Príosún Chluain Meala

Although this song as we are most familiar with it is from the mid-18th century, that version appears to be a reworking of a song composed about a century earlier.

Here is a version published in Tomás Ó Concheanainn, "Nua-dhuanaire III". Dublin, 1981.
In this version, the narrator is in prison for deserting the army. The last few verses are similar to the newer song. I don't know whether this version has been sung to the same tune that we now use for Príosún Chluain Meala/The Gaol of Clonmel.
Ó Concheanainn doesn't date this version, only stating that the song now available is a fragmented and polluted version. Sources given are the periodicals "Gaodhal", May, 1890 and "Fáinne an Lae", 12 June 1926. ú

PRÍOSÚN CHLUAIN MEALA

D'imíos óm mhuintir le hard-intinn gan chiall,
Liostáil mé san arm 's níor fhanas ach bliain,
D'ealaíos i ganfhios, 's ar an mbaile bhí mo thriall.
'S gur i bpriosún Chluain Meala tá mo leaba le bliain.

Istoíche Dé hAoine is mé gabháilt síos 'gesna barracks
Casadh light-horse saighdiúirí orm ; 's iad líonta dá gcuid arm,
Gheit mé is bhiog mé is níor fhan brí ionam ná tapa
Agus rith mé naoi míle gan bhríste ná hata.

Cuireadh ar athchúirt mé ó Phort Láirge go Cluain Meala,
Ní raibh duine gheobhadh páirt liom ná cairde im aice,
Dúirt Bagwell ag siúl na sraide go raibh an chnáib dom á smearadh,
Is má chuirid chun báis mé na grása go bhfaighe m'anam.

Bíonn rinnce ar chrosbhóithre gach Domhnach 'ge baile
Bíonn cluiche ar bhánta, poc báire is dibheairsean,
Bíonn cailíní óga ann, mná pósta is a bhfearaibh,
'Gus Mallaí dubh deorach 's a hóigfhear faoi ghlasaibh.

Tá fhios ag Dia dílis 's ag Rí geal na bhFlaitheas
Go rabhas ar an mbuachaill b'fhearr tuairisc 'ge baile,
Ar shúgradh is ar gháire nó iomáint ar an bhfaiche
Is go mbuailfinn poc báire chomh hard leis an ngealaigh.

Tá mo shrian is mo dhiallait ar iasacht le fada,
Is mo chamán ag fiaradh is ag liathadh fén leaba,
Tá mo liathróid á bhualadh 'ge buachaillí an bhaile,
Is mar bharr ar gach scéal táinse daortha i gCluain Meala.

The 19th c. version with trans. from Kinsella "An Duanaire" can be seen a www.irishpage.com/poems/jail.htm
Oddly the background music is Cill Cais, not Cluan Meala