Óró Mo Bháidín

Q: What do the Irish words mean?

**Báidín** is a little boat; **mo bháidín** is “my little boat.” After **mo**, the **bh** has a sound like English **v** in many pronunciations of this word. **Cuan** means bay or harbour, and **ag tarraingt** is “pulling,” as on an oar. **Curachaín** is a small currach, a traditional Irish boat.

Q: Which version is this?

These are the first two stanzas in [Joe Heaney's 1978 rendition in the University of Washington collection](https://www.joeheaney.org/ga/oro-mo-bhaidin/). Heaney describes singing to the rhythm of rowing, but he also remembers women at home singing about the fishing boats while rocking a cradle. That makes the repeated pull useful as either a rowing motion or a quiet rocking one. For a group, have a leader sing each opening phrase and invite everyone to answer **óró, mo bháidín**. Sit and reach forward with imaginary oars, then pull back on each **ag tarraingt**.

Origin: Ireland

Irish Nursery Rhyme

Original Lyrics

Óró, mo bháidín amuigh ar an gcuan, óró, mo bháidínFágaidh na maidí is téigh muid chun siúil, óró, mo bháidínÓró, mo churachaín-ó, óró, mo bháidín.

Is álainn an lá é amuigh ar a gcuan, óró, mo bháidínAg tarraingt, ag tarraingt, ag tarraingt go buan, óró, mo bháidínÓró, mo churachaín-ó, óró, mo bháidín.

English Translation

Oh, my little boat out on the bay, oh, my little boat,Leave the oars and let's get going, oh, my little boat,Oh, my little currach, oh, my little boat.

What a lovely day out on the bay, oh, my little boat,Pulling, pulling, pulling steadily, oh, my little boat,Oh, my little currach, oh, my little boat.

History and Meaning

“Óró Mo Bháidín” follows a little boat out on the bay. The repeated pulling line has a beat children can row to, and the refrain gives them a place to join in even before they know the rest of the Irish.

What do the Irish words mean?

Báidín is a little boat; mo bháidín is “my little boat.” After mo, the bh has a sound like English v in many pronunciations of this word. Cuan means bay or harbour, and ag tarraingt is “pulling,” as on an oar. Curachaín is a small currach, a traditional Irish boat.

Which version is this?

These are the first two stanzas in Joe Heaney's 1978 rendition in the University of Washington collection. Heaney describes singing to the rhythm of rowing, but he also remembers women at home singing about the fishing boats while rocking a cradle. That makes the repeated pull useful as either a rowing motion or a quiet rocking one.

For a group, have a leader sing each opening phrase and invite everyone to answer óró, mo bháidín. Sit and reach forward with imaginary oars, then pull back on each ag tarraingt.

Lyrics from nurseryrhymes.info

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