Hi Dick,

Although this is not a thread about "Real Old Mountain Dew" the Wiki says:

"The Real Old Mountain Dew" is a traditional folk song, first printed in "Irish street Ballads" 1916. It was later recorded under the title "The Rare Old Mountain Dew". It is about the intoxicating properties of Irish moonshine, or Poitín. The earliest recording is by John Griffin, 1927 on the Columbia label, New York, under its original title. The song is also known in Canada. A somewhat different song, Good Old Mountain Dew was written by Bascom Lamar Lunsford, a noted folklorist and lawyer, who defended some moonshiner clients.

Here's a bit of the lyrics:

At the foot of the hill there's a neat little still,
Where the smoke curls up to the sky;
By the whiff of the smell you can plainly tell
There's poitin boys nearby.
For it fills the air, with a perfume rare,
That betwixt both me and you,
And as on we roll, we'll drink a bowl,
Or a bucketfull of mountain dew.

Are you saying that perhaps this is where Lunsford based his song? The song structure is the same. Where and when did Harrigan write it? Any copies on-line?

Richie