Also Child ballad number 216 ("The Mother's Malison") is almost identical to "The Lass of Roch Royal" only in a reversed manner, telling the story of a young man looking for his beloved.
The Northamptonshire poet John Clare wrote a poem "The Maid of Ocram, or, Lord Gregory" presumably based on an Irish version of the ballad.
[2] The Roud Folk Song Index lists 12 versions collected from traditional singers from Scotland, 4 from Ireland, 1 from Canada and a massive 82 from the US, with 30 from Virginia.
For example, the version listed for Charlie Poole, entitled "When I'm Far Away" from North Carolina goes as follows:[10] Who's gonna smoke the old clay pipe?
There are recordings of 7 versions on the Tobar an Dualchais/Kist of Riches website—three by Scottish traveller Charlotte Higgins,[12][13][14] and one each by John McEvoy,[15] a 13-year-old Isla St Clair,[16] Stanley Robertson[17] and Cathal O'Connell.