Just completed this note in preparation for putting our Clare song collection up on the County Library website in a couple of months
Will be tackling 'The Whistling Gypsy later
Always though the idea of someone running off with a good looking woman common sense and good taste - can't see where the prejudice comes in.
Eliza
Your Borrowesque description of Gypsy life has been the plague of real Gypsies existence for centuries.
I agree with you about the 'over-sensitivity', but George Borrow created a hell of an image for them to live up to.   
Jim Carroll

Auld Scoláire Hat – Susie Cleary
This was written as 'My Old Killarney Hat', by Dublin baritone songwriter, Leo Maguire (1903 – 1985)
Maguire was born in Dublin's inner city, trained as a baritone under Vincent O'Brien, John McCormack's voice teacher. For many years he performed with the Dublin Operatic Society
He wrote over 100 songs, his best known being "The Whistling Gypsy", a rewrite if the Child Ballad 'The Gypsy Laddie' (Child200)
Maguire also wrote parodies and humorous songs under the name Sylvester Gaffney.