This song was written around the time of the Third Jacobite Rising, the last major Jacobite rising where Prince Charles Stuart tried to reclaim the throne for his father, James. It is sung from the point of view of a woman (possibly Ireland herself) who welcomes her sweetheart after a long time without seeing him.
It alludes to the fact that Charles, despite being defeated in Scotland, still enjoyed support abroad, mainly from France and Spain, the first of which would later launch an invasion of England on Charles' behalf and landed on Ireland, before the tide of war turned and the invasion was abandoned.
The relationship between the Stuarts and Ireland is interesting, as you had a few unsuccessful attempts to crown prince Charles as king of Ireland so he could have a base for his rebellion.
This song was later adapted by Pádraig Piarais (now called "Óro Se do Beatha Bhaile") to serve as a rallying song of the Irish Revolution of 1916. He removed the refrences to foreign powers in order to make the song wholly Irish, so Young Charles became Gráinne O'Malley, the Irish pirate queen who terrorised the English Navy in the late 1500s.
If you read all the way through here, and if you are an Irishman, consider learning Irish if you don't know already. It's your people's language. It's your heritage. Keep it alive.
Lyrics:
A Shéarlais Óg a mhic Rí Shéamais
Sé mo chreach do thriall ar Éirinn
Gan ruainne bróig, stóca nó léine
Ach a’ coscairt leis na Francaigh
Óró sé do bheatha chun abhaile
Óró ós cionn a’n duine eile
Óró sé do bheatha chun abhaile
Tá tú amuigh le ráithe
Ó ‘sé mo léan géar nach bhfeicim
Mura mbeinn beo ‘na dhiadh ach seachtain
Séarlas Óg agus míle gaiscioch
A’ coscairt leis na Francaigh
Tá Séarlas Óg a’ triall thar sáile
Beidh siad leisean cúpla garda
Beidh siad leis Francaigh agus Spáinnigh
‘S bainfidh siad rinnc’ as na Gaillibh
30 сен 2024
