Interesting topic. I think that whether the song is factual or not is only part of the story. As long as the song is contemporary to the event it tells us a lot more about how people felt and the ordinary man's views than any dry tome in a mainstream bookshop ever could. We will always see some 'poetic licence' as well but, that aside, if, for instance, the soldiers at the time were singing that Lady Astor did make that remark then it is a good indication of how they felt about her. Or if the people of Donegal were celebrating Rory of the Hill as a hero then it gives us an idea what they thought of Lord Leitrim!

FWIW, Jim, I think this should remain firmly above the line.

Also, out of interest, the song in question contains the phrase 'bailiffs, bums and harlots'. I always though 'bum' was an Americanism for 'tramp' but it obviously has roots elsewhere. Whatever it means here seems to have connections with the Lancashire phrase 'bum bailiff', used in old children's songs and elsewhere so there we have another window on life and language as it was.

Folk songs contemporary to the event are, in my opinion, a good source of how people thought, reacted and described events. A window on to times gone by that plain old facts can never show.