Anyone recognize this, and the history behind it?

[qwertyMike]

[Bridget Burke]

1. Obviously, it means Black (or Dark) Rose...

Irish, of course. There's a music club in Galway City by that name.

I'd venture to guess it has something to do with tragic history....

Off to Google I go!

Results:

There's a patriotic song--based on an older love song. Also based on spurious Druidical legends.

www.irishpage.com/songs/roisdubh.htm

And here's the club in Galway. Lots of Irish music, of course, but they are broad-minded. MC5 is playing the Christmas Party!

www.roisindubh.net/index.php

And I forgot that "Riosin" actually means "Little" rose. Just as "poteen/poitin/potcheen" means "little pot"--although it really means whiskey/moonshine.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poteen

[qwertyMike]

2. The Benevolent English

Disallowed the word "Ireland" in songs, stories or poetry in the 17th -19th century.

The Irish adobpted Roisin Dubn - Black Rose - as a synynoym for Ireland.
So they wrote songs about 'My Sweet Roisin Dubh', or 'Soon We Will be Together Again My Sweet Roisin Dubh'.

Took a few hundred years, but the Britz got their asses kicked.

Mise Eireann