Annotation:Alas my little bag

Joyce (1873) relates this air is "a kind of mock lament uttered by the person from whom the little bag was stolen," and goes on to say that it would be hard to find a song more universally known in the Munster of his era than this. The whimsical song answers the question posed by one person with an enumeration of all that was in the precious bag-a lot of fine clothes-meal and flour-tow or three potatoes-honey, wax and cheese-butter and apples-a flitch of bacon-Paddy's stockings, Shaneen's brogues, etc. Bayard identifies this tune as the Irish variant of the tune known in America as "Black-Eyed Susie" (AKA and see), and also thinks the tune is related to "Ally Crocker" in Cole's 1000 (pg. 8) and "Stick the Minister [1]" in Roche. Joyce notes that although a distinct melody, it bears some resemblance to "Fag-a-ballagh," the air of Thomas Moore's song "To ladies'eyes a round, boys."

Print sources: Howe (1,000 Jigs and Reels), c. 1867; pg. 22. Joyce (Ancient Irish Music), 1873; No. 45, pg. 46. O'Neill (O'Neill's Irish Music), 1915/1987; No. 72, pg. 44. Stanford/Petrie (Complete Collection), 1905; Nos. 1229, 1230.