Search Results

Jackie Donnan (1933 - 2007) The following film clips of Jackie are reproduced with the kind permission of Raymond and Kate Beattie. They were recorded in Killyleagh in 1977. The Iron Man - Strathspey Jackie Do nnan plays the Strathspey The Iron Man which he learnt from his mentor Willie Savage from the To ye, Killyle agh. The Blackbird - Hornpipe Jackie Donnan plays the hornpipe The Blackbird which he played regularly in his weekly session in Comber. Untitled Mazurka Jackie Donnan plays a mazurka which he played for the dance the polka mazurka. He also played it often regularly in his weekly session in Comber. Untitled Polka & Buffalo Gals - two Plain Polkas Jackie Donnan plays two plain polkas. He never had a name for the first polka whilst he got the second one, a version of Buffalo Gals , from his mentor Willie McCloy. Jimmy McClurg's - 2/4 Quadrille Tune Jackie plays Jimmy McClurg's, a 2/4 Quadrille Tune, that he learnt from Davy Gray. It came from Jimmy McClurg who came from Upper Crossgare, a few miles from Dromara. Jackie played it for the last figure of the Lancers. Jackie showing the simple introductory steps of the two-hand dance, the Polka Mazurka - he was always shy and wary of recording hence the short duration and abrupt ending.

Handed Down documents the traditional fiddle playing and dancing culture in County Down, in particular areas to the east and centre. Spanning over three decades in its development, this book presents a snapshot taken in 2012. The project is unique within traditional music and dance in Ireland due to the demographic nature of the county – the musicians, their music and dance, having been drawn from both unionist and nationalist communities. Much of the material, including some 500 pieces of music, 30 dances and profiles on 300 fiddle players, has to date gone unrecorded. This led to research into the development of traditional music and dance in County Down, including the origin of many of the popular dances, the extensive network of dancing masters in the 1700s and how fiddle players practiced their art in the late 1880s and into the twentieth century. Overall the project sheds fresh light on many of the commonly held perceptions regarding our culture. In contrast to much of the currently archived material, the musicians profiled here were, by and large, ordinary practicing fiddle players; likewise the dances were carried out by ordinary folk at a wide variety of social gatherings, making this an ideal window for looking at traditional music and dance as it was practiced over a century ago. Suffering serious decline as the twentieth century progressed and with most of the fiddle players and dancers having passed away, this previously rich culture continues to be practised by a diminishing number of musicians and dancers in, predominantly, rural areas of County Down. Buy Reviews Daniel Neely, Irish Echo, New York - 14th August 2013 "Occasionally, one comes across a publication that sheds significant new light on a subject matter and changes fundamentally its study and appreciation. Nigel Boullier's brilliantly researched and lavishly illustrated Handed Down: Country Fiddling and Dancing in East and Central County Down is one such study. " " Overall, Handed Down is an extraordinary publication." "Meticulous and carefully wrought, Handed Down : Country Fiddling and Dancing in East and Central County Down should revolutionize the way people think about the history of traditional music in that part of Ireland." [View Daniel Neely's highly detailed review below.] Philip Heath Coleman, Musical Traditions - 24th June 2014 "Nigel Boullier's inwardly fascinating, outwardly impressive and all in all quite extraordinary volume on the traditional music and dance of County Down." "At a stroke he has raised what was hitherto a totally-disregarded backwater of traditional music to being probably the best d ocumented area in that respect - the dust jacket refers to 500 [ sic] biographies, 300 [sic] tunes and 30 dances - not just in Ireland, but anywhere in the British Isles." (The review should have stated "300 biographies, 500 tunes") "To call Handed Down merely comprehensive would be absurd and to diminish the author's achievement." "a book which should be a prized possession of anyone who pretends to an interest in, knowledge of or affection for the traditional music of Ireland - or indeed of anywhere in the British Isles - and wherever it has travelled." To view Philip Heath Coleman's highly detailed review go to Musical Traditions Daniel Neely, Irish Echo, New York 14th August 2013

