Roughly translates as "Hail to You On Your Homecoming" Superb patriotic song hearkening back to Grainne Mhaol (Grace O'Malley) the so-called Pirate Queen.
As the other contributions have indicated, it's a common tune/song. I've posted the lyrics, as best I know them, here for you with a translation of sorts.
Hope it's some use for you!
All the best!
Brian x
ORO, SE DO BHEATHA ABHAILE
Se do bheatha, a bhean ba leanmhar
B'e ar gcreach tu bheith i ngeibhinn
Do dhuiche bhrea i seilbh meirleach
'S tu diolta leis na ghallaibh
CURFA: Oro, se do bheatha abhaile
Oro, se do bheatha abhaile
Oro, se do bheatha abhaile
Anois ar theacht an tsamhraidh
Ta grannie mhoal ag teacht thar saile
Oglaigh armtha lei mar gharda
Gaeil iad fein is ni gaill na spainnigh
Is cuirfidh ruaig ar ghallaibh. CURFA
A bhui le ri na bhfeart go bhfeiceam
Muna mbeam beo ina dhiaidh ach seachtain
Grannie mhoal agus mile gaiscioch
Ag fogairt fain ar ghallaibh. CURFA
OH WELCOME HOME
Welcome lady of great sorrow
We share the grief of your internment
Your fair land in the hands of brigands
And you in bondage to strangers
CHORUS: Oh, welcome home
Oh, welcome home
Oh, welcome home
Now the summer is coming.
Grannie Mhoal (Grace O'Malley) is crossing the ocean
With armed warriors as her guard
Gaels are they not French nor Spaniards
They will overwhelm to the foreigners. CHORUS
Thank heaven's king that we shall see
Even though we die soon after (the next week)
Grannie Mhoal and a thousand warriors
Herald the stranger's retreat. CHORUS
Gráinne Mhaol from Clare Island at the mouth of Clew Bay in Mayo, better known as Grace O'Malley.
The song was revived by Pádraig Pearse in the Gaelic Revival, and was used by Pearse and his supporters to try to call Irish soldiers back from the trenches of the First World War, to fight for Ireland instead, so it has political significance as well.
Anyone who learnt Irish at school will know this tune. Despite it's political connection many a young lad ran about the college at the Gaeltacht singing;
"Oh Rosie's the best of value,
When you get her on the sofa"
You would need to be able to sing the song in Irish to understand that bit, the pronunciation is somewhat similar, given a little poetic licence.
Yes Conan, even you sang those words.
I'd learned that the original song was written in the 18th century as an exortation to Bonnie Prince Charlie to return to Ireland and claim his birthright.
It was also used by the Irish "Freedon Fighters" in the late 18th / early 19th centuries to encourage the Wild Geese & their followers to return home to defend Ireland against the English.
OK....I just went to Randall Bays' web-site. According to him, this tune he plays is the "99 March"...a tune he wrote himself. It's not oró sé do bheatha abhaile...now I'm all confused!
... the Randall Bays tune seems related, but not quite the same tune - to my ears anyway ... I think his performance is absolutely beautiful. I saw it a while ago and just had to learn the tune marches he plays. They are both in the tunes section here, but I'm no good at linking (have got completely the wrong links in the past.) they're easy enough to find ...
there is a great example of the volunteers in west cork flying column singing this in "wind that shakes the barley" also a version played by the cheiftains when Steve Collins fought Chris Eubank in Pairc UI Chaoimh in Cork.. the whole stadium sang the chorus .. Collins won!
If you articulate the first couple notes in each phrase differently and play it faster, you'll recognize the tune as "What do we do with a drunken sailor?" I don't know which set of lyrics came first but it's hardly the first time two wildly different lyrics shared the same tune.
Could someone please post the link for the sheet music mentioned above - the '99 March and the'98 March? Several in this thread mentioned that the music is here, but it doesn't show up when I search on the title.
oró sé do bheatha abhaile.....heard of it?
oró sé do bheatha abhaile.....heard of it?
Hi all,
I just discovered this tune on youtube.....absolutely amazing! I don't know anyone else that would care, so i thought I would post for you all.
Justin
# Posted on January 6th 2007 by chef4life
Re: oró sé do bheatha abhaile.....heard of it?
