At my suggestion, one of the pieces in our programme was “O’Donnell Aboo!” which first appeared in the “Nation” of January 28th, 1843, under the title of “The Clan-Connell War Song—­A.D. 1597,” the air to which it was to be sung being given as “Roderigh Vich Alpine dhu,” This was the name of the boat song commencing “Hail to the Chief,” from Sir Walter Scott’s poem of “The Lady of the Lake.”  This was published in 1810, and set to music for three voices soon afterwards by Count Joseph Mazzinghi, a distinguished composer of Italian extraction, born in London.

As “Roderigh Vich Alpine” was the air given by Mr. McCann himself as that to which his song was to be sung, we, of course, used Mazzinghi’s music in our entertainment.

One night—­I think it was our first—­at the close of our entertainment in Dublin, a gentleman came behind to see us.  It was Mr. McCann.  He was pleased, he said, we were singing his song, but would like us to use an air to which it was being sung in Ireland, and which he had put to it himself.  He also told us he had made some alterations in the words of the song, and was good enough to write into my “Spirit of the Nation” the changes he had made.  This copy is the original folio edition, with music, published in 1845.  It was presented to me by the members of St. Nicholas’s Boys’ Guild, Liverpool.  I have that book still, and value it all the more as containing the handwriting of the distinguished poet. (I should say, however, that most of my friends do not consider the alterations in the song to be improvements.)

The measure and style of “O’Donnell Aboo!” were evidently imitated from Sir Walter Scott’s boat song.  Besides this strong resemblance, there is the fact that Mr. McCann gave as the air to which his song was to be sung, “Roderigh Vich Alpine,” part of the burden of Sir Walter’s song.

But not only is there a resemblance in the words and general style, but in the music.  Indeed, it seems to me that most of the fine air of “O’Donnell Aboo!” as it is now sung is based on Mazzinghi’s music—­either that for the first, second, or bass voice, or upon the concerted part for the three voices at the end of each verse.

Another fact is worthy of mention.  Since meeting Mr. McCann I have often noticed in Irish papers that when the air, as adapted by him, was played at national gatherings, it was often given by the name of Scott’s song and Mazzinghi’s composition.  And when Mr. Parnell was in the height of his popularity and attended demonstrations in Ireland, the air used to be played as being applicable to the Irish leader, and given in some papers as “Hail to the Chief,” while others described the same air as “O’Donnell Aboo!”

But if we cannot claim as an original Irish air McCann’s song as it is now sung, the same critical examination which brings out its resemblance to Mazzinghi’s music, also shows that the Italian composer most probably got his inspiration from the music of the Irish or Scottish Gaels, as being most suitable for his theme.  So that, perhaps, we may take the same pride in the present air as our island mother might in some of her children who had been on the shaughraun for a time, but had again come back to the “old sod.”