The Dubliners - Rocky Road to Dublin (lyrics on screen)

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Rocky Road to Dublin is a fast-paced 19th century Irish song, written to the beat of what is called a slip-jig. It chronicles a man's experiences as he travels to Liverpool in England from his home in Tuam in Ireland. The words were written by Galway poet D.K. Gavan for the English music hall performer Harry Clifton who popularised the song. The song describes the many troubles and travails that the protagonist encounters on this travels. At the beginning of the song, we hear that our man is "off to reap the corn" or intending to become a migrant agricultural labourer. He begins his journey by bidding farewell to his family and friends and leaves his hometown of Tuam on foot, resting in Mullingar where the local women make fun of his clothes. He next arrives in Dublin, but is robbed of his meagre possessions, struggles to find the thief and is mocked for his Connacht accent. He hops a ship in the harbour headed for England, and is placed in the hold with the pigs where he experiences severe sea sickness off the coast of Holyhead in Wales. He arrives in Liverpool where he is mocked by the locals because of his Irishness. He engages them in a fight but is outnumbered until a group of Irishmen from County Galway come to his rescue.
Barney McKenna always reckoned that Luke Kelly was the only singer that could do this song full justice, as Barney would say 'sometimes Luke didn't take a breath'. This is a rousing rendition of 'The Rocky Road to Dublin' by Ireland's best ever vocalist. Luke is in fine form, though he forgets that he has already sang the second verse and belts it out again anyway. Possibly an early sign of Luke's tragic later problems. The on screen lyrics are particularily relevant for our international friends who might sometimes have a little trouble in deciphering the words.
For more Luke, please see 2 further videos below.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zVS24QT8gr0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XcDZBfusUN8

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