“The Minstrel Boy” was written by Irish poet Thomas Moore and set to an Irish air called "The Moreen.” The song is one of Moore’s most famous works, along with “The Last Rose of Summer.” Moore was born in Dublin in 1779 and died in 1852. He is known as a poet, singer and songwriter, and author.
“The Minstrel Boy” was written to honor and remember Moore’s
friends who fought and died in the Irish Rebellion of 1798. The character of
the song has a mission to defend his country with the sword and sing its praises while playing his harp. He
destroys his harp when he falls in battle because he would rather destroy it
than have his enemies get their hands on it.
In the song, the warrior musician symbolizes the patriots who
showed up during the rebellions over the course of 100 years. Moore envisioned
this person as idealistic yet likely naïve. He was passionate and ready to
fight, yet young and new to warfare.
The warriors represented in “The Minstrel Boy” symbolize the
patriots Moore met while at Trinity College, though Moore was never a revolutionary himself. These men were from well-off families and backgrounds
and were often not well-acquainted with warfare. One of these patriots was
Robert Emmet, who led an unsuccessful rebellion in 1803.
This type of soldier represented the overall makeup of the Irish
military of that time. In the 19th century, most of Ireland’s
skilled military became a part of the British army, leaving behind passionate
and devoted soldiers who were not nearly as skilled. This was seen in Moore’s
time, as well as the 1867 Fenian Rising and the 1916 Easter Rising.
Right away, “The Minstrel Boy” tells listeners that the main
character is not a soldier, which is on point with the military of the time. He
lacks military experience, but is passionate and will readily sacrifice
everything for Ireland.
While the song is a rebel song, it is a bit more subtle and has
more depth than many other rebel and nationalist songs, which aided in the song’s
popularity. Since Ireland was never specifically mentioned in the song, it
appeals to those in other countries as well. The song remains one of the most
performed songs in the world on St. Patrick’s Day.
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