CONTENTS, Anon; J Banim; Callanan; Curran; Curran, H. G.; Davis; Dawson; Drennan; Duffy, CG; Furlong; Griffin; Lover; Lysaght; Denis Florence McCarthy; Milliken; Lady Morgan; Moore; Ogle; Orr, J.; O’Connell, Maurice; Reynolds; Wolfe; Williams, RD [adieu to Innisfail]. An t-sean Bhean bocht appears with Irish letters [p.49].

Preface: ‘So large a portion of what Mr Duffy has written in his Introduction to the Ballad Poetry of Ireland, published in the persent series [Library of Ireland], is equally applicable to the Songs of the Country, as to limit to a narrow space the observations which, only for its priority of publication, I should be obliged to make.’ [Alludes to paper on subject of Irish Songs in Blackwood’s Mag., vol. 17, p.318, by Maginn ‘in which he exposes with his usual wit and ability, the spuriousness of a number of these stupid caricatures’. Pref. signed, 8 Lwr Dominick-Street. Nov. 28 1845. 238pp.

Sole appendix contains text of letter from Hercules Ellis [229-38] contesting the authorship of “Exile of Erin”, claimed by Mr. Campbell, Barry finding that ‘the facts stated by Mr Ellis, and so solemnly attested, scare leave room for any one not doubting their veracity ... to come to any decision creditable to the fame of Mr Campbell. [229] Ellis claims that Gerald Nugent Reynolds compose the song from a letter written by United Irishman John Cormick to his br. Michael; ‘I have at intervals, for many years, endeavoured to disprove the claim of authorship set up by Mr Campbell, and to restore to ireland the fame of having produed this Queen of Songs’; Campbell counterclaimed in The Times, 17 June 1830; Campbell’s claim that he composed it in 1801 is challenged by the fact that the song was known and taught in the Belfast Sch. of Music in Nov. 1798, and acknow. as the work of Reynolds.