The Wind That Shakes the Barley

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The Wind That Shakes the Barley is an Irish ballad from the 19th century written by Robert Dwyer Joyce, a poet and professor from Limerick. The song is told from the perspective of a young Wexford rebel who is about to give up his lover and join the violent fighting of the 1798 Irish rebellion.

Barley appears in the song because rebels often carried barley or oats as food on their marches. Over time, barley became a symbol of ongoing Irish resistance and renewal, connected to the idea of rebuilding after conflict and the graves of rebel casualties known as croppy-holes.

The song has lived on in folk memory and is listed as number 2994 in the Roud Folk Song Index. It has existed in many oral versions before being written down, and traditional singers such as Sarah Makem have performed it. Many versions vary, and some performers skip the fourth stanza from Joyce’s original.

The title inspired Ken Loach’s 2006 film The Wind That Shakes the Barley, which includes the song in a scene. It should not be confused with an older reel that shares the same name. The lyrics most commonly used come from the 1861 edition. Many artists have recorded the song, including The Dubliners, Loreena McKennitt, Dead Can Dance, Altan, and The Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem. A short line from the song is heard in the 2006 film during Micheál Ó Súilleabháin’s wake.