Only stumbled on this fascinating thread now. As it happens I met an old Christian Brother last week who told me he was from Spancil Hill 4 miles from Ennis.His name is Bro. Colm McMahon, a lovely gentle soul if ever there was one.
We got talking about the song and he told me the exact story that has been told above about Michael Considine writing the words etc.He knew John Considine well and told me that he was often brought by the hand to mass in Clooney church by John. He also attributed the fame of the song to the singing of Robbie McMahon.
Curiously, I mentioned the characters named in the verses to Bro. Colm.He told me he knew many of them.When I mentioned Martin Moylan he said that he had never heard that verse before !!! but that he did know of a family of Moylans in the locality.He knew the tailor Quigley well-he lived in a very well kept thatched house at the cross. Behind Quigleys up a little boreen was a large house which was Considines.Bro.Colm is a really gentle man and now lives in the Brothers retirement home in Baldoyle in Dublin, having spent his life teaching.
Lastly, we had a good laugh recalling one of the verses of The Pecker Dunne's song "Sullivans John" where he sings "Theres a hairy ass fair in the Co. Clare in a place they call Spancil Hill. Where my brother James got a rap of a hames and poor Paddy they tried to kill. They loaded him up in a aul ass and cart as Kate and Mary stood by. O, bad cess to the day you went away to join with the Tinker band,".....so perhaps the words "sport and kill" werent so far off the mark if the Pecker's lyrics are anything to go by!!