My interest in Mary O'Hara's singing came up in some emails exchanged with Jean Ritchie, and Jean added this bit about what is called The Wexford Mummer's song, on Mary O'Hara's album.

"....she heard Sean O-Touma's name. She jumped out of her chair, "Oh! Oh! You know Sean-O?" she cried. I told her he had sung a lovely little song for us, about two girls and their little pigs... she interrupted me, singing out on the refrain of that song, "Fa-la-la-la-la-la!" ........... putting me off!" So we sang it for her, then played the tape of Sean-O himself singing it, and she was giggling about the surprise she was going to give Sean-O when next she saw him....."

I've done a sound clip of it here, CLICK, my singing. I have always wondered about this song and how different it seems from other mummers songs in the tradition of the plays. If anyone knows more about its background, I would appreciate it. Now I'm off to alert Jean to this thread.

Alice