The Rocks of Bawn
Arcady Lyrics
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Don't hire with any master till you know what your work will be
For you must rise up early from the clear daylight till dawn
Or else you won't be able to plough the Rocks of Bawn
My curse attend you, Sweeney, you have me nearly robbed
You are sitting by the fireside with your doodeen in your gob
You are sitting by the fireside from the clear daylight till dawn
My shoes they are well worn now, and my socks are getting thin
And my heart is always trembling for fear they might let in
My heart is always trembling from the clear daylight till dawn
I'm afraid I won't be able to plough the Rocks of Bawn
I wish the sergeant major would write to me in time
And place me in some regiment all in my youth and prime
I'd fight for Ireland's glory from the clear daylight till dawn
And I never would return again to plough the Rocks of Bawn
The Rocks of Bawn is a traditional Irish folk song that tells the tale of a man named Sweeney and his struggle to work on the rocky soil of Bawn. The song begins with a warning to all loyal heroes to not accept work from any master until they know what is expected of them. This is followed by a description of the difficult task of ploughing the Rocks of Bawn, which requires rising very early and working until dawn.
The song then shifts to Sweeney, who is criticized for sitting by the fire smoking his doodeen (a type of tobacco pipe) while others work hard on the rocky land. Sweeney's shoes are worn out and his socks are getting thin, and he is afraid that his feet will get cold and he won't be able to work. He longs to be in the military for the glory of Ireland, but knows that he must continue to plough the Rocks of Bawn.
The Rocks of Bawn is a testament to the struggles of Irish farmers and their resilience in the face of tough conditions. It also highlights the importance of hard work and the value of a good work ethic. The song has been covered by many artists over the years and remains a beloved example of traditional Irish folk music.
Line by Line Meaning
Come all ye loyal heroes wherever you may be
Hey, everyone who's faithful and true--listen up!
Don't hire with any master till you know what your work will be
Before you commit to anything, make sure you understand exactly what you're getting into.
For you must rise up early from the clear daylight till dawn
If you want to work the Rocks of Bawn, get used to starting your day well before dawn breaks.
Or else you won't be able to plough the Rocks of Bawn
If you can't handle that kind of schedule, you're not cut out for ploughing this land.
My curse attend you, Sweeney, you have me nearly robbed
Sweeney, I blame you for putting me in a tough spot.
You are sitting by the fireside with your doodeen in your gob
While you sit leisurely by the fire puffing on your pipe...
You are sitting by the fireside from the clear daylight till dawn
...I'm up before dawn, working hard to make ends meet.
And I'm afraid you won't be able to plough the Rocks of Bawn
You couldn't handle the difficult work I have to do every day if you tried.
My shoes they are well worn now, and my socks are getting thin
I'm wearing through my shoes and socks from all the hard work I'm doing.
And my heart is always trembling for fear they might let in
I'm worried that my shoes and socks will give out, and I won't be able to keep going.
My heart is always trembling from the clear daylight till dawn
I'm scared all the time--working hard takes a toll on a person.
I'm afraid I won't be able to plough the Rocks of Bawn
I worry that I may not be physically capable of doing my job for much longer.
I wish the sergeant major would write to me in time
If only I could hear from the sergeant major soon enough...
And place me in some regiment all in my youth and prime
...so I could join up, while I'm still young and strong.
I'd fight for Ireland's glory from the clear daylight till dawn
I'd be willing to work just as hard for Ireland, as a soldier fighting for its honor.
And I never would return again to plough the Rocks of Bawn
I might not ever come back to this hard job, if given the opportunity to fight for my country instead.
Contributed by Leah H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.