"Whiskey in the Jar" is an Irish traditional song set in the southern mountains of Ireland, often with specific mention of counties Cork and Kerry. The song, about a rapparee (highwayman) who is betrayed by his wife or lover, is one of the most widely performed traditional Irish songs and has been recorded by numerous artists since the 1950s.
Whiskey in the Jar
Whiskey in the Jar
Whiskey in the Jar
A highwayman was a robber who stole from travellers. This type of thief usually travelled and robbed by horse as compared to a footpad who travelled and robbed on foot; mounted highwaymen were widely considered to be socially superior to footpads. Such criminals operated until the mid- or late 19th century. Highwaywomen, such as Katherine Ferrers, were said to also exist, often dressing as men, especially in fiction.
Asalto al coche (Attack on a Coach), by Francisco de Goya.
English highwayman James Hind depicted in an engraving now in the National Portrait Gallery.
The execution of the French highwayman Cartouche, 1721
Dick Turpin riding Black Bess, from a Victorian toy theatre.