Beginnings My passion for Irish Traditional Music began around 1970. My close friends, Davie Wylde, Davy Graham, Charlie Gray, Dick Hogg, and I were all raised in Bangor, County Down. Our mentor Johnny Johnston, had also been raised in Bangor, but spent much of his childhood in the Mourne Mountains. He was a keen hill walker, so whilst he and his wife Anne lived in Bangor, they also had a small cottage in the Mournes. As a result, Davie, Davy, Charlie, Dick, and I rented a derelict house up the lane from Johnny’s. Above Johnny Johnston by the fire in his cottage down a long lane from the Kinnahalla Road, Stang 1976. Denis Reynolds is on the right. Above Wood's Yard, Kinnahalla Road, Stang 1973. Dick Hogg, Des Finlay, Mark Lomas, Davy Graham, Davie Wylde, Charlie Gray & Nigel Boullier. Johnny was a keen ballad singer and Irish dancer. He played the guitar and regularly invited his friend Ernie Swain down to his cottage at weekends. Ernie initially played the banjo, however he quickly moved to the fiddle. In the Mourne environment we all started playing traditional music – Davie the mandolin then the fiddle, Davy the guitar then the mandola, Charlie the guitar, Dick the tin whistle and I the tenor banjo. We started playing in the Saturday night session in Peter Doran’s, the Mourne View Bar, a couple of miles east of Hilltown and later in Tommy John McKay’s Bar beside the Square in Hilltown. Right; Stang, Clonduff 1976 Top Row - Denise Russel, George Russell, Davie Wylde, Charlie Gray Sitting - Dianna Skillen, Nigel Boullier, Ernie Swain, Davy Graham, Julian Friers. Back in Bangor, Davie, Davy and I played regularly in local sessions; Fealty’s Bar in Bangor and Finnegan’s Bar in Kircubbin. The sessions were a mixture of ballads and a few well-known tunes. Around Easter 1974 we were playing in a session in Finnegan’s with Joe Mullan (singer and banjo player), Stevie Egan (fiddle player) and Johnny Muir (singer, harmonica and bones player) when we met Geordie McAdam and Stanley Mooney. Geordie and Stanley had been playing regularly as a duet (fiddle and B/C accordion) and suggested that, since we were primarily interested in Irish Traditional dance tunes, we should go to the predominantly fiddle sessions in the Castle Inn, Comber and Balloo House. The many reels, jigs and hornpipes that we learned in Margaret’s (the Castle Inn) and Balloo stood us in good stead when we started going to the fleadhs in forthcoming years . In July 1975 we met up with four musicians in Fealty’s; Dianna and Norman Skillen, siblings who played tin whistles (Norman is also a singer), Julian Friers played whistle and flute, and George Russell the bodhran. Although they hailed from Bangor we had never met. We started meeting weekly on Friday evenings; the Fealty’s session commenced and although the session has changed over the decades it continued for 47 years. Dianna started playing fiddle soon after our all meeting up. Right Charlie Ferguson (flute), Davie Wylde (fiddle), Nigel Boullier (banjo), George Russell (bodhran), Davy Graham (guitar), Dianna Skillen (fiddle), Julian Friers (whistle/flute) Bangor - New Year's Eve 1975 By 1976 I had realised that the Comber and Balloo sessions were unique; many of the dance tunes played, such as various types of schottisches, polkas, quadrille tunes, strathspeys and mazurkas, had been long lost from the mainstream repertoire in Irish Traditional Music sessions. These tunes had been introduced by the mainstay of the session, Jackie Donnan. Jackie, from Shrigley outside Killyleagh, had learned much of his music locally in the late 1940’s and 1950’s from dance music fiddle players such as Toye William Savage and Willie McCloy. From this point I started collecting any information relating to the local style of fiddle playing; fiddlers’ lore, fiddle tunes and the crucial relationship (in terms of County Down) between the fiddle playing and the local dancing culture. On New Year’s Day 1993 Gerry O’Connor and I spent a quiet afternoon playing tunes with Jackie at his home in Shrigley. It was then that I decided to play the fiddle. So after playing the banjo with Jackie for 19 years, we then started playing the fiddles together at least once a week until his death in 2007. We travelled locally, meeting and playing tunes with fiddlers. This refreshed my interest in the fiddle culture and opened up more avenues for research. In 1996 Jackie and I started playing for the weekly dance in Greyabbey Village Hall; this finally stopped in 2016. In the period after Jackie's death in 2007 Willie Lindsay joined me at the dance in an effort to keep the twin fiddle tradition alive. Nigel Boullier & Jackie Donnan, Greyabbey Village Hall, 2002 Right; Jim Moore, Moybrick, 2004 Around 1998 I called in with Jim Moore, a fiddle player from Dromara. Whereas Jackie had played with Willie Savage and Willie McCloy in the late 1940s and early 1950s around Killyleagh, Jim had learnt his music from Sammy Thompson and Robbie Chambers in the 1930s around Dromara. Although the two districts were less than twenty miles apart Jim had, to large extent, a different repertoire of tunes for largely the same dances. Jim and I played fiddles together weekly for about 10 years.

