Abbey Tavern: Whiskey in the Jar

Here's a performance of Whiskey in the Jar (my favorite Irish folk song ever) by the Abbey Tavern singers:

Trivia: The Finnish version of Whiskey in the Jar is called "Humppamaratooni".

Here's some background on the song from Wikipedia:

"Whiskey in the Jar" is a famous Irish traditional song about a highwayman (usually in the Cork and Kerry mountains), who is betrayed by his wife or lover. It is one of the most widely performed traditional Irish songs, and has been recorded by groups such as The Dubliners, The Pogues, Peter, Paul and Mary, The Highwaymen, Roger Whittaker, the Clancy Brothers, and Tommy Makem, The Irish Rovers, the Poxy Boggards, The Limeliters, King Creosote, The Shatilla Shakers and the Brobdingnagian Bards.

History

The song's exact origins are lost in the mists of history. Judging from the mention of a rapier it is likely that the lyrics date back to at least the late eighteenth century. In at least one version, the rapier is replaced with a sabre; the reference to the rapier could have originally referred to a rapaire ("half-pike" in Irish) and the highwayman could have been a rapparee - Irish irregular soldiers and bandits of the 17th and 18th centuries.

In his book The Folk Songs of North America, noted folk music historian Alan Lomax suggests that the song originated in the seventeenth century. As evidence for this, Lomax cites the similarities between "Whiskey in the Jar" and John Gay's The Beggar's Opera, which dates to 1728. Lomax confidently suggests "Whiskey in the Jar" inspired "Beggar's Opera," meaning that by 1728, "Whiskey in the Jar" would have been widely distributed throughout the Celtic world. In regard to the history of the song, Lomax states, "The folk of seventeenth century Britain liked and admired their local highwaymen; and in Ireland (or Scotland) where the gentlemen of the roads robbed English landlords, they were regarded as national patriots. Such feelings inspired this rollicking ballad." Lomax points out the song is about a Robin Hood-like figure, who steals from the rich but keeps the money for himself.

At some point, the song came to the United States and was a favorite in Colonial America because of its irreverent attitude towards British officials. The American versions are sometimes set in America and deal with American characters. One such version, from Massachusetts, is about Alan McCollister, an Irish-American soldier who is sentenced to death by hanging for robbing British officials.