Oro Oro Lyrics And Chords By The Fureys And Davie Arthur
Written by Finbar Furey with guitar chords by Marc Fahrbach, the tune was borrowed mostly from the the Padraig Pearse marching song 'Óró Sé Do Bheatha Abhaile [ lyrics ]' . A song of emigration to find work and leave the land behind. Alas the story in the song has come back again to haunt the Irish. The politicians have run our great little country into the ground while they were in the hands of the greedy builders and developers.
[Em)Oro, oro,
(D)oro Abhaile Michael
(Em)O Ro Se do Bheatha A(D)bhaile
But (Em)find us (D)bloody (Em)work there
From (Em)Donegal to the County Kerry,
From (D)Belfast City to the hills of Derry
We (Em)come from Clare, from Meath and (D)Mayo
To (Em)work a(D)cross the (Em)ocean
Chorus
I (Em)see Rossleare and the Wexford Harbor
The (D)Waterford coast with the fishing trawler
We (Em)crossed Kildare right through to (D)Carlow
To (Em)work a(D)cross the (Em)ocean
Chorus
I'm (Em)tired of leaving the hills of Galway
I'm (D)fed up with sailing away from Dublin
We (Em)just left Limerick and Cork be(D)hind us
To (Em)work a(D)cross the (Em)ocean
Chorus
I'm (Em)tired of the tears from me mother Katie [ lyrics ]
I'm (D)fed up with leaving my sister Mary
And (Em)my father sayin, "Take it nice and (D)easy.”
When (Em)workin' a(D)cross the (Em)ocean
Chorus
We (Em)don't need the pity of the politicians
With (D)their crocodile tears and useless petitions
Just (Em)give us some work with suitable po(D)sitions
Stop the (Em)exodus a(D)cross the (Em)ocean
(D)oro Abhaile Michael
(Em)O Ro Se do Bheatha A(D)bhaile
But (Em)find us (D)bloody (Em)work there
From (Em)Donegal to the County Kerry,
From (D)Belfast City to the hills of Derry
We (Em)come from Clare, from Meath and (D)Mayo
To (Em)work a(D)cross the (Em)ocean
Chorus
I (Em)see Rossleare and the Wexford Harbor
The (D)Waterford coast with the fishing trawler
We (Em)crossed Kildare right through to (D)Carlow
To (Em)work a(D)cross the (Em)ocean
Chorus
I'm (Em)tired of leaving the hills of Galway
I'm (D)fed up with sailing away from Dublin
We (Em)just left Limerick and Cork be(D)hind us
To (Em)work a(D)cross the (Em)ocean
Chorus
I'm (Em)tired of the tears from me mother Katie [ lyrics ]
I'm (D)fed up with leaving my sister Mary
And (Em)my father sayin, "Take it nice and (D)easy.”
When (Em)workin' a(D)cross the (Em)ocean
Chorus
We (Em)don't need the pity of the politicians
With (D)their crocodile tears and useless petitions
Just (Em)give us some work with suitable po(D)sitions
Stop the (Em)exodus a(D)cross the (Em)ocean
“Oro Abhaile Michael”, an Irish emigrant song that sounds rich and earthy in G Major.
Below is a full arrangement with:
✅ All verses and chorus with chords in G Major
🎸 A natural Irish folk strumming pattern
🎶 A fingerpicking tab for the first verse (chorus section)
🎵 Oro Abhaile Michael
Key: G Major
Chorus
[Am]Oro, oro,
[G]Oro abhaile Michael,
[Am]O ro sé do bheatha a[G]bhaile.
But [Am]find us [G]bloody [Am]work there!
Verse 1
From [Am]Donegal to the County Kerry,
From [G]Belfast City to the hills of Derry,
We [Am]come from Clare, from Meath and [G]Mayo,
To [Am]work a[G]cross the [Am]ocean.
Verse 2
[Am]Brothers gone, and fathers weary,
[G]Mothers weep and daughters dreary,
[Am]Homes are cold, the hearth’s grown [G]lonely,
We [Am]sail a[G]way for [Am]labour.
Verse 3
[Am]Foreign fields, and hearts of strangers,
[G]Irish lads who court the dangers,
[Am]Dreams of home in the city [G]hollow,
[Am]Sing, and [G]drink, and [Am]wander.
Chorus (Repeat)
[Am]Oro, oro,
[G]Oro abhaile Michael,
[Am]O ro sé do bheatha a[G]bhaile.
But [Am]find us [G]bloody [Am]work there!
🎸 Strumming Pattern (Irish Folk 4/4)
Pattern:
D – D U – U D U
Count:
1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &
D (1) – (2) D U (3 &) – (4) U D U (&)
Feel:
Keep it steady, rolling, and slightly swung — think of a bodhrán rhythm.
Emphasize beats 2 and 4 slightly.
On the “Oro, oro” refrain, you can mute the upstrokes for a percussive feel (soft palm mute).
Use Down-Down-Up / Down-Up alternation on slower verses for a ballad texture.
🎶 Fingerpicking Tab (Chorus / First Verse)
This uses a gentle alternating-bass (Travis) pattern common in Irish guitar style.
