OÍCHE CHIÚIN lyrics and chords
(Silent Night in Irish Language, The sheet music is in C Major and the tin whistle notes are in the key of D.
For Enya’s version use capo on 6th fret and add another 1st verse in the key of D major (C=D, G7=A7, F=G) Guitar work by Marc Fahrbach.
As Gaeilge songs .
[C]Oíche chiúin, oíche Mhic Dé,
[G7]Cách 'na suan [C]dís araon.
[F]Dís is dílse [C]'faire le spéis
[F]Naoín beag gnaoigheal, [C]ceananntais caomh.
[G7]Críost, 'na chodladh go [C]sé imh.
Criost, 'na [G7]chodladh go [C]sé imh.
[C]Oíche chiúin, oíche Mhic Dé,
[G7]Aoirí ar dtús [C]chuala 'n scéal.
[F]Allelúia [C]aingeal ag glaoch.
[F]Cantain suairc i [C]ngar is i gcé.
[G7]Críost an Slánaitheoir [C]Féin.
Críost an [G7]Slánaitheoir [C]Féin.
Translation
Silent night, night of God's son,
Everyone is asleep, the pair together.
The most faithful pair, watching with hope
The small bright beautiful child, darling little one.
Christ, calmly asleep.
Christ, calmly asleep.
Silent night, night of God's son,
Shepherds were first to hear the tale.
The angels crying out Alleluia.
Lovely chanting near and far.
Christ, the saviour himself.
Christ, the saviour himself.
For Enya’s version use capo on 6th fret and add another 1st verse in the key of D major (C=D, G7=A7, F=G) Guitar work by Marc Fahrbach.
As Gaeilge songs .
[C]Oíche chiúin, oíche Mhic Dé,
[G7]Cách 'na suan [C]dís araon.
[F]Dís is dílse [C]'faire le spéis
[F]Naoín beag gnaoigheal, [C]ceananntais caomh.
[G7]Críost, 'na chodladh go [C]sé imh.
Criost, 'na [G7]chodladh go [C]sé imh.
[C]Oíche chiúin, oíche Mhic Dé,
[G7]Aoirí ar dtús [C]chuala 'n scéal.
[F]Allelúia [C]aingeal ag glaoch.
[F]Cantain suairc i [C]ngar is i gcé.
[G7]Críost an Slánaitheoir [C]Féin.
Críost an [G7]Slánaitheoir [C]Féin.
Translation
Silent night, night of God's son,
Everyone is asleep, the pair together.
The most faithful pair, watching with hope
The small bright beautiful child, darling little one.
Christ, calmly asleep.
Christ, calmly asleep.
Silent night, night of God's son,
Shepherds were first to hear the tale.
The angels crying out Alleluia.
Lovely chanting near and far.
Christ, the saviour himself.
Christ, the saviour himself.
🎸 Strumming Pattern (3/4 Waltz Feel)Time signature: 3/4 (count “ONE-two-three, ONE-two-three”)
Play softly — this is a prayer, not a march.
Pattern:↓ ↓↑ ↓↑
(count: 1 2& 3&)
| C | C | ↓ ↓↑ ↓↑ 1 2& 3& Bass Alternation (optional for fullness):
🎵 Fingerpicking Tab (Verse + Chorus)We’ll use a slow rolling waltz arpeggio in 3/4 time:
Thumb (p) → Index (i) → Middle (m)
Then repeat gently each bar.
Use:
🎶 First Verse + Chorus Tab
Play softly — this is a prayer, not a march.
Pattern:↓ ↓↑ ↓↑
(count: 1 2& 3&)
- Beat 1: Downstroke on bass strings (stronger, warm)
- Beats 2–3: Light down-up on higher strings
- Let the chord ring fully through each measure.
| C | C | ↓ ↓↑ ↓↑ 1 2& 3& Bass Alternation (optional for fullness):
- C → alternate 5th & 4th strings
- F → 4th & 3rd strings
- G7 → 6th & 4th strings
🎵 Fingerpicking Tab (Verse + Chorus)We’ll use a slow rolling waltz arpeggio in 3/4 time:
Thumb (p) → Index (i) → Middle (m)
Then repeat gently each bar.
