Óró sé do bheatha abhaile

Óró, sé do bheatha 'bhaile (Irish pronunciation: [ˈoːɾˠoː ʃeː d̪ˠə ˈvʲahə walʲə]) 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." The sea shanty, Drunken Sailor shares a similar tune as the song.

Like many folk songs, the origins of this song are obscure, but several different uses of the tune and chorus can be identified.

In 1884 Mr. Francis Hogan of Brenormore, near Carrick-on-Suir, then “well over seventy years of age”, reported 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.

Énrí Ó Muirġeasa also records a similar refrain in 1915 from the Barony of Farney, “but the song to which it belonged was lost before my time”. There is no mention of “hauling home” and the line that P. W. Joyce gives as thá tu maith le rátha (“’tis you are happy with prosperity [in store for you]”) is instead Tá tú amuiġ le ráiṫċe (“You’ve been gone three months”).

This song has also been associated with the Jacobite cause as Séarlas Óg ("Young Charles" in Irish), referring to Bonnie Prince Charlie and dating to the third Jacobite rising of 1745-6.

The tune appears as number 1425 in George Petrie's The Complete Collection of Irish Music (1855) under the title Ó ro! ’sé do ḃeaṫa a ḃaile (modern script: Ó ro! ’sé do bheatha a bhaile) and is marked “Ancient clan march.” It can also be found at number 983 (also marked “Ancient Clan March”) and as a fragment at number 1056, titled Welcome home Prince Charley.

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Wikipedia