Can you give us the Youtube link?
# Posted on January 6th 2007 by Trevor Jennings
Re: oró sé do bheatha abhaile.....heard of it?
Using the search facility on YouTube, gave me these results:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s9N3bxMUWEc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5w8SQtqZXPw
# Posted on January 6th 2007 by Wurzel
Re: oró sé do bheatha abhaile.....heard of it?
It's an old song - I learned it at school as I suspect many of the Irish contingent did. A really rousing tune.
# Posted on January 6th 2007 by Conán McDonnell
Re: oró sé do bheatha abhaile.....heard of it?
Brings back sad memories - played it at my mother in law's funeral 2 years ago.
# Posted on January 6th 2007 by Rudall the time
Re: oró sé do bheatha abhaile.....heard of it?
Roughly translates as "Hail to You On Your Homecoming" Superb patriotic song hearkening back to Grainne Mhaol (Grace O'Malley) the so-called Pirate Queen.
Fun little fiddle tune to play..not hard at all.
# Posted on January 6th 2007 by ceolgaelach
Re: oró sé do bheatha abhaile.....heard of it?
Hi Justin!
As the other contributions have indicated, it's a common tune/song. I've posted the lyrics, as best I know them, here for you with a translation of sorts.
Hope it's some use for you!
All the best!
Brian x
ORO, SE DO BHEATHA ABHAILE
Se do bheatha, a bhean ba leanmhar
B'e ar gcreach tu bheith i ngeibhinn
Do dhuiche bhrea i seilbh meirleach
'S tu diolta leis na ghallaibh
CURFA: Oro, se do bheatha abhaile
Oro, se do bheatha abhaile
Oro, se do bheatha abhaile
Anois ar theacht an tsamhraidh
Ta grannie mhoal ag teacht thar saile
Oglaigh armtha lei mar gharda
Gaeil iad fein is ni gaill na spainnigh
Is cuirfidh ruaig ar ghallaibh. CURFA
A bhui le ri na bhfeart go bhfeiceam
Muna mbeam beo ina dhiaidh ach seachtain
Grannie mhoal agus mile gaiscioch
Ag fogairt fain ar ghallaibh. CURFA
OH WELCOME HOME
Welcome lady of great sorrow
We share the grief of your internment
Your fair land in the hands of brigands
And you in bondage to strangers
CHORUS: Oh, welcome home
Oh, welcome home
Oh, welcome home
Now the summer is coming.
Grannie Mhoal (Grace O'Malley) is crossing the ocean
With armed warriors as her guard
Gaels are they not French nor Spaniards
They will overwhelm to the foreigners. CHORUS
Thank heaven's king that we shall see
Even though we die soon after (the next week)
Grannie Mhoal and a thousand warriors
Herald the stranger's retreat. CHORUS
PS On this computer I can't do fadas! Bx
# Posted on January 6th 2007 by briantheflute
Re: oró sé do bheatha abhaile.....heard of it?
Another youtube clip of this tune---Randall Bays on fiddle:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Dr-dxaoz3g
# Posted on January 6th 2007 by kennedy
Re: oró sé do bheatha abhaile.....heard of it?
Gráinne Mhaol from Clare Island at the mouth of Clew Bay in Mayo, better known as Grace O'Malley.
The song was revived by Pádraig Pearse in the Gaelic Revival, and was used by Pearse and his supporters to try to call Irish soldiers back from the trenches of the First World War, to fight for Ireland instead, so it has political significance as well.
Anyone who learnt Irish at school will know this tune. Despite it's political connection many a young lad ran about the college at the Gaeltacht singing;
"Oh Rosie's the best of value,
When you get her on the sofa"
You would need to be able to sing the song in Irish to understand that bit, the pronunciation is somewhat similar, given a little poetic licence.
Yes Conan, even you sang those words.
# Posted on January 6th 2007 by bodhran bliss
Re: oró sé do bheatha abhaile.....heard of it?
The Randall Bays clip is the one I saw, he is amazingly fluid with song....thanks for the interest guys!
Now, on to learning it! As I am a beginner, thois could take MONTHS! But, well, I love playing, so that's all right by me!
