A Modern Classic of Maritime Music
Although often sung alongside traditional sea shanties, ‘The Shoals of Herring’ is actually a modern folk song written by Ewan MacColl in 1960. Despite its relatively recent origin, it has become one of the most admired and widely performed songs in the maritime repertoire.
Its vivid descriptions of life aboard the fishing fleet have led many listeners to assume it is a much older traditional song.
Written for the BBC Radio Ballads
The song was composed for the BBC Radio Ballad Singing the Fishing, one of the celebrated documentary programmes created by Ewan MacColl, Peggy Seeger and Charles Parker.
First broadcast in 1960, the programme explored the lives, traditions and working conditions of Britain's fishing communities.
The Story of Sam Larner
MacColl based the song on the experiences of Norfolk fisherman Sam Larner, a respected traditional singer from Winterton-on-Sea.
Larner began fishing as a boy in the nineteenth century and spent much of his life following the great herring fleets around Britain's coasts. His memories formed the foundation for the song's narrative.
The Herring Industry
For centuries, herring fishing was one of Britain's most important industries. Large fleets followed migrating shoals around the North Sea and the Atlantic, providing employment for fishermen, shipbuilders, net makers and fish curers.
Entire communities depended upon the annual herring harvest, earning the fish their nickname, “the silver darlings”.
Life on the Drifters
The song describes the hard realities of life aboard the sailing herring luggers and drifters that worked the fishing grounds before the First World War.
Crews faced long hours, harsh weather and physically demanding conditions, often spending months away from home in pursuit of the shoals.
From Norfolk to the Faroe Islands
The lyrics trace journeys from East Anglian ports to famous fishing grounds across northern waters.
References to locations stretching from the Dover Strait to the Faroe Islands reflect the extraordinary distances travelled by the herring fleets in search of profitable catches.
A Song Rooted in Real Experience
Unlike many traditional folk songs whose origins are uncertain, the history of ‘The Shoals of Herring’ is unusually well documented.
MacColl acknowledged that the song was written specifically to reflect the life story of Sam Larner and the experiences of generations of herring fishermen.
The Folk Revival
Following its appearance in Singing the Fishing, the song was adopted by folk singers throughout Britain, Ireland and beyond.
Artists including The Dubliners, The Clancy Brothers, Louis Killen and many others helped introduce it to international audiences.
A Song That Became Traditional
Although it was written in 1960, many singers now regard ‘The Shoals of Herring’ as part of the traditional maritime canon.
Its authentic language, memorable melody and truthful portrayal of fishing life have allowed it to enter the living folk tradition.
“With our nets and gear we're faring,
On the wild and wasteful ocean,
It's there that we hunt and earn our bread,
As we hunted for the shoals of herring.”
Why We Still Sing It
- It preserves the history of Britain's herring fishing industry.
- It tells the real-life story of fisherman Sam Larner.
- It captures the hardship and pride of fishing communities.
- It has become one of the most loved maritime songs ever written.
More than sixty years after it was composed, ‘The Shoals of Herring’ remains a powerful tribute to the men and communities whose lives depended upon the sea. By transforming real memories into song, Ewan MacColl created a lasting memorial to one of Britain's most important maritime traditions.