Two further sources for you to look at, if you've got a good library near you:

A a fragment of a song by this title appears in a collection of songs from Irish-speaking areas of Galway and Mayo, Amhrain Mhuighe Seola, that was published in 1923 by Eibhlin Bean Mhic Choisdealbha (Mrs Eileen Costello). Fortunately the volume was republished in 1990 by Clo Iar-Chonnachta, and you may be able to find it in a library with good holdings in Irish stuff. somehow the title has remained the same, although the refrain verse seems to be missing. Both the tune and text are given.

A. M. Freeman collected a version of the text given by an earlier writer in his collection of songs from Ballyvourney, Co. Cork, published by the Journal of the folk Song society in 1921 (vol 6, no. 24/25). Freeman tells us that the song was "modelled on an older one" and "was made about 1875 by a certain John Murphy, to a woman called Hannah Creedon, who was housekeeper at the Ballyvourney Hotel." I have no idea whether this is true, or whether it simply reflects the desire of his informant to provide good background, as often happens. It seems likely that the refrain stanza may be older than the other verses, and could have served as a model for more than one song of this title.

Freeman gives both tune and words, which he collected from a woman named Peg O'Donoghue in Ballymakeery. As is typical with airs from this part of Ireland, the air to the refrain stanza is different from that of the verses; and singer beware: the range of the air is quite wide (and octave plus a fifth). They breed 'em strong in Cork!

Virginia