Ha! So that's why I had a copy of this song in a file! I'd forgottesn the thread, having gone to the trouble of copying it from the Burl Ives book. Here's his notes on same: "This song became generally popular through the singer Gerard Crofts in the internment camps set up after the 1916 rebellion. A few of the references that might not be familiar to us in the States are:
DMP : Dublin Metropolitan Police, supereseded after the treaty of 1921 by the Civic Guards, Metropolitan Division.
Polis (pr. poe-liss)policeman: local pronunciation
Bobby: The police forces in England and Ireland were first established by SIr Robert Peel, Policemen are also known as Peelers.
Kevin Street refers to a Dublin police precinct."
To which I would only add that Kevin Street police station still exists, next door to St. Patrick's cathedral in Dublin. In fact, I think it was originally the Dean's House or some such part of the cathedral foundation.
Regards