In 1968, the predecessor of the Juno’s named The Irish Rovers Canada’s, “Folk Group of the Year”, and the following year, they received a Grammy nomination for “Folk Performance of the Year”.
As hosts of three national television series in Canada and Ireland, through the 1970's and 80s, The Irish Rovers increased the popularity of Irish music by way of the CBC (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation).
Canada's Prime Minister, Pierre Elliott Trudeau, personally asked the band if they could “please become Canadian” so that they could officially represent Canada throughout the world. Since then, they have represented Canada at no less than five world Expos, and in recognition for a quarter century of contributions to the International music world, The Irish Rovers won the Performing Rights Organization's (PROCAN) 'Harold Moon Award'.
Although all members of the band hail from Ireland, a number of their biggest hits were often "non-Irish". Their own rousing, traditional Irish compositions, however, do comprise the bulk of their music.
By the 90’s, their songwriting was even more prolific than their early years, and production of albums wasn’t about to slow down. Since they desired the freedom that as a younger band, they could not afford, in ’93 The Irish Rovers established their own record company, Rover Records. Their songs tell the story of the Irish, whether it’s a lost love, a sailor on leave, or the simple good taste of a Guinness. Rover Records has put out their last eleven albums, including Celtic Collection, Come Fill Up Your Glasses, Down by the Lagan Side, Another Round, Still Rovin', a Christmas album, and their greatest hits, 40 Years A-Rovin'.
Founding member George Millar is from Ballymena, original member Wilcil McDowell is from Larne, John Reynolds from Belfast, Sean O'Driscoll from Cork, Ian Millar from Ballymena, and percussionist Fred Graham is also from Belfast.
Former members include founding member Jimmy Ferguson who passed away in 1997 and Joe Millar.
Good Luck To The Barleymow
The Irish Rovers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Good luck to the barleymow.
Jolly good luck to the pint pot,
Good luck to the barleymow.
Oh, the pint pot,
Half a pint,
Gill,
Half a gill,
Nipperkin,
Then the brown bowl.
Here's good luck, good luck,
Good luck to the barleymow.
And here's good luck to the half-gallon,
Good luck to the barleymow.
Jolly good luck to the half-gallon,
Good luck to the barleymow.
Oh the half-gallon,
Pint pot,
Half a pint,
Gill,
Half a gill,
Quarter gill,
Nipperkin,
Then the brown bowl.
Here's good luck, good luck,
Good luck to the barleymow.
Well, here's good luck to the gallon,
Good luck the barleymow.
Jolly good luck to the gallon,
Good luck to the barleymow.
Oh, the gallon,
Half-gallon,
Pint pot,
Half a pint,
Gill,
Half a gill,
Quarter gill,
Nipperkin,
Then the brown bowl.
Here's good luck, good luck,
Good luck to the barleymow.
Well, here's good luck to the half-barrel,
Good luck to the barleymow.
Jolly good luck to the half-barrel,
Good luck to the barleymow.
Oh, the half-barrel,
Gallon,
Half-gallon,
Pint pot,
Half a pint,
Gill,
Half a gill,
Quarter gill,
Nipperkin,
Then the brown bowl.
Here's good luck, good luck,
Good luck to the barleymow.
Well, here's good luck to the barrel,
Good luck to the barleymow.
Jolly good luck to the barrel,
Good luck to the barleymow.
Oh, the barrel,
Half-barrel,
Gallon,
Half-gallon,
Pint pot,
Half a pint,
Gill,
Half a gill,
Quarter gill,
Nipperkin,
Then the brown bowl.
Here's good luck, good luck,
Good luck to the barleymow.
Well, here's good luck to the Daughter,
Good luck to the barleymow.
Jolly good luck to the daughter,
Good luck to the barleymow.
Oh, the daughter,
Barrel,
Half-barrel,
Gallon,
Half-gallon,
Pint pot,
Half a pint,
Gill,
Half a gill,
Quarter gill,
Nipperkin,
Then the brown bowl.
Here's good luck, good luck,
Good luck to the barleymow.
Here's good luck to the landlord,
Good luck to the barleymow.
Jolly good luck to the landlord,
Good luck to the barleymow.
Oh, the landlord,
Daughter,
Barrel,
Half-barrel,
Gallon,
Half-gallon,
Pint pot,
Half a pint,
Gill,
Half a gill,
Quarter gill,
Nipperkin,
Then the brown bowl.
Here's good luck, good luck,
Good luck to the barleymow.
Well, here's good luck to the brewer,
Good luck to the barleymow.
Jolly good luck to the brewer,
Good luck to the barleymow.
Oh, the brewer,
Landlord,
Daughter,
Barrel,
Half-barrel,
Gallon,
Half-gallon,
Pint pot,
Half a pint,
Gill,
Half a gill,
Quarter gill,
Nipperkin,
Then the brown bowl.
Here's good luck, good luck,
Good luck to the barleymow.
Well, here's good luck to the company,
Good luck to the barleymow.
Jolly good luck to the company,
Good luck to the barleymow.
Oh, the company,
brewer,
Landlord,
Daughter,
Barrel,
Half-barrel,
Gallon,
Half-gallon,
Pint pot,
Half a pint,
Gill,
Half a gill,
Quarter gill,
Nipperkin,
Then the brown bowl.
Here's good luck, good luck,
Good luck to the barleymow.
The Irish Rovers’s song “Good Luck to the Barleymow” is a celebration of a pub and its offerings. The song begins by toasting the pint pot and the barleymow, indicating that the singer is ready to drink and have a good time. As the song progresses, the toasts become more elaborate and reference larger volumes of alcohol, culminating in a toast to the entire “company” of drinkers.
