Terry was performing in newyork and was in a well known irish bar where he overherd a girl singing in the corner with a guitar and she was singing the legend! he told her he must have the words and she wrote them down for him and the rest is history as they say!
the legend is on a cd called terry o'neill - something inside so strong: great irish ballads its available on P.H.PEARSE records i seen them on sale in the sinn fein shop in dublin and belfast so im sure they have them for sale on their website.
if you liek this song other great songs are "on belfast streets (the plastic bullet song)" also sung by terry, and "song for marcella" by bik mcfarlne,"grace" and "willie and danny" by shabeen and "ainden mcanespe" also "the ballad of mairead farrel" their is also a song called "andytown girl" about mairead farrel which i heard christy moore and terry o'neill sing together on stage at feile an phobail last year it is an amazing song but i don't belive it is recorded! if any one has any information on that song let me know!
the line
" I was standing in the pouring rain, in an Irish field of green."
makes all the hairs on my body stand on end every time! brilliant song!!
slán!