The Rising of the Moon was inspired by the 1798 rebellion in County Wexford. Written by John Keegan Casey (1846-1870), it has been recorded by many Irish Balladeers like The Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem.
The ballad is laid upon the same O’Carolan melody as The Wearing of the Green. The title of the song has a double meaning as the Fenian rebellion was to begin with the rising of the moon and thus becomes the Rising of the Moon.