Raglan road is always worth another walk down. What the various phrases in the Song mean is a secret Kavanagh took to his grave. The various places are ones that he regularly visited when he would walk by the liffy and sit in contemplation.

But having talked to some of his ex students and others in Ireland who have researched the man, I strongly belief that the 'unrequited love' is in Fact Ireland itself, Or more the relationship between church and state in Ireland, which he was very passionate and critical about, and he often fell foul of Ireland's hidden censorship unpublished laws. Those I've spoken to tell me that he very much wanted to leave his views behind, but probably rightly feared they would be supressed by the state. So he resorted to one of Irelands oldest form of protest, the Musical fable. And Raglan Road, or as it was originally titled Dawning Of The Day is such an example. Like most Irish writers he had a great love for his country, but hated the Churches involvement in state and vice versa. By all accounts it made him quite a bitter and unhappy man, the love of a country that didn't show love in return

He is described as having been very strong minded and said what he felt. Was there a real lady who spurned his affections, there were rumours of affection for a student. But unrequited ladies of love, almost never go unnamed in in Irish traditional songs, if only to be given the trad name Rose of'

Kavanagh used to perform te poem in sessions where he met and became great friends with the late Luke Kelly. It's recorded that Kelly persuaded him to let him put it in Song, Kavanagh apparently said he had to persuade Luke! But Luke did put the tune to it and renamed it Raglan Road, for legal reasons as there were already at least two other works named Dawning Of The Day, and so in my opinion was born one of the Greatest of Ireland's love songs, be it land or Lafy

Desi C
The Circle Folk Club