Brigid Tunney sang The Wee Weaver and Lough Erne shore is identified in the last verse as the home of the lovers, but otherwise little is known of the origins of the song. It is not to be found in any of the major collections. The mention of the trade of weaving suggests a song of occupation, but reference to weaving and looms is confined to the opening line. It is, for a change, a song of requited love. 

Paddy said that The Wee Weaver was the only song that his mother refused to teach him so that in the end he had to learn it from the playing of an old BBC 78 rpm record. Back in 1916, one of the Magees, a cousin of Brigid’s, sang it on her wedding day in Glasgow. After she and Patrick Tunney had got married in St Roch’s in Garngad, they went back to the house they rented at 16 Kilberry Street for a party: tunes, dancing and songs from home. Brigid was anything but sentimental or soft- hearted. Still, maybe some wedding-day memory explains why she did not want to teach it to Paddy. (JT)

The words and music may be found in the first edition of The Stone Fiddle.