Back Home in Derry

"Back Home in Derry"is anIrish rebel songwritten byBobby Sandswhile imprisoned inHM Prison Maze.

The song has been covered by multiple artists, most notably byChristy Moorein his 1984 albumRide On,who sang it to a melody inspired byGordon Lightfoot's famous 1976 song "The Wreck of theEdmund Fitzgerald.Moore's version is shorter than the original poem.

Context

The lyrics describe the voyage of Irish rebels,convicted to exilein Australia, in the aftermath of theIrish Rebellion of 1803.The narrator describes the feelings of the men as they sail away fromIreland,in precarious conditions, while the chorus is a lament of longing forDerry.The city appears to be used as a symbol for one's hometown, as historically, the Irish Rebellion of 1803 was centered aroundDublin.Throughout the song, the narrator describes the mistreatment of Irish prisoners by theDublin Castle administration,and the execution ofRobert Emmetis mentioned.

The narrator is ultimately deported tovan Diemen's land,where he endures a harsh existence of servitude and violence.

In the last stanza of the song, the narrator remains a hardenedrepublican,despite his trials of twenty years:

Twenty years have gone by and I’ve ended my bond,
My comrades' ghosts walk beside me.
Well a rebel I came and sure I'll die the same,
On a cold winter's night you will find me.

— Bobby Sands