PLIP: how to assign IRQ when plip is compiled in the kernel?

I am dealing with Slackware 10.2, kernel 2.4.32 and both parport_pc and
plip are compiled into it. When it was modularized, I could easily
give the parameter: 'modprobe parport_pc io=0x378 irq=7' and it would
work perfectly.

Now, with plip and parport_pc compiled in, dmesg gives me: "plip0:
Parallel port at 0x378, not using IRQ" - after setting up the
connection, 'ifconfig' shows plip0 with an assigned IRQ of 255.

Aside from compiling the kernel again and modularizing both parport_pc
and plip (which I would hate to do), is there a way (there must be!) to
assign "IRQ 7" in this setting?

I tried 'ifconfig plip0 irq=7' before setting the parameters of the
plip connection (and after) and it seems to accept the command with no
error, however a 'ifconfig' still reveals plip0 set at "Interrupt:255"

N.