The Wind That Shakes The Barley by Dick Gaughan. This song is written from a doomed kids perspective. A rebel who is sacrificing his relationship with his loved one to jumps into the violence associated with the 1798 rebellion in Ireland. The reference to barley in the song derive from the fact that rebels used to carry barley in their pockets for supplies when they where on march. The barley gave rise to the post-rebellion of growing barley. The post-rebellions also used to mark croppy-holes. These were holes where dead rebels were thrown into. These actions were from Englands side, to show their power. The conditions between England end Ireland: Ireland had been controlled by the British Crown for many years and tried to escape their power. The British were Protestants, and the Irish were Catholic. After the American Revolution they tried to free themselves from the Protestant government. The message this song is trying to get out is that its good to love someone, but if that someone is being hurt youve got to stop them.