Irish Song- Óró, sé do bheatha ’bhaile, with Lyrics and Translations

Subscribe now ! Óró, sé do bheatha ’bhaile is a traditional Irish song, that came to be known as a rebel song in the early 20th century. Óró is a cheer, while sé do bheatha ’bhaile means “welcome home“, although it is better translated as “your birthright is back home“. The woman of the song returning as a liberator, Gráinne Mhaol (sometimes known as Grace O’Malley) was chieftain of the Ó Máille clan in the west of Ireland. She is a well-known historical figure in 16th-century Irish history, and is sometimes known as ’The Sea Queen of Connacht’, one of the most famous female sea-raiders of all time fighting against the english occupiers. In a nutshell, in 1578 Gráinne Mhaol (whose name was already pretty famous at the time) was thrown into the dungeons of the Dublin Castle by the local English Governor, but was later released from prison on the pretext of bringing Risdeárd an Iarainn Bourke (Richard-in-Iron, Gráinne’s 2nd husband) and his fellow Irish rioters to heel. As soon as she was released, reunited with her husband, Gráinne started plundering English shipping and managed to rout an English army sent to beseige her. The following year Gráinne and Bourke went into rebellion once again to secure their rights. This song takes place following the Flight of the Earls in 1607 wherein the Irish lords who rebelled in the Nine Years War fled the nation to seek support from the French and Spanish, however despite being already dead since 1603, the Irish people look for Gráinne Mhaol to return and expel the English once and for all. In her raiding campaign she gained legendary status among Irish rebels and is widely regarded as one of the most popular and influential revolutionary figures in Irish culture even today. Almost 15 years later Elizabeth I imprisoned Gráinne Mhaol’s sons and half-brother, forcing Gráinne to negotiate their release. Even though she refused to bow before Elizabeth (as she did not recognise her as the Queen of Ireland), the talks led to the release of her family, under the agreement that Gráinne would stop attacking English ships. Realising the meeting was useless, Gráinne went back to attacking English ships shortly after her departure. (she was later accused to have nursed to all rebellions in that province for over forty years.) It was also sung during the Irish War of Independence (1919-1921). In the early 20th century it received new verses by the nationalist poet Pádraig Pearse and was often sung by members of the Irish Volunteers during the Easter Rising. Because although this is an old song, a little over 100years ago Patrick Pearse re-wrote it to support the planned rising (April 1916).