Many thanks to all for the great help. As always, nothing better than posting a message and wait for......surprises. Many thanks indeed.

Noreen, thanks for the link and the other info.

Annraoi, Fiolar, re the battles and the wild geese, I agree with Fiolar. The wild geese were defeated in Rammillies. All these battles (Cremona, Cassano, Rammillies) are part of the War of Spanish Succession (1701-1714). I do know the story of the wild geese (thanks to www.thewildgeese.com). Yet, I have to humbly ask for your help again in order to understand that paragraph. What are the Cavats? Can you translate with your own words the whole paragraph?

Annraoi: your clue about the true age of the song (confirmed by Martin Ryan, thank you Martin) helps me understand a possible "mistake" in the song. The hero, Fergus O' Farrell (a wild goose that joined the War of Spanish Succession with his sire-land, Lord Clare), fought his first battle in Cremona (1702) and his last in Rammillies (1706) where he died (I guess, it is not said in the song). Now, why does the song say that "Eight long years have passed...." (for Eily, which is alone in Finae)? The years passed should be not more than four or five (from the beginning of the war 1701 till Fergus' death in Rammillies, 1706).

Thank you Francesco