Oró, sé do bheatha abhaile
"Oró" is a cheer in Irish that's sometimes translated as "oh". I translated it as "hooray" which has a more cheer-like feel to it.
This song has the same tune as "What Shall We Do with a Drunken Sailor?" It's unknown which song came first.
Oró, sé do bheatha abhaile
Hooray, Welcome Home!
Traditional Song
Traditional Song
(Irish Gaelic)
(English)
Oró, sé do bheatha abhaile,
Oró, sé do bheatha abhaile,
Oró, sé do bheatha abhaile
Anois ar theacht an tsamhraidh.
Hooray, welcome home,
Hooray, welcome home,
Hooray, welcome home,
Now Summer is coming!
Notes
According to Wikipedia, "In 1884 Mr. Francis Hogan of Brenormore, near Carrick-on-Suir, then 'well over seventy years of age', reports that 'this song used to be played at the Hauling Home, or the bringing home of a wife'. The 'hauling home' was a ceremony that took place a month after a wedding when a bride was brought to live in her new husband's home. This version only consists of the chorus." The version above is just the chorus.
The full version of this song became known as a rebel song in the early 1900's. Here are the full lyrics with a translation from Wikipedia:
'Sé do bheatha, a bhean ba léanmhar
do bé ár gcreach tú bheith i ngéibhinn
do dhúiche bhreá i seilbh meirleach
's tú díolta leis na Gallaibh.
(Chorus)
Óró, sé do bheatha bhaile
óró, sé do bheatha bhaile
óró, sé do bheatha bhaile
anois ar theacht an tsamhraidh.
Tá Gráinne Mhaol ag teacht thar sáile
óglaigh armtha léi mar gharda,
Gaeil iad féin is ní Francaigh ná Spáinnigh
's cuirfidh siad ruaig ar Ghallaibh.
(Chorus)
A bhuí le Rí na bhFeart go bhfeiceam
muna mbeam beo ina dhiaidh ach seachtain
Gráinne Mhaol agus míle gaiscíoch
ag fógairt fáin ar Ghallaibh.
(Chorus)
English Translation:
Hail, oh woman, who was so afflicted,
It was our ruin that you were in chains,
Our fine land in the possession of thieves...
While you were sold to the foreigners!
(Chorus)
Oh-ro, welcome home
Oh-ro, welcome home
Oh-ro, welcome home
Now that summer's coming!
Grace O'Malley is coming over the sea,
Armed warriors as her guard,
Only Gaels are they, not French nor Spanish...
and they will rout the foreigners!
(Chorus)
May it please the King of Prodigy that we might see,
Although we may live but one week after,
Gráinne Mhaol and a thousand warriors...
Dispersing the foreigners!
(Chorus)
Thanks!
Thanks!
Thanks!
Thanks and Acknowledgements
Many thanks to Shirley Stump for sharing this song and video!
Go raibh maith agat!
