Thankss Georgiansilver!
Luke Kelly's (Dubliners) intro verse is slower, as is the Corries': it's open to free interpretation and ornamentation before you get into the steadier rhythm of the rest of the verses, (as is the end section) and probably should not be slavishly copied - but maybe the OP already got answers as the thread is 8 years old!
As Musket has said, it does take a bit of a range of pitch to encompass it!