>>>>My folk knowledge is at the banging on the table at the right moment in Wild Rover level.<<<<<

Now this I can't believe. If this is true you have achieved a remarkable level of knowledge in an incredibly short time. You mention Barry, a scholar who was studying the material a century ago. Someone like Vic you would expect to be much better informed and you'd be right.


If you want to take the matter further, and you have me hooked already, a good idea would be to give here a chronological list of the mentions of TUF with dates/personnel etc and perhaps even a hint at who might have influenced who. Meanwhile I'll try to find my earliest relevant references in Ireland. I have Petrie, Bunting and Joyce. From what I've read already this would seem to be a lost cause but at least we can eliminate some possible sources.