♫ ♫ ♫ Welcome to the Rattlin' Bog Fan Shrine!! The #1 site on the internet for fans of this incredible Irish folk song!! Site last updated March 2003 Don't forget to sign the guestbook!! HUGE NEWS: Someone uploaded the song to YouTube!!!!! Check it out below!!!!! ♫ ♫ ♫

Welcome to The Rattlin' Bog Fan Shrine!!

If you're here, you already know. The Rattlin' Bog is the greatest song ever recorded by human hands. There is no song more joyful, more infectious, more utterly impossible to stop singing once you start. I have been singing this song since I was 8 years old when my uncle Declan taught it to me at a family gathering in County Clare and I have not stopped since. My neighbours can confirm this.

This site is my small way of giving back to the song that has given me so much happiness. Here you'll find the FULL COMPLETE LYRICS (all verses! properly written out! you're welcome!), information about the history of the song, our wonderful community forum, and of course the AMAZING news that someone has finally uploaded a brilliant recording to YouTube!!! NEW!

Whether you're a session singer, a school choir veteran, or someone who just heard this song for the first time in a pub and couldn't get it out of your head for three weeks (we've all been there) — you are welcome here.

— BogLord2002, Webmaster & Founder
Singing the bog since 1994

Webmaster's Corner

Handle: BogLord2002
Real Name: Seamus (but you can call me Shay)
Location: Ennis, Co. Clare, Ireland
Favourite Verse: The flea on the feather (it's the peak of the song and I will die on this hill)

I started this site in September 2002 after I realised there wasn't a single decent website dedicated to this song. Can you believe that?? The greatest cumulative folk song in the English language and not ONE website. Well, now there is. You're on it.

When I'm not maintaining this shrine I play tin whistle and bodhrán at the Tuesday session at Cruise's pub. I also have a cat named Rattlin' (yes, really) and she is grand.

Contact me: boglord2002 [at] eircom [dot] net

Site Updates

  • Mar 2003: YOUTUBE VIDEO ADDED!!! This changes everything!! NEW!
  • Feb 2003: Added 2 new guestbook entries. Thanks for visiting!!
  • Jan 2003: Happy New Year! Forum is getting active!
  • Nov 2002: Fixed the lyrics page — I had the flea and the feather in the wrong order. Mortifying.
  • Oct 2002: Added Links page and Guestbook! Sign it!!
  • Sep 2002: SITE LAUNCHED!! We're live lads!!

THE VIDEO NEW!

OMG THEY PUT IT ON YOUTUBE!!
WATCH THIS NOW!!

I have been waiting YEARS for a good recording of this song to appear online. YEARS. I used to have a RealPlayer file of a dodgy live recording from 1998 that I treasured like gold, and now THIS exists?? On YouTube?? For FREE?? The internet is truly a marvel. I actually rang my mam to tell her about this.

BogLord2002's Notes: Right so a few things. First of all, listen to the ENERGY in this. Listen to how the whole room is singing along by the third verse. That's what this song does to people. You cannot resist it. Second, pay attention to how they handle the speed-up on the later verses — that's the mark of people who have sung this at many, many sessions. Third, I may have cried a small bit the first time I watched this. No shame.

If you know of any other recordings online PLEASE post in the forum or email me!! I am building an archive.

Note from the webmaster: I know "YouTube" is fairly new and some of you might not have heard of it. It's a website where people can upload videos. It's class. You need broadband though, sorry dial-up lads.