Use:
- Thumb (p) → bass (E, A, D)
- Index (i) → G string
- Middle (m) → B string
- (Optional Ring (a) → high E for added shimmer)
🎶 First Verse + Chorus Tab
C G7 C
e|--------0-------------0--------|--------1-------------1--------|--------0-------------0--------|
B|------1---1---------1---1------|------0---0---------0---0------|------1---1---------1---1------|
G|----0-------0-----0-------0----|----0-------0-----0-------0----|----0-------0-----0-------0----|
D|--2-----------2----------------|--0-----------0----------------|--2-----------2----------------|
A|3-------------------------------|----------------2---------------|3-------------------------------|
E|--------------------------------|-3------------------------------|--------------------------------|
Oíche chiúin, oíche Mhic Dé, cách 'na suan dís araon,
F C F C
e|--------1-------------1------|--------0-------------0------|--------1-------------1------|--------0-------------0------|
B|------1---1---------1---1----|------1---1---------1---1----|------1---1---------1---1----|------1---1---------1---1----|
G|----2-------2-----2-------2--|----0-------0-----0-------0--|----2-------2-----2-------2--|----0-------0-----0-------0--|
D|--3-----------3--------------|--2-----------2--------------|--3-----------3--------------|--2-----------2--------------|
A|----------------3-------------|3-----------------------------|----------------3-------------|3-----------------------------|
E|------------------------------|------------------------------|------------------------------|------------------------------|
Dís is dílse ’faire le spéis, Naoín beag gnaoigheal, ceananntais caomh.
G7 C
e|--------1-------------1----------|--------0-------------0----------|
B|------0---0---------0---0--------|------1---1---------1---1--------|
G|----0-------0-----0-------0------|----0-------0-----0-------0------|
D|--0-----------0------------------|--2-----------2------------------|
A|------------------2---------------|3-------------------------------|
E|-3--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
Críost, ’na chodladh go séimh, Críost, ’na chodladh go séimh.
e|--------0-------------0--------|--------1-------------1--------|--------0-------------0--------|
B|------1---1---------1---1------|------0---0---------0---0------|------1---1---------1---1------|
G|----0-------0-----0-------0----|----0-------0-----0-------0----|----0-------0-----0-------0----|
D|--2-----------2----------------|--0-----------0----------------|--2-----------2----------------|
A|3-------------------------------|----------------2---------------|3-------------------------------|
E|--------------------------------|-3------------------------------|--------------------------------|
Oíche chiúin, oíche Mhic Dé, cách 'na suan dís araon,
F C F C
e|--------1-------------1------|--------0-------------0------|--------1-------------1------|--------0-------------0------|
B|------1---1---------1---1----|------1---1---------1---1----|------1---1---------1---1----|------1---1---------1---1----|
G|----2-------2-----2-------2--|----0-------0-----0-------0--|----2-------2-----2-------2--|----0-------0-----0-------0--|
D|--3-----------3--------------|--2-----------2--------------|--3-----------3--------------|--2-----------2--------------|
A|----------------3-------------|3-----------------------------|----------------3-------------|3-----------------------------|
E|------------------------------|------------------------------|------------------------------|------------------------------|
Dís is dílse ’faire le spéis, Naoín beag gnaoigheal, ceananntais caomh.
G7 C
e|--------1-------------1----------|--------0-------------0----------|
B|------0---0---------0---0--------|------1---1---------1---1--------|
G|----0-------0-----0-------0------|----0-------0-----0-------0------|
D|--0-----------0------------------|--2-----------2------------------|
A|------------------2---------------|3-------------------------------|
E|-3--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
Críost, ’na chodladh go séimh, Críost, ’na chodladh go séimh.
The above youtube video is by Irish singer John Spillane with choir.
These are the chords for John's version.
intro. piano chords [ G] [F] [G] [F] [G]
[C]Oíc-he chi-úin, oí-che Mhic Dé, [G]Cách 'na suan [C]dís araon.
[F]Dís is dílse [C]'faire le spéis
[F]Naoín beag gnaoigheal, [C]ceananntais caomh.
[G]Críost, 'na chodladh go [F]sé [C]imh.
Criost, 'na [G]chodladh go [C]sé imh.
Below is the sheet music for Oíche chiúin in C Major.
These are the chords for John's version.
intro. piano chords [ G] [F] [G] [F] [G]
[C]Oíc-he chi-úin, oí-che Mhic Dé, [G]Cách 'na suan [C]dís araon.
[F]Dís is dílse [C]'faire le spéis
[F]Naoín beag gnaoigheal, [C]ceananntais caomh.
[G]Críost, 'na chodladh go [F]sé [C]imh.
Criost, 'na [G]chodladh go [C]sé imh.
Below is the sheet music for Oíche chiúin in C Major.
And below is Oiche Chiuin tin whistle notes for the key of D Major.