Pattern (general):
Thumb (P): alternating bass
Index (i): G string
Middle (m): B string
Pattern: P (bass) – i (G) – m (B) – i (G)
Fingerpicking Tab (Chorus)
[Am]
e|----------------|----------------|
B|------1---------|------1---------|
G|----2---2-------|----2---2-------|
D|2---------------|2---------------|
A|0---------------|0---------------|
E|----------------|----------------|
Oro, oro, Oro abhaile Michael
[G]
e|----------------|----------------|
B|------0---------|------0---------|
G|----0---0-------|----0---0-------|
D|0---------------|0---------------|
A|2---------------|2---------------|
E|3---------------|3---------------|
O ro sé do bheatha abhaile
[Am]
e|----------------|----------------|
B|------1---------|------1---------|
G|----2---2-------|----2---2-------|
D|2---------------|2---------------|
A|0---------------|0---------------|
E|----------------|----------------|
But find us bloody work there
Fingerpicking Tab (Verse)
[Am]
e|----------------|----------------|
B|------1---------|------1---------|
G|----2---2-------|----2---2-------|
D|2---------------|2---------------|
A|0---------------|0---------------|
E|----------------|----------------|
From Donegal to the County Kerry
[G]
e|----------------|----------------|
B|------0---------|------0---------|
G|----0---0-------|----0---0-------|
D|0---------------|0---------------|
A|2---------------|2---------------|
E|3---------------|3---------------|
From Belfast City to the hills of Derry
[Am]
e|----------------|----------------|
B|------1---------|------1---------|
G|----2---2-------|----2---2-------|
D|2---------------|2---------------|
A|0---------------|0---------------|
E|----------------|----------------|
We come from Clare, from Meath and Mayo
[G]
e|----------------|----------------|
B|------0---------|------0---------|
G|----0---0-------|----0---0-------|
D|0---------------|0---------------|
A|2---------------|2---------------|
E|3---------------|3---------------|
To work across the ocean
“Oro Abhaile Michael”, an Irish emigrant song that sounds rich and earthy in G Major.
Below is a full arrangement with:
✅ All verses and chorus with chords in G Major
🎸 A natural Irish folk strumming pattern
🎶 A fingerpicking tab for the first verse (chorus section)
🎵 Oro Abhaile Michael
Key: G Major
Chorus
[Am]Oro, oro,
[G]Oro abhaile Michael,
[Am]O ro sé do bheatha a[G]bhaile.
But [Am]find us [G]bloody [Am]work there!
Verse 1
From [Am]Donegal to the County Kerry,
From [G]Belfast City to the hills of Derry,
We [Am]come from Clare, from Meath and [G]Mayo,
To [Am]work a[G]cross the [Am]ocean.
Verse 2
[Am]Brothers gone, and fathers weary,
[G]Mothers weep and daughters dreary,
[Am]Homes are cold, the hearth’s grown [G]lonely,
We [Am]sail a[G]way for [Am]labour.
Verse 3
[Am]Foreign fields, and hearts of strangers,
[G]Irish lads who court the dangers,
[Am]Dreams of home in the city [G]hollow,
[Am]Sing, and [G]drink, and [Am]wander.
Chorus (Repeat)
[Am]Oro, oro,
[G]Oro abhaile Michael,
[Am]O ro sé do bheatha a[G]bhaile.
But [Am]find us [G]bloody [Am]work there!
🎸 Strumming Pattern (Irish Folk 4/4)
Pattern:
D – D U – U D U
Count:
1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &
D (1) – (2) D U (3 &) – (4) U D U (&)
Feel:
Keep it steady, rolling, and slightly swung — think of a bodhrán rhythm.
Emphasize beats 2 and 4 slightly.
On the “Oro, oro” refrain, you can mute the upstrokes for a percussive feel (soft palm mute).
Use Down-Down-Up / Down-Up alternation on slower verses for a ballad texture.
🎶 Fingerpicking Tab (Chorus / First Verse)
This uses a gentle alternating-bass (Travis) pattern common in Irish guitar style.
Pattern (general):
Thumb (P): alternating bass
Index (i): G string
Middle (m): B string
Pattern: P (bass) – i (G) – m (B) – i (G)
Fingerpicking Tab (Chorus)
[Am]
e|----------------|----------------|
B|------1---------|------1---------|
G|----2---2-------|----2---2-------|
D|2---------------|2---------------|
A|0---------------|0---------------|
E|----------------|----------------|
Oro, oro, Oro abhaile Michael
[G]
e|----------------|----------------|
B|------0---------|------0---------|
G|----0---0-------|----0---0-------|
D|0---------------|0---------------|
A|2---------------|2---------------|
E|3---------------|3---------------|
O ro sé do bheatha abhaile
[Am]
e|----------------|----------------|
B|------1---------|------1---------|
G|----2---2-------|----2---2-------|
D|2---------------|2---------------|
A|0---------------|0---------------|
E|----------------|----------------|
But find us bloody work there
Fingerpicking Tab (Verse)
[Am]
e|----------------|----------------|
B|------1---------|------1---------|
G|----2---2-------|----2---2-------|
D|2---------------|2---------------|
A|0---------------|0---------------|
E|----------------|----------------|
From Donegal to the County Kerry
[G]
e|----------------|----------------|
B|------0---------|------0---------|
G|----0---0-------|----0---0-------|
D|0---------------|0---------------|
A|2---------------|2---------------|
E|3---------------|3---------------|
From Belfast City to the hills of Derry
[Am]
e|----------------|----------------|
B|------1---------|------1---------|
G|----2---2-------|----2---2-------|
D|2---------------|2---------------|
A|0---------------|0---------------|
E|----------------|----------------|
We come from Clare, from Meath and Mayo
[G]
e|----------------|----------------|
B|------0---------|------0---------|
G|----0---0-------|----0---0-------|
D|0---------------|0---------------|
A|2---------------|2---------------|
E|3---------------|3---------------|
To work across the ocean
Below is the list of songs in the Furey Brothers Tin Whistle Sheet Music Tabs.
Some of the later songs that were recorded by Finbar Furey are included.
Oro Oro sheet music included.
The price of the ebook is €9.95.
Some of the later songs that were recorded by Finbar Furey are included.
Oro Oro sheet music included.
The price of the ebook is €9.95.