Justin
# Posted on January 6th 2007 by chef4life
Re: oró sé do bheatha abhaile.....heard of it?
i like Sinead O'Connor's version
Paul
# Posted on January 6th 2007 by paul95
Re: oró sé do bheatha abhaile.....heard of it?
Was the song not written by Padraic Pearse ?
# Posted on January 6th 2007 by Patkiwi
Re: oró sé do bheatha abhaile.....heard of it?
It's a lovely tune. Where can I get the notes to it ?
# Posted on January 6th 2007 by ConfusedConcertina
Re: oró sé do bheatha abhaile.....heard of it?
Pat kiwi, I always thought Pearse wrote the song, but recently I was told he had merely revived it. I don't know which is true.
# Posted on January 6th 2007 by bodhran bliss
Re: oró sé do bheatha abhaile.....heard of it?
Is the ABC posted in the tunes area here?
# Posted on January 6th 2007 by timmy!
Re: oró sé do bheatha abhaile.....heard of it?
My mate John Beag always introduced the song as being written by Pearse.
# Posted on January 6th 2007 by Patkiwi
Re: oró sé do bheatha abhaile.....heard of it?
I'd learned that the original song was written in the 18th century as an exortation to Bonnie Prince Charlie to return to Ireland and claim his birthright.
It was also used by the Irish "Freedon Fighters" in the late 18th / early 19th centuries to encourage the Wild Geese & their followers to return home to defend Ireland against the English.
# Posted on January 6th 2007 by Ceolagusrince
Re: oró sé do bheatha abhaile.....heard of it?
Bonnie Prince Charlie's Birthright? He was Italian, certainly by birth.
# Posted on January 6th 2007 by bodhran bliss
Re: oró sé do bheatha abhaile.....heard of it?
Wow! I just followed the link to the Randall Bays performance....unbelievable!
I know this as a sean nos song and almost didn't recognize it. I gotta get the sheet music...! Anybody have a link or a copy they can post/send?
# Posted on January 7th 2007 by ceolgaelach
Re: oró sé do bheatha abhaile.....heard of it?
OK....I just went to Randall Bays' web-site. According to him, this tune he plays is the "99 March"...a tune he wrote himself. It's not oró sé do bheatha abhaile...now I'm all confused!
# Posted on January 7th 2007 by ceolgaelach
Re: oró sé do bheatha abhaile.....heard of it?
Here's what he says on his site.
http://www.randalbays.com/99and98.htm
# Posted on January 7th 2007 by ceolgaelach
Re: oró sé do bheatha abhaile.....heard of it?
... the Randall Bays tune seems related, but not quite the same tune - to my ears anyway ... I think his performance is absolutely beautiful. I saw it a while ago and just had to learn the tune marches he plays. They are both in the tunes section here, but I'm no good at linking (have got completely the wrong links in the past.) they're easy enough to find ...
# Posted on January 7th 2007 by ethical blend
Re: oró sé do bheatha abhaile.....heard of it?
See the troops singing this in the "Wind that Shakes the Barley", palme D'Or winner for Ken Loach.
# Posted on January 7th 2007 by bodhran bliss
Re: oró sé do bheatha abhaile.....heard of it?
there is a great example of the volunteers in west cork flying column singing this in "wind that shakes the barley" also a version played by the cheiftains when Steve Collins fought Chris Eubank in Pairc UI Chaoimh in Cork.. the whole stadium sang the chorus .. Collins won!
# Posted on January 8th 2007 by TOMMYB
Re: oró sé do bheatha abhaile.....heard of it?
Who did you think "the troops" were?
# Posted on January 8th 2007 by bodhran bliss
Re: oró sé do bheatha abhaile.....heard of it?
If you articulate the first couple notes in each phrase differently and play it faster, you'll recognize the tune as "What do we do with a drunken sailor?" I don't know which set of lyrics came first but it's hardly the first time two wildly different lyrics shared the same tune.
# Posted on March 10th 2007 by walrus
Re: oró sé do bheatha abhaile.....heard of it?
Could someone please post the link for the sheet music mentioned above - the '99 March and the'98 March? Several in this thread mentioned that the music is here, but it doesn't show up when I search on the title.
Thanks,
Brian Sumner
# Posted on November 6th 2007 by bsumner