The Boys Of Barr Na Sraide
Arcady Lyrics
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At sleeping time or waking, 'tis there I long to be
To walk again that kindly street that place where life began
And the boys of Barr na Sraide went hunting for the wren
With cudgels stout we roamed about to hunt the dreólín
We searched for birds in every furze from Litir to Dooneen
We sang for joy beneath the sky, life held no print or plan
And when the hills were bleeding and the rifles were aflame
To the rebel homes of Kerry the Saxon stranger came
But the men who dared the Auxies and who beat the Black-and-Tan
Were the boys of Barr na Sraide who hunted for the wren
And here's a toast to them tonight the lads who laughed with me
By the groves of Carham River or the slopes of Bean 'a Tí
John Daly and Batt Andy and the Sheehans, Conn and Dan
Were the boys of Barr na Sraide who hunted for the wren
And now they toil on foreign soil where they have gone their way
Deep in the heart of London town or over in Broadway
And I am left to sing their deed and praise them while I can
Those boys of Barr na Sraide who hunted for the wren
And when the wheel of life runs down and peace comes over me
Oh lay me down in that old town between the hills and sea
I'll take my sleep in those green fields the place my life began
Where the boys of Barr na Sraide went hunting for the wren
The Boys of Barr Na Sraide is a song that celebrates the joys of youth and the beauty of a small town located in Kerry County, Ireland. The first verse speaks of the town that climbs the mountain and looks out upon the sea, describing the beauty of the place that the singer longs to be in. The second verse speaks of the singer's youth where he and his friends roamed around the streets with cudgels stout, singing for joy beneath the sky. They were hunting for the wren, which was a common tradition in Ireland where small groups of people would dress up and hunt for the bird on St. Stephen's Day.
The third verse takes a turn to history when the Saxon stranger invaded Kerry and the men of Barr na Sraide, who had the courage to beat the Black and Tans, also hunted for the wren. The fourth verse is a toast to the boys who once laughed with the singer by the groves of Carham River or the slopes of Bean a Tí. The boys mentioned - John Daly, Batt Andy, and the Sheehans, Conn and Dan - were the boys of Barr na Sraide, who hunted for the wren. The fifth verse talks about how these boys have all grown up and left home to work on foreign soil whereas the singer is left to sing their deed and praise them where he can. The final verse talks about how the singer, when his time comes, would like to be buried in that old town between the hills and the sea, a place where his life began, and where the boys of Barr Na Sraide went hunting for the wren.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh the town it climbs the mountain and looks out upon the sea
The magnificent town that sits on the mountain peak offers a breathtaking view of the sea.
At sleeping time or waking, 'tis there I long to be
Whether it's day or night, my heart aches to be in that town.
To walk again that kindly street that place where life began
I yearn to take a walk on that friendly street that holds the memories of my childhood.
And the boys of Barr na Sraide went hunting for the wren
One of the most memorable experiences from my childhood was when the boys of Barr na Sraide went out to hunt Wren birds.
With cudgels stout we roamed about to hunt the dreólín
We used strong wooden sticks to scour the fields to catch the Wren birds.
We searched for birds in every furze from Litir to Dooneen
We scoured from Litir to Dooneen, looking for the Wren birds in every secluded corner.
We sang for joy beneath the sky, life held no print or plan
As we hunted for Wren birds, we sang joyous songs under the wide-open sky with no care in the world.
And we, boys of Barr na Sraide, went hunting for the wren
My friends and I (the boys of Barr na Sraide) used to go out on bird hunting expeditions for Wren birds.
And when the hills were bleeding and the rifles were aflame
During years of conflict and strife, when the hills seemed to be crying, rifles blazed in the fight for emancipation.
To the rebel homes of Kerry the Saxon stranger came
The homes of the rebels of Kerry saw the arrival of foreign soldiers, whose motives were a mystery.
But the men who dared the Auxies and who beat the Black-and-Tan
In the face of adversity, the courageous men who fought back against Auxiliaries and Black-and-Tan forces all came from the Barr na Sraide area.
Were the boys of Barr na Sraide who hunted for the wren
The same group of young men who used to hunt Wren birds were also the ones who fought against the oppressors.
And here's a toast to them tonight the lads who laughed with me
As I remember those days, here's a tribute to the gang that shared laughter with me.
By the groves of Carham River or the slopes of Bean 'a Tí
Whether we indulged in Carham River's woods or Bean 'a Tí's hills, my friends and I enjoyed every moment of our outings.
John Daly and Batt Andy and the Sheehans, Conn and Dan
Among my friends who hunted with me and laughed with me were John Daly, Batt Andy and the Sheehans brothers, Conn and Dan.
Were the boys of Barr na Sraide who hunted for the wren
Those same company of boys (Barr na Sraide's boys) who hunted and shared laughter with me were the ones who fought for their beliefs.
And now they toil on foreign soil where they have gone their way
As fate would have it, those who fought and laughed with me are now struggling in foreign lands to make their mark.
Deep in the heart of London town or over in Broadway
Some are settled in London, while others are pursuing their dreams in New York's Broadway district.
And I am left to sing their deed and praise them while I can
As I am the one that is still here, I am left with the duty to tell the story of their valiance and honor their names.
Those boys of Barr na Sraide who hunted for the wren
The very same group of lads from Barr na Sraide who hunted Wren birds and shared laughter with me are worthy of celebration for their bravery.
And when the wheel of life runs down and peace comes over me
When my time here is done, and I rest in peace, I'll hold onto memories of the old days.
Oh lay me down in that old town between the hills and sea
I would love to have my final resting place in that old town situated between the hills and the sea.
I'll take my sleep in those green fields the place my life began
Where I first discovered life, that's where I want to lay down and rest forevermore.
Where the boys of Barr na Sraide went hunting for the wren
Unchanged by the passage of time, I'll remember and cherish the memories of my childhood where my friends and I went Wren bird hunting at Barr na Sraide.
Writer(s): sigerson clifford
Contributed by Andrew Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.