All at sea.

[zabado]

Where or what is the " Ally Ally O ".
As in the rhyme
The big ship sails on the "ally ally o"

[Noraq]

Manchester ship canal?

[RATTER15]

"Ally Ally O'" is melodic slang contraction for the phrase "All the Oceans...".

It was a shouted "call" for all the British sailing ships across the oceans to return home to their families safe and soon before the winter.

Derived from Old English verse:
"From all across the oceans
Sail fast and true to be with us."


(copied and pasted from some yahoo site.)

[zabado]

Thank you both.

[heathfield]

http://www.theanswerb...y/Question223100.html