Rattlin' Bog Drinking Game – Irish Pub Song with Rules
Sit in a circle and sing the verses in turn. Drink while the others sing. Each verse gets longer!
📋 Rules
- Sit in a circle with drinks easily accessible
- The first person drinks while the others sing the first verse
- Only when the verse is over does the next person start drinking
- Each verse gets longer and the game faster
- Bonus: Create fun punishments for those who mess up the lyrics
Chorus (sung by everyone)
Ho, ro, the rattlin' bog,
The bog down in the valley-o.
Real Bog, the rattlin' bog,
The bog down in the valley-o.
Verse 1
Well in the bog there was a hole,
A rare hole and a rattlin' hole,
And the hole in the bog,
And the bog down in the valley-o.
↩ Chorus
Ho, ro, the rattlin' bog,
The bog down in the valley-o.
Real Bog, the rattlin' bog,
The bog down in the valley-o.
Verse 2
Well in that hole there was a tree,
A rare tree and a rattlin' tree,
And the tree in the hole,
And the hole in the bog,
And the bog down in the valley-o.
↩ Chorus
Ho, ro, the rattlin' bog,
The bog down in the valley-o.
Real Bog, the rattlin' bog,
The bog down in the valley-o.
Verse 3
On that tree there was a branch,
A rare branch and a rattlin' branch,
And the branch on the tree,
And the tree in the hole,
And the hole in the bog,
And the bog down in the valley-o.
↩ Chorus
Ho, ro, the rattlin' bog,
The bog down in the valley-o.
Real Bog, the rattlin' bog,
The bog down in the valley-o.
Verse 4
On that branch there was a limb,
A rare limb and a rattlin' limb,
And the limb on the branch,
And the branch on the tree,
And the tree in the hole,
And the hole in the bog,
And the bog down in the valley-o.
↩ Chorus
Ho, ro, the rattlin' bog,
The bog down in the valley-o.
Real Bog, the rattlin' bog,
The bog down in the valley-o.
Verse 5
Well on that limb there was a nest,
A rare nest and a rattlin' nest,
And the nest on the limb,
And the limb on the branch,
And the branch on the tree,
And the tree in the hole,
And the hole in the bog,
And the bog down in the valley-o.
↩ Chorus
Ho, ro, the rattlin' bog,
The bog down in the valley-o.
Real Bog, the rattlin' bog,
The bog down in the valley-o.
Verse 6
Now in that nest there was a bird,
A rare bird and a rattlin' bird,
And the bird in the nest,
And the nest on the limb,
And the limb on the branch,
And the branch on the tree,
And the tree in the hole,
And the hole in the bog,
Down in the valley-o.
↩ Chorus
Ho, ro, the rattlin' bog,
The bog down in the valley-o.
Real Bog, the rattlin' bog,
The bog down in the valley-o.
Verse 7
In that bird there was an egg,
A rare egg and a rattlin' egg,
And the egg on the bird,
And the bird in the nest,
And the nest on the limb,
And the limb on the branch,
And the branch on the tree,
And the tree in the bog,
And the hole in the bog,
And the bog down in the valley-o.
↩ Chorus
Ho, ro, the rattlin' bog,
The bog down in the valley-o.
Real Bog, the rattlin' bog,
The bog down in the valley-o.
Final verse
In that egg there was a bird,
A rare bird and a rattlin' bird,
And the bird on the egg,
And the egg on the bird,
And the bird in the nest,
And the nest on the limb,
And the limb on the branch,
And the branch on the tree,
And the tree in the bog,
And the hole in the bog,
And the bog down in the valley-o.
↩ Chorus
Ho, ro, the rattlin' bog,
The bog down in the valley-o.
Real Bog, the rattlin' bog,
The bog down in the valley-o.
How to play Rattlin' Bog Drinking Game
The classic Irish pub song where the song builds up layer by layer. Everyone sings along. The one who loses the thread, says the wrong lyrics, or stops = drinks. An incredibly fun song drinking game perfect for after-parties.
Rules
- Sit in a circle – use the lyrics on screen as a guide.
- The first person drinks while the others sing the first verse.
- When the verse is done, the next person starts drinking.
- Each verse builds on the previous and gets longer – keep your wits about you!
- The one who says the wrong lyrics, hesitates or stops mid-verse takes an extra sip as punishment.
Frequently asked questions
What is Rattlin' Bog?
Rattlin' Bog is a traditional Irish pub song where each verse builds on the previous one. In the drinking game version, one player drinks per verse while the others sing.
How many verses does Rattlin' Bog have?
The song has 8 verses in addition to the chorus. The verses get progressively longer and require players to remember more and more lyrics with each step.
What happens if you sing the wrong lyrics in Rattlin' Bog?
The one who sings the wrong lyrics, hesitates or skips an element takes an extra penalty of 1–2 sips according to agreed rules.
Is Rattlin' Bog suitable for large groups?
Yes, Rattlin' Bog is perfect for 5–15 players. The larger the group, the longer you wait between rounds – and the more fun when someone forgets the lyrics.
Do you need to know the lyrics in advance?
No! The lyrics are shown on the page so everyone can follow along. But it gets more fun the more you remember the lyrics by heart.