Taconicus - Re. "Covel's Castle", my father (born 1914) always sang it as "Colville's Castle", (pronounced Covil's), which he said was Culross Palace (in Scotland). He also sang "I wish I was in Carrickfergus", not "Caropage". He said it was an old Scottish song. He was half Irish and half Scottish, so he had no axe to grind! My father (and my mother, who was also half Irish and half Scottish) had a vast knowledge of traditional Scottish and Irish songs, all learned by ear. It was still common practice when I was young (in the 1960s and 70s) for friends and relations (adults and children) to gather in each other's houses at weekends, or for any occasion, to enjoy a drink and a big sing-song.