I've looked through all of the threads on this song (I have to say, not terribly rigorously) and am amazed to find only one mention, of what I think to be, one of the greatest recordings of this song ever made: that of Elizabeth Cronin, of Macroom. Co. Cork, Ireland. This was made, in the early 1950s, by either Alan Lomax or Peter Kennedy (unfortunately, I've lost the notes to the record). The record is: The Folk Songs of Britain, Vol. 1: Songs of Courtship (Topic 12T157, 1968 - formerly issued by Caedmon Records, New York, 1961).
Mrs Cronin was very old when this recording was made, and the microphone had to be held very close to her lips, but her rendition of the song is beautiful and has haunted me for years.
I think that the recordings of Elizabeth Cronin may have been re-issued more recently than 1968, on CD (in Ireland?), but I don't have the details to hand.
If anyone has mentioned Mrs Cronin earlier, please accept my apologies and ignore this posting. On the other hand it may prompt someone to seek out the recordings of a truly great traditional singer and be inspired by them.