G'day Percustard,

When Duke Tritton started singing this song, he had When Irish Eyes are Smiling in mind ... but it doesn't seem to have stayed in fact. He said he "... had to chop down the high bits ...". I have never heard it sung to Wearing of the Green.

The tune used for Wearing of the Green is one of a number of Scottish tunes originally set to poems of Tannahill (other significant examples are Ye Bonny Wood of Craigielea, adapted for Waltzing Matilda and Braes of Balquither which was worn down, in Ulster, to Wild Mountain Thyme. Dion Buocicault (sp?...!...?), author of the (c.) 1848 play Arragh na Pogh (sp?...!...?) used the tune for Shaun the Post's song Wearing of the Green.

Does that sound Gaelic enough (in all aspects)?

Regards,

Bob Bolton