Here's a traditional song called Down In My Sally' Garden from Sam Henry's Songs of the People. The melody is somewhat similar to that used by Yeats. Could this have been his inspiration? I thought I had ABC'd the tune but I can't find it at the moment. I will post an ABC version as soon as I work it up.

Down in My Sally's Garden

George Graham (Cross Lane, Coleraine) from the late Willie M'Kay (Part St, Coleraine) who learned it in Toronto, Canada.

Down in my Sally's garden
Upon an ivy bush
At morning and at twilight
There sings a sweet song thrush

His notes come clearly ringing
And tidings to me tell
And oh, I know already
My Sally loves me well

I kissed her milk-white features
One silv'ry eve of May
She whispered, Won't you wander
Until the close of day?

We wandered in her garden
The flowers were wet with dew
I saw the love-light beaming
In her fond eyes of blue

Down in my Sally's garden
Where snowy hawthorns blow
My heart became love-weary
When I at last must go

The bloom was on the hawthorn
That night I said farewell
I left my Sally weeping
Down by an ivied dell

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