"The Staten Island Hornpipe" is a tune played commonly by Irish players. The New York City borough of Staten Island (Richmond County, New York State) does have many Irish connections including having been the site of a quarrantine facility last century for (mainly Irish)immigrants on arrival in the USA.

Arguing for a nautical connection, Sailors' Sung Harbor where Bill Doerflinger collected probably the only version of "The Leaving of Liverpool" taken from tradition and many other fine songs is on Staten Island.

It would be interesting to see whether "The Staten Island Hornpipe" is in Chief O'Neill's collection of Irish tunes. Sorry, mine is in storage.

All the best, Dan Milner