ABSTRACT
Before an in-depth study of Thomas Moore's alterations to the airs may be undertaken, it is necessary to ascertain as clearly as possible exactly which sources were used by Moore in the Irish Melodies. The collections of Edward Bunting, published after the Belfast Harp Festival of 1792 are widely credited as Moore's most important source. In many cases, Donal O'Sullivan has simply indicated Moore's usage of the same airs, but Veronica Ní Chinnéide has taken this to mean that Moore always used Bunting when named by O'Sullivan. This misunderstanding has caused several more airs to be attributed to Bunting than should actually be the case. Slight though this error may seem, it becomes significant in viewing the totality of the Irish Melodies as Bunting appears to be a much more frequently used source than may be reasonably justified.
