I feel that this song is one of those that transcends the time and locale that spawned it. I also feel that it is quite important to maintain the traditional rythmn and meter of the song. I link this song back to it's traditional Irish roots. To me, it is "enemy." Don Firth, in about his final posting on the "Tales of Walt Robertson" thread, speaks of this song. I, as well as Don, learned this song from Walt. Don writes, and quite eloquantly, about the meter and rythmn. CHEERS, Bob(deckman)Nelson