Martin,

J. Philpot Curran is a possibility for the author, but the song is not attributed to him in 'Poets of Ireland', and I don't know if he wrote anything as early as 1789. I have run across mention of a J. W. Curren as a songwriter, but haven't found out anything about him. Healy, 'Ballads from the Pubs of Ireland' gives 'Hurlfoot Bill' (William Maher) as the author, same as yours with different spelling.

Anyone wanting a copy of the text and tune I have, send me an e-mail with your address and message 'Larry' to olsonw@erols.com. I don't think there will be many requests, and I should be able to handle that. My text is a bit different in places from that posted.

Does anyone have the complete text of "The Bowman Prigg's Farewell" (commencing "To the hundreds of Drury I write")? It looks like this may have inspired our "Night before Larry was stretched" song. ['Bowman Prigg' is a cant term for a pick-purse]