I first heard this song in the Fighting Cocks pub in Co Carlow in 1964 on my first visit to Ireland.
I understood its local popularity came from a 78 recorded by a Kilkenny singer, whose name I forget- not saying that was the origin- just one of those songs which always livens a dreich singing session... have been singing my version of it ever since...
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Otilie Paterson (singer with the Chris Barber Jazz Band) recorded a version of it on an LP many years ago -a verse I still use towards the end of the song is-

' Dear friends I am sorry to keep you so long
For the singing is rotten and so is the song
But don't you forget as you through your life
That you're far better here than being nagged by the wife'

a verse I claim ownership of is.... in an appropriate situation

'I went to the session one Saturday night
The jigs and the reels they were flying all right
When the bold Seamus Ennis he came back to life
Said Would you play that old bodhran with this here Stanleyknife