How did we get onto the subject of Gerry Adams?
What?
Oh, I see.
Every time you see the word "irish" you have an overwhelming compulsion to share with the world your dislike of Gerry Adams?
Fair enough.
You won't mind if I go off into the corner to make a couple of comments about the song and its singers?
No, no, you carry on with your thoughts about Gerry Adams. They're absolutely fascinating.

So, about this song and that wee change in the words. I suspect that the Wolfe Tones would be the ones who introduced it. Most searches for the song seem to lead the WT's.

Probably, like Big Tim, I first heard this song from the singing of Teresa Duffy. Mind you, those women singers from my childhood, Teresa Duffy, Bridie Gallagher, Ruby Murray - I tend to get confused as to which was which.