Wexford Carol facts for kids

The Wexford Carol (also known as Carúl Loch Garman or Carúl Inis Córthaidh in Irish) is a very old and special Christmas carol from Ireland. It comes from a place called County Wexford, especially the town of Enniscorthy. This song tells the story of the birth of Jesus Christ.

Discovering the Wexford Carol

St. Aidan's Cathedral

"The Wexford Carol" is a very old song. Its exact beginnings are not fully known. Some people think it might be from the early Middle Ages. However, its music and words suggest it was likely written in the 1400s or 1500s.

The song became popular again thanks to William Grattan Flood (1859–1928). He was an organ player and music director at St. Aidan's Cathedral in Enniscorthy. He wrote down the carol after hearing a local person sing it. Then, he had it printed in a famous book called The Oxford Book of Carols. This helped share the song from Enniscorthy with people all over the world.

How the Carol is Sung Today

There are many traditions about this song. For example, some people used to say only men should sing it. But today, many famous singers, both men and women, have recorded it.

• In 1966, Julie Andrews sang a version.
• In 1987, Loreena McKennitt also recorded it.
• Yo-Yo Ma and Alison Krauss included it on Yo-Yo Ma's 2008 holiday album.
• Michael McDonald sang it with his wife, Amy Holland, in 2009.
• The Irish singer Caitríona O'Leary featured it on her 2014 album, The Wexford Carols. She even sang it with Tom Jones and Rosanne Cash.
• Irish folk singer Cara Dillon put the song on her 2016 album.
• The Irish group Celtic Women included it on their 2006 Christmas album.
• The English boy choir Libera performed it in 2013.
• Country artist Trace Adkins recorded a version in 2013.
• The Mormon Tabernacle Choir performed it in 2016.
• In 2018, the family group The Nelons included it on their album "A Winter Carol."

English Lyrics

Here are the words to the Wexford Carol in English:

Good people all, this Christmas time,
Consider well and bear in mind
What our good God for us has done
In sending His beloved Son
With Mary holy we should pray,
To God with love this Christmas Day
In Bethlehem upon that morn,
There was a blessed Messiah born.

The night before that happy tide,
The noble virgin and her guide
Were long time seeking up and down
To find a lodging in the town.
But mark how all things came to pass
From every door repelled, alas,
As was foretold, their refuge all
Was but a humble ox's stall.

Near Bethlehem did shepherds keep
Their flocks of lambs and feeding sheep
To whom God's angels did appear
Which put the shepherds in great fear
Prepare and go, the angels said
To Bethlehem, be not afraid
For there you'll find, this happy morn
A princely Babe, sweet Jesus, born.

With thankful heart and joyful mind
The shepherds went the babe to find
And as God's angel had foretold
They did our Saviour Christ behold
Within a manger He was laid
And by his side the virgin maid
Attending on the Lord of Life
Who came on earth to end all strife.

There were three wise men from afar
Directed by a glorious star
And on they wandered night and day
Until they came where Jesus lay
And when they came unto that place
Where our beloved Messiah lay
They humbly cast them at His feet
With gifts of gold and incense sweet.

Irish Lyrics

Here are the words to the Wexford Carol in Irish:

Ó, tagaig' uile is adhraigí

An leanbh cneasta sa chró 'na luí

Is cuimhnígí ar ghrá an Rí

A thug dár saoradh anocht an Naí.

'S a Mhuire Mháthair i bParrthas Dé,

Ar chlann bhocht Éabha guigh 'nois go caomh,

Is doras an chró ná dún go deo

Go n-adhram' feasta Mac Mhuire Ógh.

I mBeithil thoir i lár na hoích'

Ba chlos an deascéala d'aoirí,

Go follas don saol ón spéir go binn

Bhí aingle 'canadh ó rinn go rinn.

"Gluaisig' go beo," dúirt Aingeal Dé,

"Go Beithil sall is gheobhaidh sibh É

'Na luí go séimh i mainséar féir,

Siúd É an Meisias a ghráigh an saol."