Everybody sings Óró sé do bheatha ‘bhaile
You may recall I told you about this song when talking of the songs we learned in school - and this would be in Ireland for those of you who think we’re talking of Malaysia.
The song was equally popular in the summers I spent in the Gaeltacht, and our teenage abuse of it all the more unpopular not least because the susbstitute lyrics were in English. Indeed the deliberate mis-singing of it was only stamped out by threatened expulsion - not that I was one of the mis-singers you understand.
Anyway, in celebration of the KC premiere screening of Irish film (and British really, to be honest) The Wind That Shakes The Barley about to happen for the benefit of the Jennifer Ireland Foundation, here’s everybody else and their dog singing Óró sé do bheatha ‘bhaile:
• Darach Ó Catháin
• The Wolfe Tones
• Sinead O’Connor
• The Clancy Brothers
• Spanish students
• Éamonn Ó Faogáin
And finally of course,
• Máirtín de Cógáin and cast of Barley
You can also listen to a version by The Cassidys not a million miles from Luka Bloom’s I Need Love on their 1997 album Óró na Casaidigh. From their website go to “recordings” to pick the album from the left and then listen to the track on the right. Trust me I’d link directly to it if there wasn’t a Flash obstacle course in the way.
Personally though, I don’t think anybody betters Darach Ó Catháin’s version.
The very same Máirtín of course will be at the Kansas City premiere of Barley for your entertainment this Thursday, May 10, 2007.
Until then have a look at every conceiveable thing about The Wind That Shakes The Barley here following the official trailer.
And if you fancy learning the words (I always trip up in the third verse) :
Óró ‘Sé do bheatha ‘bhaile,
Óró ‘Sé do bheatha ‘bhaile,
Óró ‘Sé do bheatha ‘bhaile,
Anois ar theacht an tsamhraidh!Óró ‘Sé do bheatha ‘bhaile,
Óró ‘Sé do bheatha ‘bhaile,
Óró ‘Sé do bheatha ‘bhaile,
Anois ar theacht an tsamhraidh!‘Sé do bheatha a bhean ba léanmhar,
B’ é ár gcreach tú bheith i ngéibhinn,
Do dhúiche bhreá i seilibh meirleach…
Is tú díolta leis na Gallaibh!Tá Gráinne Mhaol ag teacht thar sáile,
Óglaigh armtha léi mar gharda,
Gaeil iad féin is ní Gaill ná Spáinnigh…
Is cuirfidh siad ruaig ar Ghallaibh!A bhuí le Rí na bhFeart go bhfeiceann,
Muna mbíonn beo ina dhiaidh ach seachtain,
Gráinne Mhaol is míle gaiscíoch…
Ag fógairt fáin ar Ghallaibh!
Eolaí gan Fhéile:
anois ar teacht an t-samhraidh.
Yee-hoo! I still sing that to myself sometimes.
In that camp Tones way, Kav?