Stephanie - In an earlier post I suggested "The Fields of Athenry" as a "70's" song of possible interest to you. Since that post, I have found (from another mudcat thread) that the song was originally published as a Dublin broadsheet in 1880s. St. John's lyrics appear to have come in the main directly from the 1880s version, called "The Hills of Athenry". It burst my bubble of admiration for St John, and makes me wonder now about actual origins of his other stuff.

I, and likely others, would like to see your thesis when you get it finished.