The Rare Ould Times Pete St John G C G Em C Raised on songs and stories heroes of reknown G C G D The passing tales and glories that once was Dublin town G C G Em C The hallowed halls and houses the haunting children's rhymes G C G D G That once was part of Dublin in the rare old times [chorus] G C G Em C Ring a ring a rosie as the light declines G C G D G I remember Dublin City in the rare old times G C G Em C My name it is Sean Dempsey as Dublin as could be G C G D Born hard and late in Pimlico in a house that's ceased to be G C G Em C By trade I was a cooper, lost out to redundancy G C G D G Like my house that fell to progress, my trade's a memory [repeat chorus] G C G Em C I courted Peggy Diagnam, as pretty as you please G C G D A gentle child of Mary from the rebel liberties G C G Em C I lost her to a student chap with skin as black as coal G C G D G When he took her off to Birmingham she took away my soul [repeat chorus] G C G Em C The years have made me bitter the gargle dims me brain G C G D 'Cause Dublin keeps on changing and nothing stays the same G C G Em C The Pillar and the Met have gone, the Royal’s been pulled down G C G D G As the great and unyielding concrete makes a city of my town [repeat chorus] G C G Em C Fare thee well sweet Anna Liffey, I can no longer stay G C G D And watch the new glass cages that spring up along the quay G C G Em C My mind's too full of memories too old to hear new chimes G C D G I'm a part of what was Dublin in the rare old times [repeat chorus]