I am an American in the North. You are correct about Ma being a more Texan expression. I have talked to many Irish people. they usually say Dia dhuit ar maidin a Bhríain, cén chaoi a' bhfuil tú or some such nonsense to me. I thought that the air Luke Kelley sang COME ALL YE TRAMPS AND HAWKERS would be a nice air to that song. I have been trying to write a song myself about my Great Uncle who lived near Saigon until just before it fell. He was a great character and all thee kids in the neighborhood loved him because he had so many stories. Unfortunately, I need to throw a lot lines back in the water to swim around for a while until I let them come up for air. Beidh mé ag caint leat aríst,

Brían