nutty, thanks for the link to the Bodleian Catalogue. That's very interesting that the song appears to be earlier than 1825. I've just been reading the excellent notes to the tracks on the Topic Voice of the People series by Rod Sradling and Mike Yates Musical Traditions: VotP.

In a note to a short fragment of the tune By the Bright Silvery Light Of the Moon on Vol. 16 Track 7, Mike Yates credits the words to a J W Turner in 1847.

The fragment is hard to distinguish, but it is played on accordeon and tambourine (and what sounds like a loud drum!), by a group of Wrenboys out on St Stephen's Day in 1976, recorded by Doc Rowe. It sounds as if a good time was being had by all!!

Mike Yates also notes that The Anthology of Irish Traditional Music on Dejavu RetroGold Collection R2CD40-107 includes a re-issue of an early 78 of the tune as played by Richard Hayward.