“The Wind that shakes the Barley”

Historical context: The Irish Rebellion of 1798 was an uprising against British
Rule in Ireland. Even though it failed, it gave Irish people the strength to fight
against the British. It paved the way to more rebellions (1916-1923).

This document is an extract from a song written by Robert Dwyer Joyce in

1872. It symbolizes the Irish Rebellion of 1978. It tells the story of an Irish rebel
torn between his love for his fiancée and his love for his country (the necessity
to fight and defend Ireland from the British).

He has decided to fight for freedom by joining the ‘brave United men’. He can’t
accept British domination. He is proud to fight, he is willing to sacrifice his love
and life. Sadly, his lover is killed by the enemies. Ireland is presented as a green
land with fields of golden barley.

Ireland is presented as a green land with fields of golden barley. The reference
to barley comes from the fact that Irish rebels used to put some in their pockets
as provision. As a result, barley grew onto the graves of fallen soldiers. Since
then, barley has become a symbol of Irish nationalism.

The end of the song is moving: the young man is left with nothing but his love
for his country and his anger and feeling of injustice.

Vocabulary
Barley: orge To bear: supporter
Ties: liens To seek: rechercher
To bound: unir Wilwood: bois sauvages
The Hungry Voice (2018)
Historical context: Between 1845 – 52, Ireland suffered a period of starvation,
disease, and emigration, that became known as “the Great Famine”. It was
caused by a disease that affected the potato crop (cf. récolte de pommes de
terre), which many people relied on for food. Between 1845 and 1851 a million
people starved to death and 1.6 million emigrated (mostly to America).
Nowadays, 10% of the American population has Irish roots.

Declan O’Rourke
Irish songwriter Declan O’Rourke decided to make an album about the Famine
because he thought there weren’t enough songs about this event and to give a
personal account of the Famine.

The songs are testimonies of people who were not used to being heard. They tell
the stories of the past and allow people to remember. This ‘legacy’ can be passed
on from generation to generation. They have a contemporary resonance as more
and more people are forced to emigrate to another country to escape wars.

Vocabulary
Ballad: sentimental song
Skeletal : squelettique
Lament : complainte
Deserted : déserté
Loneliness: solitude
Starve to death: mourrir de faim
Doomed: condamné(e)
Leave one’s land: quitter son pays
emigrate: émigrer
Rebellious songs: How do modern Irish artists use their cultural heritage to
protest?

The “Troubles” (1968 – 1998)

Unionists/loyalists (most of whom were Protestants) wanted Northern Ireland to
remain within the United Kingdom. Irish nationalists/republicans (most of
whom were Catholics) wanted Northern Ireland to leave the United Kingdom
and join a United Ireland. More than 3,500 people were killed in the conflict. Of
those: 52% were civilians, 32% were members of the British security forces, and
16% were members of paramilitary groups. It ended with the Good Friday
Agreement of 1998 which restored self-government to Northern Ireland.

Bloody Sunday (1972)

On 30 January 1972, British soldiers shot unarmed protesters during civil rights
protest in Derry, Northern Ireland, resulting in 28 deaths including 13 Irish
citizens. There are actually two “Bloody Sundays” in Irish history. The first one
was in 1920 when British troops fired into the crowd at a football match in
Dublin in retaliation for the killing of British undercover agents.

“Sunday Bloody Sunday” by U2

U2 is an Irish rock band and Bono is its lead singer.

Bono’s point of view: He thinks this violence has to stop, people die or are
injured for nothing, it leads nowhere. U2 are nonviolent and believe in peace.
This is not a rebel song but a peace song / anthem. Bono thought that too many
innocents had died and that it wasn’t worth dying for the conflict.
Conclusion: Irish music is multi-faceted, the songs deal with Irish history, they
represent their reclaimed history, their opinion about the fight for independence.
Irish music comes from the Celts, they share a common ancestry with them: love
of music, arts. They arrived over the last 200-300 years. It is a tradition in a
constant development. Irish music influenced American music, more precisely
country music because of the 18th century migrations.