Here are a few citations attributed to Zimmerman's work. As noted by Martin above, it is an incredible resource, now available in paperback. I highly recommend it to anyone who is a serious student of Irish folk music. The citation below for 24 May 1798 is evidence of the rise of the ban on wearing green anything. The green cockade was most commonly simply a sprig of shamrocks in the cap, but the same treatment sometimnes resulted from the wearing of anything green.

21 Mar 1831        The Dublin Evening Mail reported during The Tithe War that one Michael Grogan of Limerick was sentenced to three months in gaol "for printing and publishing a most scandalous libel, in the form of a ballad song with an intent to create sedition against the government, and disunion between His Majesty's Protestant and Roman Catholic subjects." The most learned magistrate opined that "nothing can be more injurious than inflaming the minds of the lower orders by disseminating ballads and publications of that nature amongst them." (Zimmerman, G.D., 2002 @ 50).

19 Apr 1866        The Belfast Newsletter reported the arrest in Hillsborough, County Down. of a street singer for singing seditious songs, "Erin's King [O'Connell] Is No More" and "Father Murphy." (Zimmerman, G.D.; 2002 @ 46, fn. 57)

24 May 1798        A British officer at Naas, wrote to General Lake that he had summarily hanged three men in the street for wearing green cockades. (Zimmerman, G. D., 2002 @ 43).

21 Aug 1881        The United Ireland paper reported an incident in Mitchelstown, where "the rent was refused and the bailiff tore down the front of the house and commenced to throw the furniture out. Whilst the work of removing the furniture proceeded the people sang "God Save Ireland," "Patrick Sheehan," and other popular songs." (Zimmerman, G.D., 2002 @ 59-60).

11 Nov 1865        The Nation reported a case in Limerick in which a ballad singer sued an election agent for failure to pay him his agreed fee of 60 shillings for 12 days of singing, original songs composed by the balladeer for the occasion, and five pounds if the client's candidate won the election, which he did. The magistrate hearing the case opined that some of the songs were of such a violent nature that they tended to set the people wild. The singer replied that "Unless I set them wild I would not be paid... The more excitement I could raise, the more joy to the party I was employed by. " He added with pride that he could "sing two mobs to smash each other's skulls." (Zimmerman, G.D., 2002 @ 49) The cited source did not report the verdict in the case.