Hi Greyeyes!

My comments on "The Leaving of Liverpool" are about it's origin and were probably prompted by the fact that I was having dinner with the only person to have collected it just a couple of hours after you wrote. I thought you might be interested in the history of the song.

My opinon is that it could be viewed as an English, Irish or American song based on subject, origin, or place of collection and informant. I'm entirely sure the Clancys would have regarded it as an English song, just as you say.

As far as your questions of ethnicity are concerned, I make no claims of expertise here but... a person's ethnicity is on one hand determined by that individual. Therefore it is quite possible for a person to consider himself, eg. both English and Irish because one has the option of acknowledging more than one background identity. On the other hand, a person's ethnicity is also determinted by those he or she meets. Therefore, it is quite possible for a person to be considered, e.g. Irish in England and English in Ireland. I have lived in England, Ireland, Canada and the United States so this concept of varying ethnicity is something I know a bit about.

Sorry for the digression. And, now, back to the English tradition...

All the best,
Dan