This is a beautifully poignant song about the terrible way many children were deprived of the chance to enjoy their youthful innocence. It speaks of the young boys who were sent down the mines from a very young age. Many boys were, perhaps, enthused with the idea of joining their fathers, and uncles and older brothers at the coal face. They yearned to be treated as grown-ups. Little did they know what awaited them. But the wage was necessary and so down they went, into the depths of working class hell. Those who survived often did so with horrible injuries, serious lung complaints and breathing difficulties in later life. The price they paid for the exploitation of capitalist corporation was considerable.
School Days Over is a jaunty ballad that seems to contradict the haunting content. Perhaps that’s why its such a mesmerising song. It’s sung here by one of Ireland’s greatest balladeers, Luke Kelly, a firm favourite of Rebel Voice.
Rebel Voice 
Thanks for this introduction. I’ve sung this at our solidarity network’s birthday parties and little girls made up clapping games to accompany me on the spot, haha! I told them the meaning of the song, but I think they looked forward to the restrictions and programming they get in school being over, lol! We sing Bread & Roses too to promote education and arts along with food and water, housing and shared land. Of course we’d like the schooling to actually be educational :)I wonder if you know whether the song was written to refer to a specific region? Especially noting the name Dai is Welsh and there are many a great Welsh miner’s unions. I notice it has been canonized in Irish traditional music and if it’s referring to Wales, England or Albion as a whole, I believe this must be a statement of solidarity with the Brythonic Celts. Ewan himself was from Lower Broughton (in England) and his other song popularized in Irish music, Dirty Old Town, is about and English town, Salford as well. What are your thoughts of cultures represented by the song? Le Meas (Irish, ‘with respect’),Valeriane Snow
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Halo Valeriane, thanks for getting in touch. So, you’re a singer! Maith thú! Schools Days Over is fine ballad by a great author. The Irish folk tradition adopts a good many songs from elsewhere which become standards here. Lakes of Pontchartrain (author unknown) is another fine example, as is The Beeswing by Richard Thompson, for me probably the greatest folk song ever written. As for MacColl’s lyrics? I think the song covers the miners of the entire island of Britain.
I found this online – “Schooldays Over” was written by Ewan MacColl as part of a larger work entitled “The Big Hewer,” which was broadcast by the BBC in 1961. In its frank depiction of a life that lead directly from the schoolhouse to backbreaking labor in the mines, it is very much of its time.”
John is associated with England, Dai with Wales and Jim perhaps with Scotland. Ireland doesn’t have the same mining tradition. “Hewer” is a colloquialism for “whore” in both Scotland and Ireland. Maybe they use it in northern England too? I love that, although the song is about Albion, it could refer to miners, and indeed child labour, anywhere. Perhaps, in that, it’s more a song about socialism rather than one culture. I always find the underlying message to be incredibly sad, and it stands in beautiful contrast to the gently uplifting melody.
Do you think there are any song writers out there today who are on a par with Ewan MacColl or Shane MacGowan? Sadly, I think that the standards may have fallen, but maybe I’m wearing rose-tinted spectacles when it comes to song lyrics. Anyway, great to hear that the Brythonic identity, and aspirations, are alive and well with you.
Finally, the song The Molly Maguires is another associated with coal-mining, and also sung by Luke Kelly. It was written by Phil Coulter from Derry. It has a nice, swinging melody and I’ve no doubt you could get a rousing rendition at your next get-together. I wonder if there exists a Welsh person who doesn’t sing, and sing well? 🙂
Dymuniadau gorau,
Antán
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