The Coey Manuscripts James and Arthur Coey were two fiddle playing brothers from Ballydrain, a townland approximately two miles south-east of Comber. James was born in 1870, Arthur in 1881. Right The opening page of James and Arthur's manuscripts. 1 Reel - Lucy Campbell's Reel 2 Reel - Untitled Reel (only 7 bars found) Reel - Burn's Reel Jig - The Lilies of France (HD ref JS83) [Titled the Lilies of France by fiddle players like John Simpson & Willie McCloy this jig was collected by James O'Neill as the Girls of Banbridge ] 3 Jig - Untitled Jig (only 6 + 8 bars found) Jig - Kiss the Ladies Hornpipe - The Harvest Home Reel - Polly's Reel [Polly's Reel is generally known under the titles of the Tap Room or the Youngest Daughter ] 4 Reel - Miss Hamilton's Reel Highland Fling - The Highland Fling (only 3 bars found) 5 Reel - Untitled Reel (only 3.5 + 8 bars found) Hornpipe - Untitled Hornpipe Reel - The Yell Heifers [Yell is a local word for dry or thirsty, hence The Yell Heifers is named after heifer cattle that are thirsty or "dry", specifically when they are lowing. The reel is generally known as the Yellow Heifer or the Bunch of Keys ] Hornpipe - Drone's Hornpipe 6 Reel - Untitled Reel (only 6.5 bars found) Reel - The Banks of Inverness Jig - Jackson's Maids (HD ref JS82) Jig - The Green Little Island 7 Reel - Untitled Reel (only 2 + 8 bars found) Strathspey - The Miller of Drone Reel - The Missing Inn Reel (only 4 + 1.5 bars found) [The strathspey t he Miller of Drone was composed by Nathaniel Gow and is contained in Part Second of the Complete Repository of Original Scots Tunes Strathspeys Jigs and Dances by Niel Gow & Son's (1810 - 1820)] 8 Polka - Untitled Polka Reel - The Blackberry Blossom Reel - The Yellow Coated Lassie (only 2 bars found) 9 Strathspey - Untitled Strathspey (only 5 bars found) Hornpipe - A Hornpipe generally titled The Belfast Hornpipe Reel - Untitled Reel (title illegible and only 1 bar found) 10 Reel - Pretty Peggy Reel Country Dance - John of Paris (only 8 bars found) 11 Jig - Captain White Polka - Untitled Polka (title illegible) Polka - Ladies Polka (only 1st part found)

Davy Gray Davy Gray tragically died in 1990 following being robbed at home, a farmhouse at the Burren midway between Ballynahinch and Dromore, when his house was ransacked. The manuscripts went to Davy's close friend John McAdam, who offered them to me in 1997. 1 Reel - Kitty Robertson (HD ref DG378) 2 Reel - The Carrick Boys generally known as The Wise Maid 3 Hornpipe - Untitled Hornpipe 4 Reel - The Pure Drop 5 Jig - Untitled Jig 6 Reel - The Twelve Locks (HD ref DG380) Reel - Drowsy Maggie 7 Reel - The Milliner's Daughter Reel - The Grain of Tea (HD ref DG380) Reel - Over the Waves (HD ref DG379) Reel - Curran's Fancy (HD ref DG379) 8 Hornpipe - The Sherwood Rangers (HD ref DG372) 9 Mazurka - Untitled Mazurka locally known as James McElroy's Mazurka (HD ref JMcE249) 10 Mazurka - Untitled Polka Mazurka locally known as Davy Gray's Mazurka No 1 (HD ref DG 376) 11 Mazurka - Untitled Polka Mazurka (Jackie Donnan No 1 HD ref WS115) 12 Barndance - Untitled Barndance locally known as Davy Gray's Barndance No 1 (HD ref DG370) 13 Barndance - Untitled Barndance known locally as Davy Gray's Barndance No 2 Mazurka - Untitled Mazurka locally known as Davy Gray's Mazurka No 2 (HD ref DG 376) 14 Jig - The White Pony (HD ref DG374) 15 Jig - Untitled Jig Jig - Burke's Jig 16 Hornpipe - McElligott's Hornpipe (HD ref DG371) 17 Reel - Clancy's Fancy (HD ref DG 378) Reel - Colonel Rodney Reel - Lady Forbes (HD ref DG379) 18 Reel - The Dairy Maid Reel - Jackson's No Nine generally titled Dowd's Number Nine Reel - Master McDermott's 19 Jig - The Gold Ring Jig - The Maid on the Bridge (HD ref DG 374) 20 Slip Jig - The Sport of the Chase Slip Jig - The Fox Hunter Slip Jig - The Hunt Planxty - Madam Maxwell 21 Jig - I'm a Young Man (HD ref ST353) Jig - The Drunken Parson (HD ref PJJS174)

Step Dancing Videos Maggie Pickens Maggie Pickens, also known as Maggie Pickie, was a very popular step dance throughout Down and much of Ulster. It is danced solo or as a two-hand dance. Interestingly several fiddle players were keen step dancers - Jackie Donnan, Willie McCloy, Willie Herron and James McElroy - to name but a few. Both Jackie and James danced Maggie Pickens, in fact James McElroy would often have asked Jackie to play the tune for James to dance to. Bernie Graham and Bernie Corr (dancing below) learned this version of Maggie Pickens from Margaret Rea and Joe McGuigan of County Derry. Dancers - Bernie Graham (Bangor, County Down) & Bernie Corr (Randalstown, County Antrim) Fiddles - Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh (Gweedore, County Donegal) and her daughter Nia Ní Bheirn. Recorded - 23rd July 2022 in Belfast on the Titanic Dock. Dance Instructor, Bernie Graham (Bangor, County Down) front row in the centre, leads her step-dancing class in dancing Maggie Pickens for Belfast Trad in the Rosemary Hall, All Souls Church, Belfast 2020. Fiddle - Martin Dowling (Belfast) Mazurka The original Mazurka was danced as a set of four couples; it derived from a Polish Folk dance from the province of Masovia in the 1840s. The two-hand dance the Polka Mazurka then derived out of the Polka but was danced to Mazurka music. The Polka Mazurka is a popular dance around East and Central County Down; the only other area that I have the seen the Polka Mazurka danced is in Glenties in County Donegal. In Down and Donegal the Mazurka is generally a two-hand dance. Bernie Graham learned the following Mazurka danced solo from M argaret Rea, the step dancer from Derry City. It came from C é line Tubridy who learned it in Gortahirk in North-West Donegal where she was raised. The steps can be found on page 90 of A Selection of Irish Traditional Step Dances , 1998 written by Michael Tubridy ( C é line's widower) where it is titled the Little Dutch Dance . Dancers - Bernie Graham (Bangor, County Down) & Bernie Corr (Randalstown, County Antrim) Fiddles - Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh (Gweedore, County Donegal) and her daughter Nia Ní Bheirn. Recorded - 23rd July 2022 in Belfast on the Titanic Dock.

