This song clearly evolved from Bingen On The Rhine; composed by
Caroline Norton 1808-1877 which deals with a dying German
soldier of the French Foreign Legion, mortally wounded in Algiers.
The Ballad was first published 27th July 1867. Caroline Norton was
the granddaughter of Dublin born dramatist Richard Brinsley
Sheridan, born at 12 Dorset Street in 1751. Kevin Barry is sung to
the same air. Kevin Barry has been recorded by Paul Robeson, Lonnie
Donegan and performed live by Leonard Cohen.I was once requested to
sing Kevin Barry at an Irish snooker tournament, a little into the
first verse Dennis Taylor black-balled me and I was obliged to
accept his cue.
                           God Bless all you mudcatter,
                                              James Molloy.
Catch my Foggy Dew on Utube.