Where is there a copy of the song or an unmistakeable reference to it before 1800? Can anyone tell me when the Irish first published a text of "Shule Aroon"? An Irish tune seems to be first found in the 9th issue of Stevenson and Moore's 'A Selection of Irish Melodies' (1825), with a very slightly different copy in the 10th issue (1834).

X:1
T:Air - I wish I were on yonder hill
S:Stevenson & Moore's 'Irish Melodies', #9, 1825
Q:60
L:1/4
M:C
K:Am
E/|ccB3/2B/|AA/G/E3/2E/|G3/2E/ G/A/ c3/4B/4|\
{A/}G3/2E/DC/D/|E3/2D/ C3/4D/4 E/F/|\
G3/4A/4 G/E/{E/}c3/2B/|A3/4B/4 A/G/ E3/4D/4 E/G/|\
A3/4^G/A2|c2B2|A3/2G/E3/2G/|G3/2E/ G/A/ c/B/|\
{A/}G3/2E/Dz/D/|E3/2D/ C3/4D/4 E/F/|G3/4A/4 G/E/c3/2B/|\
A3/4B/4 A/G/ E3/4D/4 E/G/|A3/2^G/{G/}A3/2|]

The earliest reference I've seen to a text is one in Horncastle's 'Music of Ireland', 1844, which I have not seen, although I have the tune from it. There are several versions of our song in JFSS, and the chorus of Horncastle's version is quoted in JFSS #10, 1907, as follows:

Shule, shule, shule aroon,
Shule go succir agus, shule go cuin,
Shule go teir an durrus angus eligh glum,
Is go de movourneen slan.

X:2
T:Shule Arun (Song- I wish I were on yonder hill)
S:Hornecastle's 'Music of Ireland', 1844
Q:60
L:1/4
M:C
K:Cm
B|eedd|c3/2B/G3/2E/|B3/2G/ B/c/ e/d/|c/BG/FE/F/|\
G/A/ G/F/ E/F/ G/A/|B/c/ B/G/ ee/d/|c3/4d/4 c/B/ G/F/ G/=B/|\
c2z2|e2d2|c3/2B/Gz|B3/2G/ B/c/ e/d/|c/BG/FE/F/|\
G3/4A/ G/F/ E/F/ G/A/|B/c/ B/G/ee/d/|c3/4d/4 c/B/ G/F/ G/=B/|\
c2z|]

The Scottish fragment "Dicky Macphalion" of 1823 (on my website) is the earliest version of the song that seems to be known at present.

"Johnny is gone for a soldier" (without music) is on the Levy sheet music site, box 192, item #19. I know nothing about the Baltimore publisher, so can't hazard a guess at the date of publication of it, except it is most likely to be after 1850. I can't see anything in the song that would point to any American hand in this version.

Here is a rather variant version found earlier this year by Jack Campin of Newtongrange, Lothian, in a manuscript of Lady John Scott, which is probably of the 1840's. The tune was poorly noted, and the copy below is Jack Campin's attempt at restoration.

I wish I were on yonder hill
Tis there I'd sit and mourn my fill
Till every tear should turn a mill
Escadil mavourneen shaun

Since my love ceased [to] woo
I have roamed the whole world through
To heal the heart he broke in two
Escadil mavourneen shaun

I tracked his footsteps on the moor
I watched his shadow from the door
I prayed as I shall pray no more
Escadil mavourneen shaun

My wheel is stopped I'll set it by
My tears within my eyes are dry
I'll close their watery lids and die
Escadil mavourneen shaun

The first of the two versions in JFSS #10 also has the absent lover as a false lover who deserted the singer of the song, like in Lady John Scott's version above.

X:3
T:The haircut [edited by Jack Campin]
S:NLS MS.839, Lady John Scott
M:2/4
L:1/8
K:Bmin
F|B>cd>c|BFF>G|A>Fd>c|BEE F/E/|D>CB,D|FB d Hf/>e/|d>Bd>c|B3z|\
d>dd>c|B>FFz|A>Dd>B|E2E F/E/|D>CB,D|FB Hd Hf/>e/|d>Bd>c|B3|]