Thanks indeed to John Moulden (02 Jan 13 - 08:51 AM ) for this oldest-known text. It may be that the metre is occasionally strained, but the words make more sense in places, notably the very first line:

"One evening of late as from Bandon I strayed, "

is more satisfactory than the common:

"One evening of late into Bandon I strayed,"

given that Bandon is the starting point of the reported journey.

Thanks also for the post from the "distant relation to the farmer's wife" dated
26 Dec 12 - 02:58 PM. I take your point about route changes since the 19th century.

With regard to the air, well even with the knowledge that the song was originally and widely sung to the air of "The Limerick Rake", I would still be inclined to sing it to the melody as rendered by the great Joe Heaney (see www.joeheaney.org/default.asp?contentID=1102), and not the Clancy Brothers, with the justification that both textual and melodic changes are both valid aspect of the folk process.

The caption accompanying the "Bold Tenant Farmer's Cottage" at
http://www.geograph.ie/photo/537941
states that "The inspiration for the lyrics of the song The Bold Tenant Farmer, this cottage in Ballinascarty was the home of Dan Walsh [1841 - 1906], and his wife Mary [1855 - 1932] They were among the first who offered passive resistance to the unjust demands of the Landlords' agents, by organising the first "Boycott"."

Can the "distant relation to the farmer's wife" or other contributors vouch for the accuracy of this fascinating information?