Masato

The verse, and an accompanying letter, were auctioned by Dominic Winter, specialised book autioneers in Swindon this week.

Limavady Council's bid is said to be far below the final agreed price, but the selling figure was not released.

The handwritten verse from Fred Weatherly was in response to a letter he received from an admirer who said she liked Danny Boy.

Mr Weatherly replied in his letter, which was written in 1929: "The melody is, I think, one of the most beautiful ever composed. I have much pleasure in sending you the last verse."

The verse reads:

'But when ye come and all the flowers are dying,

if I am dead as dead I well may be,

Ye'll come and find the place where I am lying

and kneel and say an Ave there for me.

And I shall hear, though soft you tread above me

and all my grave, will warmer sweeter be,

For you will bend and tell me that you love me,

and I shall sleep in peace until you come to me.'

The song was actually written by a Scot around the start of the 17th century, with Fred Weatherly adding the lyrics around 1910.

Mystery surrounded the signifiance of the words. One theory suggested Weatherly foresaw the death of his son Danny, who was killed in the first World War.

Jimmy