Gnu,

Gladly.

Most of Tommy's version is the same as my grandfather's song except for the chorus. Also Tommy sang "My name is Dick Darby", my grandfather used his own name " John Simpson". I don't know what the original name should be. Probably Dick Darby.

Grandfather's chorus had these words.


" With an inting of an inting and an Idoh
With an inting of a inting of an iday
Ould wax-end and heel-ball you're boozing again
and your lapstone keeps beating away.


ps: "Waxend was a small piece of amber coloured wax, about the size of a cube of billiard chalk. It was used to coat the twine befiore the stitching. The cobbler waould draw the twine through his fist which held the waz-end."
Heelball was a larger piece of hard wax, it came in black and brown. It had to be heated and then applied to the rims of the heels in a burnishing motion, forcing the wax in between the layers of leather thus caulking the soles and the heels. It dried to a hard shellac finish, very durable.
My grandfather also glued a small piece of wood (matchstick) in the centre of the sole, this attracted water, thereby making the soles not waterproof but water resistant, The piece of wood collected a lot of moisture.
A lapstone was used in the older days as a sort of anvil to soften the leather to be used for the toes, so that it was pliable. Later on they were able to purchase pre-softened leather for this purpose. My job was to go downtown Belfast to Lower Donegal street and buy a rolled up side of leater from Donaghy's shop. I carried it home on my shoukder. I loved helping my Grandfather and also the smell of new leather, plus Mrs. Donaghy used to give me a bar of chocolate as a tip.
In future when I sing this song I will think of Tommy.