Jim Moore Part 2 Jim Moore (1921 - 2018) lived in Dromara. He learned most of his fiddle music from initially Sammy Thompson, then Davy and Robbie Gray. He was also influenced by Robbie Chambers. He had a large collection of tunes in manuscript, many written by Jimmy Ward, Sammy Thompson and Davy Gray, including many written out by himself. He did not play from music, neither did his compatriots, but used his collection for reference. In the years following his death Jim's daughter, Linda, contacted me and gave his collection in 2020. 1 Reel - Miss Monaghan (HD ref RQ205) 2 Jig - Jackson's Favourite generally known as Jackson's Morning Brush (HD ref JW292) Reel - The Duke of Perth (HD ref JD161) 3 Reel - The Merry Blacksmith also known locally as The Peeler's Cap (HD ref WMcC99) 4 Reel - The Wind that shakes the Barley (HD ref JW328) Polka - The Knocknabower Polka 5 Barndance - Untitled Barndance from Davy Gray (HD ref DG370) 6 Barndance - Untitled locally titled Kitty's Barndance (HD ref JW284) Jig - The Tenpenny Bit 7 Schottische - Untitled Highland Schottische (HD ref JM364) 8 Schottische - Untitled Highland Schottische 9 Jig - The Road to Dublin (HD ref JW298) Jig - Miss Munroe's Jig (HD ref JM361) 10 Jig - The Dublin Jig also known as The Ship in Full Sail 11 Jig - The Queenstown Jig (HD ref JW297) Jig - The Girls of Banbridge known in East Down as The Lilies of France (HD ref WMcC83) 12 Jig - McCann's Jig 13 Jig - Old Man Dillon 14 Jig - Tell Her I am Jig - Pat McCann 15 Jig - Tatter Jack Walsh Figure Dance - The Haymaker's Jig 16 Jig - Jerry's Beaver Hat Jig - Shandon Bells 17 Jig - A Visit to Ireland 18 Jig - The Mouse in the Cupboard (HD ref JM362) Jig - The Connacht Man's Rambles (HD ref WMcC95) 19 Jig - The Rambling Pitchfork Jig - Hartigan's Fancy 20 Jig - Saddle the Pony (HD ref WMcC95) Jig - The Lilting Fisherman 21 Jig - The Maid on the Green (HD ref WMcC95) 22 Jig - Tobin's Favourite 23 Jig - The Trip to the Cottage (HD ref RQ202) Jig - Dan the Cobbler 24 Jig - The Lark in the Morning 25 Jig - The Black Rogue (HD ref JM362) 26 Jig - The Rose in the Heather 27 Jig - The Frost is all over 28 Reel - Untitled generally known as The Boys of the Lough 29 March - Sweet Killaloe (HD ref JM363) Hornpipe - McElligott's Fancy (HD ref JM371) 30 Jig - Fasten the Leggin Ji g - Donnybrook Fair 31 Jig - Welcome to Cork 32 Jig - Katie's Fancy (HD ref JM361) Jig - Paddy Whack (HD ref DG373)

Comber & Balloo Sessions Killarney Boys of Pleasure Known participants - Jackie Donnan, Geordie McAdam (fiddles), Denis Calvert (whistle). The Killarney Boys of Pleasure was a popular reel in the Comber session being played in two keys, A and up a string on the fiddle in E. Lady Ann Montgomery , also popular, was usually followed by the Bank of Ireland & the Woman of the House . Recorded at the Castle Inn, Comber, January 1975. Killarney Boys of Pleasure & Lady Ann Montgomery (Reels) Comber 1975 00:00 / 02:22 Jig/Quadrille Tune - Paddy's Return & The Whitehouse Lass Known participants in Paddy's Return - Jackie Donnan, Geordie McAdam (fiddles), David Lowry (banjo), Denis Calvert & Sam McCaughey (whistles), Ronnie Crutchley (guitar). Known participants in the Whitehouse Lass - Jackie Donnan (fiddle), David Lowry (banjo), Denis Calvert (whistle), Ronnie Crutchley (guitar). Jackie learned the Whitehouse Lass from Toye Willie Savage and Willie McCloy who, in turn, learned it from John Simpson (1836 - 1921). Recorded at the Castle Inn, Comber, January 1975. Paddy's Return & the Whitehouse Lass (Jigs) Comber 1975 00:00 / 01:36 Reel - The Maids of Galway Known participants - Jackie Donnan, Geordie McAdam (fiddles), David Lowry (banjo), Denis Calvert & Sam McCaughey (whistles), Essie McHugh (banjo mandolin), Ronnie Crutchley (guitar). Jackie learned the Maids of Galway from Willie McCloy. The Maids of Galway is a setting of the Boyne Hunt , which is known under a number of names in Ireland. It was composed in Scotland by Miss Magdalene Stirling of Ardoch titled the Perthshire Hunt c.1788. Recorded at the Castle Inn, Comber, January 1975. Maids of Galway (Reel) Comber 1975 00:00 / 00:54 Jigs - The Rafters Over the Waves & Mick O'Connor's Known participants - Jackie Donnan, Geordie McAdam (fiddles), David Lowry (banjo), Denis Calvert & Sam McCaughey (whistles), Essie McHugh (banjo mandolin), John Moulden (spoons, which were dampened by both being wound in tape). The jig set was popular and locally titled (and in part mistakenly) the Rafters over the Waves & Mick O'Connor's , the second jig was composed by flute player Vincent Broderick titled the Whistler at the Wake. These two jigs were usually followed the Bush on the Hill , and the Butcher's March . The Bush on the Hill is another composition of Vincent Broderick's titled The Old Flail . Recorded at the Castle Inn, Comber, January 1975. Rafters over the Waves (Jigs) Comber 1975 00:00 / 02:07 Reel - Farewell to Cailroe Known participants - Jackie Donnan, Geordie McAdam, Ernie Swain (fiddles), Denis Calvert (whistle). Jackie Donnan learned the reel Farewell to Cailroe from Tom McHale when Tom visited the Balloo House sessions around 1971. It was composed by Cork accordion player Finbarr Dwyer. Recorded in the Castle Inn, Comber in 1976. Farewell to Cailroe (Reel) Comber 1976 00:00 / 01:09 Reels - The Broken Pledge & The Morning Dew Known participants - Jackie Donnan, Geordie McAdam, Ernie Swain (fiddles), Ronnie Crutchley (guitar). Reels, the Broken Pledge and the Morning Dew . Recorded the Castle Inn, Comber in 1976. the Broken Pledge & the Morning Dew (Reels) Comber 1976 00:00 / 02:11 Reels - Shaney Mulhearn's & Charlie Lennon's No.4 Known participants - Jackie Donnan, Geordie McAdam, Ernie Swain (fiddles), Davy Simpson (banjo mandolin), Ronnie Crutchley (guitar). The reels, Shaney Mulhearn's and Charlie Lennon's No 4. R ecorded the Castle Inn, Comber in 1976. Shaney Mulhearn's & Charlie Lennon's No.4 Comber 1976 00:00 / 02:31 Jig - The Cliffs of Moher Known participants - Jackie Donnan, Geordie McAdam, Ernie Swain, Sam McCaughey (fiddles), David Lowry (banjo), Denis Calvert (whistle), Davy Simpson (banjo mandolin), John Moulden (spoons, which were dampened by both being wound in tape). The jig the Cliffs of Moher . Recorded at the Castle Inn, Comber, January 1975. Cliffs of Moher (Jig) Comber 1976 00:00 / 00:43 Reel - The Pinch of Snuff Known participants - Jackie Donnan, Deidre Shannon, Geordie McAdam, Ernie Swain, Dianna Skillen (fiddles), Leon Agnew (flute), Nigel Boullier (banjo), Ronnie Crutchley (guitar).