THE ROCKS OF BAWN (ballad history)

Eugene Dunphy investigates the history of a soulful ballad. Who wrote it, and about what and where?
00:00 Intro
00:23 Where is Bawn?
02:38 Lyrical variations
05:19 Dating the ballad
06:10 The verses
06:48 The Rocks of Bawn (song)

[@oisinhill1634]

Brilliant video, this is the sort of thing we need more of on RUclips. Will check out of the rest of your channel

[@loughourna]

Jimmy Carney (1823-1905 of Newport County Tipperary came to Vermont USA to work in the marble quarries in the 1850s and was quite literally working the "rocks of bawn". So he was likely inspired by this ballad known to him, to compose his ballad "The West Rutland Marble Bawn", which details the hard life of the marble quarry men.

[@eugenedunphy167]

I just had a listen to The West Rutland Marble Bawn and yes, the ballad has the same melody (and feel) as The Rocks of Bawn. Very interesting observation and many thanks for posting. 👍

[@soldier2297]

Great video and nice rendition at the end🙏
Noel Cassidy introduced me to this song.

[@eugenedunphy167]

Thank you. Noel does a fine version. 👍

[@eamonnleonard9162]

Hi Eugene, I grew up between Delvin and Castlepollard in Westmeath, and the story I heard was that Bawn is in Cavan near the Longford border. Sweeney was the ploughman, and he worked for a widow that owned ninty acres of rocky land, and his terror of the ould widow was matched only by his terror of her ninety rocky acres. Legend has it that Sweeney could not read nor write, but he would go to the local blacksmiths forge in the evenings and make up songs, and it was in the forge the song was made up (composed)
The only means of escape that poor Sweeney had from the clutch's of the widow was to join the army. Having worked for a couple of ould widows when I was a young lad I can understand his plight. It must have been the hard ground, and hard times that hardened their hearts. Anyway that's my story, but before I finish, legend has it that Sweeney did escape, and lived out his life in New York.

[@eugenedunphy167]

Thanks Eamonn. A fascinating insight, and no doubt your observations will add to the rich story behind the ballad. 👍

[@seanwalsh3078]

Well done Eugene another great song I first heard this song sung by Scottish lady in the early 70s

[@jofasable]

Rocks of Baun/Bawn White rocks

[@mickburke1]

no it's Bawn