Mentioned in "The Asiatic Journal," Dec., 1823, p. 613:

"First Toast.   'The glorious and immortal memory of St. Patrick.' Tune–-St. Patrick's Day.—Song by Mr. Henly, 'St. Patrick was a Gentleman, and he came from dacent People.'"

T. Crofton Croker, in "Popular Songs of Ireland" (1839), p. 21, says,

"This song consisted originally of three verses (1st, 2nd, and 5th), which were the impromptu joint production of the late Mr. Henry Bennett and Mr. Toleken, of Cork, and were sung by them in alternate lines at a masquerade at that city, where thy appeared as ballad-singers, in the winter of 1814 or 1815. The song becoming a favourite, the 6th verse, as now printed, was added by Mr. Toleken, at the request of Webbe, the comedian, then the popular representative of Irish characters on the stage, who usually said that the song was written for him. The 3rd and 4th verses were additions by other hands, and the consequence of the encore with which this admirable national lyric has been generally received."

Songwriter Septimus Winner's Civil War recruitment song, "Abraham's Daughter," goes to nearly the same tune. (Not the later, currently more popular "Maggie in the Wood" tune.)