Romany Man, very interesting post at 5.28, thank you. I'm happy to accept that MacColl intended the reference to be to the womenfolk but at least the conjecture about the vehicles wasn't too far off the mark either.

"its a shame that more people are interested in traveller and romany songs, than being interested in the way travellers and romanies are still treated"

I wasn't ignoring that sentence, but living in Australia, well way from these events, I don't have anything useful to add to the discussion other than somewhat remote sympathy.

SRD - "He was convinced it was an ancient Romany song known only to Romanies. "

The only performance I've heard is by Nancy Kerr and James Fagan, neither of whom are Romanies as far as I know :) .
(they'll will be at Woodford this year - woohoo!)