I'm sure I've put this up before, but for the record. The Farewell Shanty was found in 'an old book' in Plymnouth Library by Alan Molyneux (who later died of leukemia, just in case anyone wants to know) who gave it to Mervyn: "listen to this, boy, can't you just hear the basses coming in on the third line?" From Mervyn it became part of the North Cornwall traditional repertoire, got taken up by Collins & Mageean and passed around the world, the rest, as they say, is history. I know, cause I was there.
Tom