Hauntingly beautiful and powerful song. I have it on 2 CD collections: "Classic Irish Love Songs" sung by Barleycorn; and "25 Of the Best Irish Drinking Songs, Vol. 1" sung by Brier. (Why it's classed there as a Drinking Song, I'm not sure.) It's also sung by Ronan Tynan on an Irish Tenors recording, I think.

I'd always thought this was a song about a fictional Irish rebel/patriot. My wife and I just returned from our first visit to Ireland, and I made a point of driving by the old Kilmainham Gaol. We didn't stop as we couldn't find parking and I wasn't aware that one could take a tour of the Gaol. On the way home I discovered that the song was written about Joseph Plunkett who married Grace Gifford in the prison chapel just prior to his execution for his part in the "rising" at the GPO (which we did visit). If I'd known all this earlier, I'd have made sure we stopped and took the tour!! In ten days there were lots of things we couldn't see, so it looks like we'll have to make another visit to Ireland!

Thanks to Big Mick, for posting the words and notes here on the Mudcat.