top of page
The Lakes of Sligo - Jack Healy
00:00 / 00:00

Irish polkas are usually associated with Sliabh Luachra and southwest Munster, but here's a well-known one that references County Sligo in northern Connaught. The recording here is a song, sung in English by Jack Healy from the Coleman Archives recording, used here without permission so don't tell anyone.

​

This polka is a favorite of Dave Copeland's so if you're in a session with him be sure to play it.

​

Fair Sligo thee I now must leave

To part thy beauty I do grieve

But not forever, I believe

I’ll call again to Sligo

 

CHORUS

To Holy Well, I bid adieu

To Hazelwood and Cairns too

And Toberknock, that splendid view

Which adorns the lakes of Sligo

 

And fair Lough Gill with its isle so grand

Where we often wandered hand in hand

On a summer’s evening by the strand

Along the lakes of Sligo

Chorus

 

And on that lake we often spent

Many an hour and quite content

And from our boat sweet music went

Around the lakes of Sligo

Chorus

 

Fair Sligo thee, I now must leave

To part thy beauty I do grieve

But not forever, I believe

I’ll call again to Sligo

​

​

X: 1

T: The Lakes of Sligo 

T: The Lass of Gowrie

R: Polka

M: 2/4

K: D

FA AB|d>e dc|BA B/c/d|e>d ef|FA AB|

de f>e|dB Af|1 ef/e/ dA:|2 ef/e/ d>e||

|:fa de|fa ag/f/|gb ef|gb ba|

fa ef|de f>e|dB Af|1 ef/e/ d>e:|2 ef/e/ dA||

bottom of page