Listen to Jean Redpath's (1937-2014) recording:
https://www.tobarandualchais.co.uk/track/76770?l=en

Quote:

Track Information
Original Track ID

SA1960.205.A12
Original Tape ID

SA1960.205
Summary

The big ship sails through the eely ally o,
The eely ally o, the eely ally o,
The big ship sails through the eely ally o
On a cold and frosty morning.

The big ship sinks to the bottom o the sea,
The bottom o the sea, the bottom o the sea,
The big ship sinks to the bottom o the sea
On a cold and frosty morning.

Jean Redpath describes the game that goes with the song. Everybody joined hands in a line, with the person at one end putting their right hand against the wall. The person at the opposite end of the line walked through the arch formed by the person with their hand on the wall, and all the children went through until they formed a chain with hands crossed, then the end people joined hands and the line danced in a circle for the middle verse, and returned to the wall to unwind the chain.
Item Notes

Two verses of a children's game song.

See:
'Golden City' (James T. R. Ritchie, 1965) pp. 153-154
End Quote

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