Although a traditional Irish carol, the text dates back to 12th century England. The melody is probably a later addition. It was popularized in a 1928 collection by William Henry Grattan Flood, organist and music director at St. Aiden’s Cathedral in Wexford. Present day historian Eric Fraad speculates that many traditional Irish carols had a double meaning: “During the penal times, Catholics were considered heretics by the authorities and often suspected of treason and other crimes. It seems possible that [these carols] deliberately, though subtly, implied connections between the Christmas story and the plight of their parishioners and countrymen.”
(Audio file generated by Finale Music Notation Software.)
