Niamh has lyrics for the song and I hope she'll post them here, but she's looking for information about origins and sources for the son. Can anyone help? If you have lyrics from any source, please post them.

Here's the entry from the Traditional Ballad Index:

Star of Donegal, The

DESCRIPTION: The singer sees a lad and lass discussing their parting. He is going to America to seek his fortune. She does not wish to part. He says the Irish will return to free Ireland. They decide to marry at once, and sail away together
AUTHOR: unknown
EARLIEST DATE: 1912 (OLochlainn-IrishStreetBallads)
KEYWORDS: love courting marriage emigration gold
FOUND IN: Ireland
REFERENCES (2 citations):
Henry/Huntingdon/Herrmann-SamHenrysSongsOfThePeople H555, p. 463, "The Star of Donegal" (1 text, 1 tune)
OLochlainn-IrishStreetBallads 83, "The Star of Donegal" (1 text, 1 tune)
Roud #2996
CROSS-REFERENCES:
cf. "Rich Amerikay" [Laws O19] (plot)
File: HHH555

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