I had this from Jerry Hicks, Keady, Co. Armagh, in 1952. He was a friend and neighbor of Sean O'Boyle, and of the Makem family. He was not a known singer, but a fine one, had learned the song from his father who, he said, didn't so much SING it as CROON it. What does "croon" mean? Why, he said, it's singin inside- for yourself instead of for the noisy world of people...Oh, it can be heard, but it's soft-like- not for show.