The Rocks of Bawn is an Irish traditional folk song, likely originating in County Galway in the early 18th century.
[1] It has been recorded and sung publicly by numerous Irish folk singers.
The meaning of the song has been debated, but may refer to the displacement of native Irish farmers from their traditional lands during the reign of Oliver Cromwell, as some versions reference Patrick Sarsfield, 1st Earl of Lucan, a Jacobite leader during the 17th century.
[2] Moreover, the location of the eponymous Rocks of Bawn has been a source of discussion and curiosity for many years.
Frank McNally of the Irish Times attempted to locate them, and decided that multiple sites could be considered, but the song's age precluded answering with any certainty.