Learn Some Irish Christmas Carols

The happy holiday of Christmas is right around the corner!

I’m a big advocate of singing as an aid to learning. Why don’t we have some fun and learn a couple of Irish Christmas carols, appropriate to the season?

Three kinds of Irish Christmas Carols

When looking for Christmas or winter songs in Irish, you’re likely to encounter three kinds:

• Traditional Irish Christmas Carols. These are songs that originated in Ireland, such as Carúl Loch Garman (“The Wexford Carol”) or Don Oíche Úd i mBeithil (“To That Night in Bethlehem”). These songs are usually quite old, and their authorship is unknown.
• Composed Irish Christmas Carols. These are also songs that originated in Ireland, but they are of more recent composition, and the writer is known. Some examples are Suantraí na Maighdine (“The Virgin’s Lullaby”) by Seán Óg Ó Tuama and Oíche Nollag (“Christmas Eve”) by Mary Mac an tSaoi.
• Irish versions of European or American Carols. Several familiar European and American Carols and winter songs, such as “Jingle Bells” and Silent Night” have versions in Irish.

Since the latter category is most likely to include tunes that are familiar to you, let’s take a look at a couple of those.

Before learning more about Irish Christmas Carols, would you like to learn how to wish someone a Happy Christmas in Irish? Check out the video.

How To Say – Happy Christmas in Irish

“Versions,” not necessarily “translations”

Translating poetry (which is what song lyrics are) in a way that fits the music and the style of the song is one of the most difficult types of translations there is.  Consequently, most Irish versions of familiar carols aren’t direct translations, but rather paraphrases (and, in some cases, as in the first song below, the lyrics are completely different).

Here’s one with a very familiar tune. Listen to the audio, and say it aloud.

Irish Christmas Carol – DAIDÍ NA NOLLAG (FATHER CHRISTMAS)

Lyrics by James Pierpoint.  Sung to the tune of “Jingle Bells.”

Curfá / Chorus

Verse 1

Verse 2

TRANSLATION

FATHER CHRISTMAS*

Chorus:

Clap hands, clap hands, let’s all clap,

Father Christmas is coming down the chimney tonight.

Clap hands, clap hands, let’s all clap,

Father Christmas is coming down the chimney tonight.

Verse 1

Christmas is coming near; there’s joy in the air.

There’s snow on the ground; there are stars in the sky.

We’re going to bed, and our stockings are ready.

Father Christmas is coming down the chimney tonight.

Verse 2

Oh hurry, Father Christmas, and put down your bag.

Fill the little stocking with presents again.

And then you must be going up the chimney.

Little children are waiting for you in every place under the sky.

That’ll get you singing!

There’s a couple to get you started! On Saturday, we’ll take a look at some traditional Irish carols, with, perhaps, less familiar tunes.

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Did you enjoy these Irish Christmas Carols? Let us know your thoughts below.

See our Christmas in Irish resources.