The lyrics of this song are a nod to British and Irish pub culture, where beer was once sold in different measurements: pint, half-gallon, gallon, half-barrel, and barrel. The lyrics describe each of these measurements and even include archaic units of measurement like gill and nipperkin. The song is essentially a ritualistic celebration of alcohol and pub culture, with each toast representing a different group of people: the daughter, the landlord, the brewer, and of course, the company of drinkers.
Overall, “Good Luck to the Barleymow” is a lighthearted, rollicking song about drinking, camaraderie, and the pleasures of spending time in a pub with friends. It celebrates the tradition of communal drinking and the unique culture that surrounds it.
Line by Line Meaning
Here's good luck to the pint pot,
Let us raise our glasses and toast to the small, cylindrical container designed to hold a single serving of beer.
Good luck to the barleymow.
May fortune smile upon the barley field, the source of the grains used to make this delicious beverage.
Jolly good luck to the pint pot,
Cheers to the vessel that brings us joy and good times.
Oh, the pint pot,
This container is revered and deserves our admiration and attention.
Half a pint,
A smaller serving of beer, but still worthy of a toast.
Gill,
Another small serving size, traditionally used in British pubs.
Half a gill,
A smaller version of the aforementioned measurement.
Quarter gill,
The smallest measurement of beer commonly served in pubs, equal to half a fluid ounce.
Nipperkin,
Another term for a small glass or vessel used for drinking liquor or ale.
Then the brown bowl.
A larger container which can hold multiple servings of beer.
Here's good luck, good luck,
A double toast, signifying twice the good wishes and merriment.
And here's good luck to the half-gallon,
May prosperity be bestowed upon the container that holds two quarts of frothy goodness.
Jolly good luck to the half-gallon,
Let us again cheer to this sizable vessel, which makes sharing beer with friends all the easier.
Oh the half-gallon,
This container is held in high esteem and deserves our respect.
Pint pot,
The original, smaller container still holds a special place in our hearts and deserves recognition too.
Well, here's good luck to the gallon,
A toast to the large vessel which contains four quarts of ale.
Good luck the barleymow.
Once again, may the fields of barley produce bountiful yields and excellent beer for all who drink it.
Jolly good luck to the gallon,
We cannot help but be excited about the impressive size of this container and all of the accompanying beer that comes with it.
Oh, the gallon,
This vessel is a true marvel and deserves our admiration and reverence.
Half-gallon,
We must also pay tribute to the smaller version, which still holds enough beer to share and enjoy.
Well, here's good luck to the half-barrel,
A toast to the even larger container that can hold up to 15 gallons of delicious beer.
Jolly good luck to the half-barrel,
We cannot help but be amused and amazed at the idea of a container so big that it requires multiple people to carry it.
Oh, the half-barrel,
This container is truly an impressive feat of engineering and deserves our respect and admiration.
Gallon,
Let us not forget the even larger sizes that come in handy for feeding large crowds.
Well, here's good luck to the barrel,
A final toast to the biggest container of them all, capable of holding up to 30 gallons of beer.
Jolly good luck to the barrel,
We cannot help but be impressed and amused at the thought of a beer container so large that it could fill a bathtub.
Oh, the barrel,
This container truly deserves our respect and awe, and reminds us why beer has been an important part of human culture for centuries.
Half-barrel,
Once again, we must pay tribute to the smaller version of this container, which still contains enough beer to feed a small army.
Well, here's good luck to the Daughter,
A change of pace, as we raise a glass to the next generation who will be responsible for carrying on this proud beer tradition.
Jolly good luck to the daughter,
Let us wish the young woman well as she prepares to take on the family business and continue making excellent beer for generations to come.
Oh, the daughter,
This young woman is a beacon of hope and inspiration for the future of this beloved beverage.
Barrel,
The container that started it all, and still remains an essential part of the beer-making process.
Here's good luck to the landlord,
A final toast to the person who makes all of this beer possible by providing a welcoming place for people to come and enjoy it.
Jolly good luck to the landlord,
We must express our gratitude to the person who oversees the pub and ensures that everyone has a good time while enjoying this great drink.
Oh, the landlord,
This person is truly the heart and soul of the beer-drinking experience, and deserves all of our thanks and appreciation.
Daughter,
Let us not forget the family members who are also important in carrying on this beer-making tradition and ensuring that it remains strong for years to come.
Well, here's good luck to the brewer,
Another toast to the person who is responsible for the actual creation of this delicious beverage.
Jolly good luck to the brewer,
We must express our appreciation to the person who has a true talent for creating beer that is both flavorful and satisfying.
Oh, the brewer,
This person is truly an artist in their own right, and deserves our admiration and recognition for their talents in beer-making.
Landlord,
Once again, we must express our gratitude to the person who makes it all possible by providing a welcoming environment in which to enjoy this timeless beverage.
Well, here's good luck to the company,
A final toast to the people who have made this beer-making tradition into a successful and thriving business for generations.
Jolly good luck to the company,
We must express our admiration and appreciation to the people who have worked hard to make this beer company into the success that it is today.
Oh, the company,
This business is truly a shining example of what can be achieved through hard work, dedication, and a commitment to creating great beer.
Brewer,
Let us not forget the individual who is responsible for creating the beer that we all know and love, and who represents the heart of this great company.
Contributed by Layla A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Ian Burt
on Bluenose
You have missed out a verse.