Hi!

I was a friend of Margaret Barry. She lived at my home on 2 occasions for about 2 and 4 months respectively.

I will tell you 2 things about her. First, she was full of malapropisms; a gynecologist would be, for example, a gyroscope. Second, a good portion of her repertoire came from 19th Century broadsides; she was probably one of the last singing broadside sellers in Ireland.

I have a book with 3 texts of "A much admired song call'd Remember Me" or "A much-admired Song entitled the Emigrant's Farewell to His Country" or "The Ship is Ready to Sail Away." Two of these texts have the phrase you're curious about. Here's how they read...

Do not grieve do not grieve,
The heart is true will ne'er deceive,
My heart and hand I give to thee,
Old Ireland boys remember me.

...and...

Don't forget, love-do not grieve,
THe heart is true and can't deceive,
My heart and hand I will give to thee,
Farewell my love, remember me.

I would not be too concerned with what Margaret sings.

All the best,
Dan Milner