Just to add my tuppence worth to this debate

I always felt that

"She watched the last star falling"

is melodic but meaningless (who ever watched all the stars falling?)

It should, of course, be sung as

"She watched the last tarpaulin"

which would give the impression of the final sail (canvass, spineker, etc.) disapearing over the beautiful Irish horizon.

Does this mean I can now claim authorship of this ballad?

Paddy(1)