Hello Martin- it may be 15 years on but have just come across this- have never met anyone in Ireland who'd even heard of the song, even after singing it for ten years (not ALL the time) in West Cork- it must originate there with Murphy and McCarthy the main characters!

Bob Davenport certainly recorded it for Trailer in 1971- I was one of the band then- recorded at Newcastle Guildhall.

Bob got it from Jack Elliott of Birtley, Co Durham. who died in 1966- his daughter Doreen (now 87) says her dad learned it from an Irishman who was working locally- it wasn't included in MacColl's 'Elliotts of Birtley' Folkways LP of 1961- maybe not PC enough?- and still not suitable for busking the Cruft's queue.