Paddy Tunney says: ‘This song was written by the poet James Devine of Strabane. Moorlough is away up in the Derry-Tyrone mountains. “Moorlough Mary” was a Mary Gormley, and I understand that she was not really a great beauty. But apparently Devine found her a very attractive woman, which goes to prove that to every man his own swan is the whitest!’

This song has a very worthy air wedded to verses which are written with taste and skill in the traditional idiom. It is widely known in other parts of Ireland: Lá Fhéile Pádraig, O’Rahilly’s Grave and The Manchester Martyrs (commencing ‘It was in November I well remember’) are just three songs which are sung to versions of this tune.

Moorlough Mary itself is also widely sung; it may possibly have been circulated on broadsheet at some stage.