Áine ...

For what it's worth, I've analysed my playing of the first 4 bars of this tune (at least how I played it at the time of writing). It doesn't follow any of the rules, I'm afraid. Anyway ... the first four bars go:

D-D UUU|D-D UDU|UUD UUU|U-D DDU ...

Living proof that I've got bugger all technique! I just do whatever's necessary to get from one note to the next, honest! Life's too short to get your knickers in a twist worrying about whether it's UDU or DUD! If it sounds halfway daycent, then whail away and keep 'er lit!