[Verso 1]


   A       A7      D         G     F#m    Bm 
My name is Richard Joyce, my story I will tell 
   D   F#m   G         D              G     A 
In poverty I left this land in Galway I did dwell 
G           A   Bm      D          A       Bm 
14 years in slavery the Moors they held  command 
Em                                 G         D       G       A 
Lives were cheap we were sold like sheep, in Algiers burning land 


[Verso 2]


        A      A7      D             G      F#m      Bm 
Well, I gave myself in servitude for 7 long years or more 
D       F#m        G       D                  G        A 
Bidding goodbye to kit and kin, we sailed out from the shore 
G                       A    Bm      D         A          Bm 
And as we took our last fond look on Ireland’s glittering strand 
   Em                     G         D       G              A 
To Barbados and the sugar cane, the Captain would sell all hands 
D  F#m   G       D             A        Bm 
Sell all hands!  Captain would sell all hands! 
   Em                     G         D       G              A 
To Barbados and the sugar cane, the Captain would sell all hands 


[Verso 3]


         A      A7          D             G        F#m    Bm 
Well, we hadn’t been on the deep, for two days but barely three 
     D    F#m       G     D                 G        A 
When on a brisk and blowy day three distant sail did see 
     G                 A   Bm        D          A    Bm 
They beat a course towards us and we tacked our ship about 
    Em                              G        D            G      A 
But they gave chase and soon gained pace and rolled their cannon out 


[Verso 4]

 
    A      A7       D                   G        F#m     Bm 
And when I saw that sickle flag curling scimitar in each hand 
    D       F#m      G     D                  G        A 
The fear it struck a heavy blow we hatched to fight or stand 
      G             A  Bm       D           A     Bm 
Those fearsome Janissaries, all from their native land 
    Em                  G            D           G    A 
Had come to pillage and plunder, and chain us in iron bands 
D  F#m  G     D           A    Bm 
Iron Bands!  Chain us in iron bands! 
    Em                  G            D           G    A 
Had come to pillage and plunder, and chain us in iron bands 


[Verso 5]


     A    A7      D          G       F#m    Bm 
Well broadside to broadside, soon we were engaged 
     D        F#m        G       D         G      A 
They grappled hooked and boarded us as the battle raged 
    G                A   Bm     D        A         Bm 
But we were far outnumbered and soon the flag came down 
       Em                             G         D        G     A 
To the beats and blows of this pirate foe we surrendered every man 


[Verso 6]

 
          A       A7         D                       G       F#m     Bm 
Well, the Reis he viewed his captives and he said to Barbary we were bound 
D      F#m      G        D                G       A 
Thrown into the hole, me boys, our ankles chained around 
G                       A   Bm      D           A      Bm 
Fed in trough with pack and slop we slept where we did stand 
    Em                      G       D        G   A 
And how I curse and rue the day, we left ole Ireland 
D F#m  G   D        A  Bm 
Ireland!   Left ole Ireland! 
    Em                      G       D        G   A 
Oh how I curse and rue the day, we left ole Ireland 


Instrumental 
D  F#m  G         G   F#m   A 
D  G  F#m  A      D  G  F#m A 
D  F#m  G         G   F#m   A 
D  G  F#m  A      D  G  F#m D 


[Verso 7]


      A         A7      D            G         F#m       Bm 
Three months we were at sea, till we docked to yells and jeers 
D              F#m     G      D                    G     A 
Brought up but blinded in the light in the port of old Algiers 
G                    A Bm          D      A         Bm 
First, they sold our women, to the harems they were bound 
Em                        G           D       G         A 
Most men went to the salt mines and a life in hell they found 


[Verso 8]


    A     A7          D             G         F#m      Bm 
Now I had apprenticed as a boy, and fashioned rings of gold 
    D       F#m      G     D               G          A 
The Reis he told the auctioneer who had me bought and sold 
     G                  A  Bm      D        A       Bm 
To a goldsmith for the Sultan, who needed a helping hand 
     Em                      G            D          G       A 
Kind Providence had saved my life in this fierce and foreign land 


[Verso 9]


         A       A7     D           G      F#m   Bm 
Well, he took me in and fed me, and tended to my wounds 
    D         F#m     G        D                G        A 
And taught me all the craft he knew of gold and precious stones 
G                      A Bm          D             A    Bm 
As the weeks rolled into months, and months rolled into years 
  Em                    G        D         G    A 
I became a master of my trade, a goldsmith in Algiers 
D  F#m  G     D         A    Bm 
In Algiers! A goldsmith in Algiers! 
  Em                    G        D         G    A 
I became a master of my trade, a goldsmith in Algiers 



      A       A7   D               G     F#m   Bm 
Now I fashion fine things, for the Sultan to behold 
D     F#m  G     D             G      A 
Challises, necklaces, rings of beaten gold 
    G                 A    Bm      D     A       Bm 
The finest work among them all, it was a wedding band 
  Em                      G     D        G      A 
A golden heart held tenderly between two loving hands 
D    F#m   G    D        A      Bm 
Heart in hand!  Heart in loving hand! 
  Em                      G     D        G      A 
A golden heart held tenderly between two loving hands 



     A    A7     D               G     F#m   Bm 
Well finally the news came, that I was to be free 
    D    F#m      G     D          G          A 
The king demanded our release, the Sultan he agreed 
G                       A  Bm         D           A          Bm 
My master begged me for to stay, even offered his daughter’s hand 
      Em           G              D          G  A 
But I bid Algiers adieu with safe passage to Ireland 



    A       A7      D               G     F#m      Bm 
And now I’m back in Claddagh, where I was born and bred 
       D    F#m       G    D                 G   A 
With a wife and three daughters, a house and farmstead 
       G                A    Bm      D       A         Bm 
Still, I make rings and fine things, for the great and grand 
       Em                       G               D         G      A 
But my favorite is the Claddagh ring, with it’s heart and loving hand 
D    F#m   G    D        A      Bm 
Heart in hand!  Heart in loving hand! 
   Em                       G               D         G      A 
My favorite is the Claddagh ring, with it’s heart and loving hand 
D    F#m   G    D        A      Bm 
Heart in hand!  Heart in loving hand! 
   Em                       G               D         G      A 
My favorite is the Claddagh ring, with it’s heart and loving hand 

Outro 
D  F#m  G         G   F#m   A 
D  G  F#m  A      D  G  F#m A 
D  F#m  G         G   F#m   A 
D  G  F#m  A      D  G  F#m D