There Were Roses (Key A Capo 2nd Fret) 1 2 1 2 3 4 G 2 3 4 C 2 3 4 G 2 3 4 G 2 3 4 D 2 3 4 C 2 3 4 G 2 3 4 G C D G My song for you this evening, it's not to make you sad Em D C G Nor for adding to the sorrows of this troubled northern land G C D G But lately I've been thinking and it just won't leave my mind Em D C G I'll tell you of two friends one time who were both good friends of mine 2 3 4 G C D G Alan Bell from Banagh, he lived just a-cross the fields, Em D C G A great man for the music and the dancing and the reels, G C D G O'Malley came from South Armagh to court young Alice fair, Em D C G And we'd often meet on the Ryan Road and the laughter filled the air 2 3 4 1 2 G C G C G There were ros-es, ros-es C G There were ros-es Em D C G And the tears of a people ran to-gether 2 3 4 1 2 3 ~ G C D G Though Alan he was Protesant and Sean was Catholic born, Em D C G It never made a difference for the friendship it was strong, G C D G And sometimes in the evening when we heard the sound of drums, Em D C G We said it won't divide us we always will be one 2 3 G C D G For the ground our fathers plowed in the soil is just the same, Em D C G And the places where we say our prayers have just got different names, G C D G We talked about the friends who died and we hoped there'd be no more, Em D C G It's little then we realized the tragedy in store 2 3 4 1 2 G C G C G There were ros-es, ros-es C G There were ros-es Em D C G And the tears of a people ran to-gether 2 3 4 1 2 3 G C D G It was on the Sunday morning when the awful news came round Em D C G An-other killing has been done just outside Newry Town G C D G We knew that Alan danced up there, we knew he liked the band Em D C G But when we heard that he was dead we just could not under-stand 2 3 4 1 2 G C D G We gathered at the grave side on that cold and rainy day, Em D C G And the minister he closed his eyes and prayed for no re-venge, G C D G And all of the ones who knew him from a-long the Ryan Road, Em D C G We bowed our heads and we said a prayer for the resting of his soul 2 3 4 1 2 G C G C G There were ros-es, ros-es C G There were ros-es Em D C G And the tears of a people ran to-gether 2 3 4 1 2 3 G C D G Well fear it filled the countryside there was fear in every home Em D C G When the car of death came prowling round the lonely Ryan Road G C D G A Catholic would be killed tonight to even up the score Em D C G Oh Christ it's young O Malley they have taken from the door 2 3 4 1 2 G C D G Alan was my friend he cried, he begged them with his fear, Em D C G But centures of hatred have ears that cannot hear, G C D G An eye for an eye was all that filled their mind, Em D C G And another eye for another eye till everyone is blind 2 3 4 1 2 G C G C G There were ros-es, ros-es C G There were ros-es Em D C G And the tears of a people ran to-gether 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 G C D G My song for you this evening, it's not to make you sad Em D C G Nor for adding to the sorrows of this troubled northern land G C D G But lately I've been thinking and it just won't leave my mind Em D C G I'll tell you of two friends one time who were both good friends of mine 2 3 4 G C D G I don't know where the moral is or where this song should end Em D C G But I wonder just how many wars are fought between good friends G C D G And those who give the orders are not the ones to die Em D C G It's Bell and O Malley and the likes of you and I 2 3 4 1 2 G C G C G There were ros-es, ros-es C G There were ros-es Em D C G And the tears of a people ran to-gether 2 3 4 1 2 G C G C G There were ros-es, ros-es C G There were ros-es Em D C G And the tears of a people ran to-gether 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1