I've been a moonshiner for many a year, And I've spent all me money on whiskey and beer, I'll go to some hollow and I'll set up my still And...

The composers of the Irish and American melodies for "The Moonshiner" are unknown. Most evidence points to it being an American lyric that became popular in Ireland when sung to a much different tune. The text borrows phrases from several well-known English songs, yet it follows the American tradition of glorifying moonshiners as folk heroes during Prohibition. The most explicit praise of their bootlegging comes in the blessing of the moonshiners, which is often omitted in American performances. The usage of "moonshine" instead of "poitín" suggests that the song may have originated in America. However, there is no definitive proof of the song's provenance.