Irish Artists For Palestine collaborate with Irish and Palestinian artists on new song ‘Óró Sé Do Bheatha 'Bhaile’

Irish Artists for Palestine (IAFP) today release Óró Sé Do Bheatha 'Bhaile’, a new offering from their United in Song project.

This wondrous collaboration unites the voices of Irish musicians Ruth Smith and Fergal Scahill with Palestinian artists Mohammed Kahla and Abed Alqam. They are joined by the musical talents of Pauline Scanlon, MayKay and Eamon Murray, three key members of IAFP.

A few weeks ago, IAFP hosted its first cross-cultural exchange, United in Song, which took place over four dates across Ireland. For the event, Galway natives Scahill and Smith were joined on stage by Kahla and Alqam, who travelled from Ramallah in the Occupied West Bank of Palestine. Fundraisers were organised ahead of United in Song to support Kahla and Alqam’s journey to Ireland, which took two days.

‘Óro Sé Do Bheatha 'Bhalie’ marks the first release from this live event.

The song, which dates back nearly 300 years, evolved from its Jacobite origins to become a symbol of resilience, reimagined by Padraig Pearse. The release of the single creates a meaningful link between the musical traditions of Ireland and Palestine, offering a powerful cultural connection that can be easily shared with a wide audience.

Speaking about the release, Ruth Smith said: “This collaboration has been heart-opening for both Fergal and I. It has strengthened our belief in cultural solidarity between Ireland and Palestine. Our songs and stories have survived centuries of struggle, and this project is a testament to that shared experience”.

We recently interviewed IAFP’s MayKay and Pauline Scanlon for our upcoming Hot Press Annual issue, where they discussed the United in Song project at length.

“We really saw great value in doing this exchange because it’s amazing to have people come and tell the story they wanted to, through their music, to Irish audiences,” Scanlon said. “Their stories and music really resonate with Irish people because they have echoes of sean nós and laments, and echoes of our own occupation”.

‘Óro Sé Do Bheatha 'Bhalie’ is available to purchase via IAFP’s Bandcamp here.