I had the wrong title for Betty Messenger's book. It's "Picking up the Linen Threads: a study in industrial folklore" published in 1978, Austin, Texas, by U of Texas Press - and in 1980 by Blackstaff Press, Belfast, N Ireland.

Lyrics for "Fan-a-Winnow" are included in Carmel O'Boyle. "Cut the Loaf: The Irish Children's Songbook", Cork, Ireland:MercierPress, 1986.

Fan-a-winnow, winnow, winnow
Fan-a-winnow daisy,
Fan-a-winnow, E-i-o,
She's away with Barney the band-tier oh,
She's away with Barney the band-tier oh.

A for apple, P for pear
D for dolling on the stair,
All the world will never, never know
The love I had for my lady oh,
My lovely blue-eyed lady oh.

B for Barney, C for cross,
Oh, how I love Barney Ross,
All the world will never, never know
The love I have for my Barney oh,
My lovely blue-eyed Barney oh.

Fan-a-winnow, winnow, winnow
Fan-a-winnow daisy,
Fan-a-winnow, E-i-o,
She's away with Barney the band-tier oh,
She's away with Barney the band-tier oh.

- I hope to be able to provide the ABC in due course - Philippa