Hi,

The mystery of "There is a Tavern in the Town," begins with an African-American Creole song called "Radoo, Radoo, Radoo" [hereafter "Radoo"]. In a letter to Rosa Campbell Praed(1851-1935) dated July 1885, Justin McCarthy(1830-1912) refers to Bessie O'Connor who: created a sensation at Mrs. Jeune's the other night. . .I close with some words of the refrain of a song I used to hear long ago in the Southern States of America sung by negroes and of which I am reminded by one of Mrs. O'Connor's songs--"And May the World go well with you!"

Irish writer and Nationalist Justin McCarthy must have heard "Radoo" during a lecturing tour in the United States, c. 1869 and it was also known by American Bessie O'Connor, who independently wrote the music. The words and music appeared in The Right Honourable (1886) written by both Justin McCarthy and Rosa Campbell Praed.

In an article the next year that appeared in the Pall Mall Budget: Being a Weekly Collection of Articles, Volume 35, 1887-- it states, "We have received from Messrs. Francis Brothers and Day [London publisher] a copy of a well known old negro song called "Radoo; or, May this world go well with you." The words are said to be from a Creole song, and the music is arranged by Bessie O'Connor, with accompaniments for the piano and banjo. As Mr. Justin McCarthy says of it," Nothing could be more sweet, simple, and pathetic," and any one who sings to the accompaniment of his or her banjo, or who desires a characteristic and very pleasing simple negro song, cannot do better than procure Mrs. T. P. O'Connor's.

"Radoo" was also published in London (see in Bodleian collection) in Marsh's collection of songs about 1883.

It is clear by this information that "Radoo" predates William H. Hills, c.1883 "There is a Tavern in the Town" by many years and was used by Hills to make his arrangement.

Richie