I once went a-courting is a rare, fine jolly song that I came across in Geoffrey Brace's Something to Sing. Geoffrey Brace says that it is the story of how a young couple get the better of their parents is as old as time and occurs in songs, stories, plays and operas all over the world.
I especially enjoy the spoken surprise bits before the sturdy chorus of "Down, down, derry down, day".

Lyrics