G'day all ... and especially Steve,

Thanks, Steve, for the extra verse - I think it should be a separate verse to Joe Cashmere's last one, although Joe could well have shifted a few things about over the years ... he was in his eighties when he sang that version.

I can't really believe that this song - as written - has any connection to the late arrival of the French off Killala in 1798. The song is typical of the sort of musical insult that the English threw at the Irish; making them out to be uneducated, oafish thugs.

Of course, the Irish have always shown great skill at turning that sort of thing back on the English and there could be an unspoken resonance between Killaloe and Killala. I am pleased to see the suggestion that Killaloe is the correct spelling ... I don't need to change my spelling habits!

I had a look for the original sheet music but could not locate a copy locally. I know that there is a copy lodged with the National Library of Australia in the wash-up of the Joe Cashmere book but that will be in Canberra. I will check with some contacts there but only for academic reasons. I prefer the "folk-processed" versions whenever possible.

Regards,

Bob Bolton