raibh Dia mo Shlánaitheoir á mhóradh
Em Am D G
Thug sé caithréim an dá Rí
Am G D Em
Agus nocht sé a ghrá dá ungthach
Em Am
Mo ghrá Thú, a Thiarna
D G
Mo neart Thú
Am D Em
Mo ghrá Thú, a Thiarna
English Translation:
Chorus:
I love You, oh Lord
You are my strength
I love You, oh Lord
You are my God, my rock and my shelter
My shield, ark of my salvation, my strength
I implore the Lord worthy of all praise
And I'd like to see myself safe from my
(Chorus)
May the Lord prosper, He is my rock
May God be adored, my Savior
He gave victory to the two Kings
And showed His love to those He anointed
(Chorus)
*Notes and Notations*
1. One of my students asked me to tab out this classical Irish hymn, (Psalm 18/Psalm 17
in the Irish bible, David's song to Elohim), which she heard at my NTIF performance, in
turn an adaption of Ms. Fhearraigh's adaption found here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TbJVAsqtudo . What she wanted was the tablature; well, I
didn't tab it to begin with, so
there in lies the rub.
2. This is not a song to be strummed. It is a delicate, quiet ballad that is meant to
have the melody played along with the singer, so that is quite difficult to tab out in
whole without sheet music. That being said, I have some brief items for how the record
and fingerings work out.
3. For the melody whilst handling the G chord, you need to use the 3X0003 figure so as
to play the melody with your remaining fingers. I find it easiest to hit the low G with
my ring finger, as it also mutes the A string, and finger the high G with my pinky.
4. For the chorus melody, do not use the common Am fingering unless you are confident in
your stretching. Instead, use this modified omitted Am chord:
Am: X0X5X0
With that, you can play the high note melody on the E string without having to bend your
pinky like a contortionist.
5. There are plenty of opportunities do play a Dsus4 to D motion at the end of every
chorus and the middle/end of every verse.
6. On the recording, you might hear a subtle Am-Em at the end of every chorus and middle
verse. To play this, use an Am6(sus2) chord, but only pluck the four highest strings,
as if it were a D chord.
7. Have fun.
