""Christmas" is likely a corruption of Martinmas."
Thanks Richie - I worked out that it probably came from the singing of source singer Vail Ó'Fletharta, also from the Connemara Gealtacht, so it's possible common to there.
Just that I hadn't come across the Christmas reference over here before.
Don'r
t suppose you or anybody have the notes to 'Musique Du Monde (Irlande - L'Art Du Sean Nos'?
Jim Carroll