Hi,

Patty, never feel sorry for adding information to a thread, no matter how long it has been sleeping beautifully. One day someone will come along and be only too glad that you did.

Art, OK, that makes it before 1918? Or are there specifics that move the year one way or another?

Jenny, script is a bit unprecise: The way he said it, was he saying that his father in law was a far better singer, for this kind of song, or that he knew his father in law to sing this specific song?


OK, it's becoming unlikely that this was an emigrant song about 1898 that made a speedy return across to ocean. Not that that was a popular interpretation, but it would be nice to be albe to rule it out entirely.

I'm still unable to decide on which one is the error:
- If "traitors to the queen" is erroneous, it could be 1798.
- If "gloomy Ninety-eight" is the error it could be 1848.
I know people are saying "It's about the famine!", but I'm still looking for something more definite.

But either way: If the song has been known in Ireland longer, why do we not know of any publication? Was this too dangerous a song to publish? (What is the earliest publication for Boulavough, etc.? for that matter, how quick after a defeat would such songs be written?)


Patty, on this tape, does JWG sing words that shed light on the various variation problems we noted in this thread?

Bye,
                                                                Mysha