I believe the story about Carolan recognizing the woman by the touch of her hand as he helped her onto the boat actually refers to Bridget Cruise, an old flame for whom he wrote 4 tunes.Her father forbid him to to marry her since he was stricken by smallpox and blinded in his teens.
Since Carolan had nothing to do with "Give me Your Hand", this is more plausible, however anecdotal.

best-Julia