Well, I can give you the definitive answer on this, as I was born in the town of Castlecomer, in county Kilkenny. Referred to in the song. castlecomer was indeed a mining town up to the early 70's when the mines closed. But the 'marle stone there as black as ink. relates not to a grave as such. Kilkenny city is built on the finest limestone resource in Europe, and many of it's 55 pubs and Churches feature very fine marble floors and frontages, often black marble. and indeed many graves in local cemetaries are built of black marble, as black as ink indeed

The story of the song Carrickfergus I've heard a few times from local Kilkenny musicians. They tell of an Englisman, a rover, something of a wandering minstrel and a playboy. possibly from the north, who would go on his travels down the country, no doubt romancing the ladies on the way. Kilkenny was apparently his last stop and there he fell in love with a lady who he promised to return and marry. The story goes vague from there but the gist of it seems to be he wandered off again and if he did return it was too late, for the lady had died in the famine most likely. Whether it's true or just another Irish folk tale, well who knows. There's also something of a mystery as to who wrote it and when. The tune very likely is and old trad one, but as a song most research has Dominic Behan as the Writer in the 1960's. Either way Kilkenny is a marvellous town and well worth a visit. Best examples of the Black Marble is The Marvel City Bar in the High St, and The ancient Black Abbey off Parliament St. I'd also highly recomend Ireland's longest runnng trad sessions, every Momday night in the World famous Cleeres Bar

Desi C
The Circle Folk Club
UK West Mids
WV14 9JH
For info mail crc778@aol.com