The earliest printed reference seems to be three verses included in the John McCall manuscripts, collected in the latter half of the 19th century in the Carlow/Wexford border area.
It was later included in Sam Henry's collection under the title 'Wester Snow' obtained as a song in 1925, but the air was noted from a fiddle player, at a competition in 1904 at Waterfoot, Glenariff, in County Antrim (Giant's Causeway/Glens of Antrim area).
The Tunney family seem to be the main source of the song and Brigid Tunney's stunning rendition, recorded for the BBC in 1952 is well-worth looking out.
It was also collected by Helen Creighton in Nova Scotia.
Jim Carroll