Another historical note from the MacDonalds; they said that the Ropery Banks were the area along the Tyne where the ropeworks were located, and that "the Girls" that worked in the ropery were a rough lot... not the type of lassie you'd want to meet in a dark alley. They sang it on a tape for me, and I was trying to figure out how I was going to transcribe the Geordie for Lorraine, so many thanks, Murray. Now all we have to do is translate it to English!