Guest, Brian Peters. You are right. I have taken the following from a website.

The White Hare sung by Joseph Taylor, London, 1908.   
Frank Kidson prints a version of this in his Traditional Tunes (1899), with the following note. 'A tune obtained for me by Mr Lolly, from the singing of a man near Howden, now lately dead. Musicians will, I think, congratulate Mr Lolly upon obtaining such a fine and sterling old air. I wish I could say as much for the words.' Kidson's song is set in the area around Howden, rather than Oldham as in Joseph Taylor's version, and Kidson mentions that it was once popular in Howden. Kidson had also seen the words on broadside, usually titled Near Maxwell Town or Near Mansfield Town. Peter Kennedy also recorded it for the BBC from a Mrs Cooke, of Cardington, Shropshire, in 1952 - the only other known source.

The source I had got it from had heard Beth Patterson sing it and I think they must have incorrectly assumed it was traditional Irish.