This song is on the CD LOST IN A SONG by Finest Kind - Ian Robb, Shelley Posen and Ann Downey. Many of the words are the same but some are different. Don't have time to post the words as they appear on this CD.

Shelley got the version they sing when living in Quebec in the mid 70's from a singer named Loy Gavan who got it from another local singer, Frank Ryan. It is tributed the same men as listed above.

Shelley states that the song was an English music hall hit in 1891. He also says that it appears on Topic release 12TS225 by Bob Hart of Suffolk.

The one time that Mr. Gavan sang it for Shelley, he collapsed the second and third verses into one. He also substituted "Erin" and "Ireland" for "England" in the verses, but for some reason, retained "England" in the chorus. FINEST KIND decided to sing it the way Shelley learned it.