Rocky Road to Dublin

"Rocky Road to Dublin" is a song written by Irish poet D. K. Gavan in the mid-19th century for English music hall performer Harry Clifton.^[1] It describes a young man's tumultuous journey to Liverpool in England from his home of Tuam, near Galway in western Ireland.

On the first part of his journey, the song's narrator describes charming the local women, but having no success in finding paying work. Upon reaching the city of Dublin, his possessions are stolen and he is mocked for his accent. From there, he endures a dreadful sea journey to Liverpool, where the locals insult him and his Irish nationality. Finally losing his temper, he begins a brawl with his shillelagh, but fares poorly until some fellow Irishmen join in to help him win the fight.

Factoids

Off to reap the corn: "Corn" refers metaphorically to wealth; the narrator is saying he's off to seek his fortune.

Hunt the hare: There is speculation that this line might refer to the traditional Irish jig "Hunting the Hare". Another possible connection is an Irish text put to the same tune, whose lyrics are unrelated to the English version, but does tell about a man hunting hares or rabbits."^[2] There appears to be little concrete evidence either way.

Pair of brogues: rough shoes of untanned leather, formerly worn in parts of Ireland and the Scottish Highlands.^[3]

Connaught brogue: the narrator's accent. Connaught (now spelled Connacht) is an area of western Ireland that includes Galway.

Played some hearty rigs: "rig" is an old word meaning "trick" or "prank", with a nautical provenance: as pirates deceive by changing the rig of their vessel, so rig came to mean a trick to deceive, or a frolicsome deception.^[4]

Shillelagh: a wooden walking stick, often used as a club or cudgel, typically made from a stout knotty blackthorn stick with a large knob at the top.^[5] (This is the "stout blackthorn" alluded to in verse 1.)

Lyrics

These lyrics are based on the version released on C-Sides.

In the merry month of June from my home I started
Left the girls of Tuam so sad and broken hearted
Saluted Father dear, kissed me darling mother
Drank a pint of beer, me grief and tears to smother
Then off to reap the corn, leave where I was born
Cut a stout blackthorn to banish ghosts and goblins;
Bought a new pair of brogues, rattlin' o'er the bogs
Frightenin' all the dogs on the rocky road to Dublin
One two three four five

{Chorus}
Hunt the hare and turn her down the rocky road
And all the way to Dublin, whack fol lol de rah!

In Mullingar that night I rested limbs so weary
Started by daylight my spirits bright and cheery
Took a drop of the pure to keep me heart from sinking;
That's the Paddy's cure whenever he's on for drinking
To see the lassies smile, laughing all the while
At me curious style, 'twould set your heart a bubblin'
Asked if I was hired, wages I required
'Til I was almost tired on the rocky road to Dublin
One two three four five

{Chorus}

In Dublin next arrived, I thought it such a pity
To be so soon deprived a view of that fine city
Then I took a stroll down among the quality
Bundle it was stole there in a neat locality
Something crossed my mind, then I looked behind
No bundle could I find upon my stick a wobblin'
Enquiring for the rogue, said my Connaught brogue
Wasn't much in vogue on the rocky road to Dublin
One two three four five

{Chorus}

From there I got away, me spirits never failing
Landed on the quay just as the ship was sailing
Captain at me roared, said that no room had he
Then I jumped aboard, a cabin found for Paddy
Was down among the pigs, played some hearty rigs
Danced some hearty jigs, the water round me bubbling
Off to Holyhead, wished meself was dead
Or better far instead, on the rocky road to Dublin
One two three four five

{Chorus}

The boys of Liverpool, when we safely landed
Called meself a fool, I could no longer stand it
Blood began to boil, temper I was losing
Poor old Erin's isle they began abusing
"Hurrah me soul!" says I, shillelagh I let fly
Some Galway boys were by and saw I was a-hobblin'
With a loud "Hurray!" joined in the affray
We quickly cleared the way for the rocky road to Dublin
One two three four five

{Chorus 2x}

Recordings

Streaming/Purchase

YouTube Videos

Gig Videos

The Whelan's - Dublin (3 Dec 2021)

Full Band Streams

Chill Streams

Gaming Streams

[1] ttps://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=80986#1480059

[2] ttps://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=68619#1158476

[3] ttps://www.lexico.com/definition/brogue

[4] ttps://web.archive.org/web/20210507003149/https://www.bartleby.com/81/14625.html

[5] ttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shillelagh

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