\ The Pinch of Snuff was a regular and popular tune in the Comber and Balloo sessions. It was often preceded by reels, Jackie Colman's and Murphy's . Recorded at Balloo House, Killinchy, January 1977. Pinch of Snuff (Reel) Balloo 1977 00:00 / 01:24 Reels - The Heather Breeze & Caher Rua Known participants - Jackie Donnan, Deidre Shannon, Geordie McAdam, Ernie Swain, Dianna Skillen (fiddles), Leon Agnew (flute), Nigel Boullier (banjo), Ronnie Crutchley (guitar). Reels, the Heather Breeze and Caher Rua . Recorded at Balloo House, Killinchy, January 1977. Heather Breeze & Caher Rua (Reels) Balloo 1977 00:00 / 02:36 Reels - Kilkeevan's Banks Known participants - Jackie Donnan, Deidre Shannon, Gerry O'Connor, Geordie McAdam, Ernie Swain, Dianna Skillen (fiddles), Denis Calvert (whistle), Nigel Boullier (banjo), Ronnie Crutchley (guitar). Jackie Donnan learned the reel from James McMahon who called it Kilkeevan's Banks . Fiddle player Liam Donnelly collected the reel from James McMahon in 1966 and titled it James McMahon's No 3, as included in Liam's book County Fermanagh Dance Tunes Book Number 2 . It is best known as the Banshee . Recorded at Balloo House, Killinchy, January 1977. Kilkeevan's Banks (Reel) Balloo 1977 00:00 / 01:08 Jigs - I Lost my Love & The Laird of Cockpen Known participants - Jackie Donnan, Ernie Swain, Dianna Skillen (fiddles), Nigel Boullier (banjo), Davy Graham (guitar). Jackie learned I Lost my Love and I care nae from fiddle player Tommy Orr (1870 - 1958) from Butcher's Corner, Toye and the Laird of Cockpen from both Orr and Toye William Savage (1880 - 1956). Recorded at the Castle Inn, Comber in 1977. I Love my Love & the Laird of Cockpen (Jigs) Comber 1977 00:00 / 01:58 Jigs - Sean Ryan's Jigs & Munster Buttermilk Known participants - Jackie Donnan, Geordie McAdam, Ernie Swain, Dianna Skillen (fiddles), Nigel Boullier (banjo), Ronnie Crutchley (guitar). These jigs were part of a popular Comber set. They were simply called Sean Ryan's Nos 3 & 4 , followed by Munster Buttermilk . Sean Ryan's No 3 is the Dooney Rock . These jigs were usually preceded by Sean Ryan's Nos 1 & 2 which were the Castle and the Nightingale . Recorded at the Castle Inn, Comber in 1977. Sean Ryan's Jigs & Munster Buttermilk (Jigs) Comber 1977 00:00 / 02:36 Quadrille Tunes - James McElroy's Known participants - Jackie Donnan (fiddle), David Lowry (banjo). Jackie learned these two Quadrille Tunes from James McElroy of Drumnaquoile. Recorded at the Castle Inn, Comber in 1977. James McElroy's (2/4 Quadrille tunes) Comber 1977 00:00 / 02:12 Polka/Quadrille Tune - Niel Gow's Farewell to Whisky Known participants - Jackie Donnan (fiddle), Denis Calvert (whistle). Niel Gow's Farewell to Whisky is one of the Scottish composer’s best-known tunes. Jackie learned it from Willie Savage and Willie McCloy. Savage played it for the 5th figure of the Lancers, whereas McCloy played it for the 5th figure of the Caledonians. Jackie and myself played it occasionally for the last of the Lancers. Recorded at the Castle Inn, Comber in 1977. Niel Gow's Farewell to Whiskey (hop skip polka) Comber 1978 00:00 / 01:02 Reels - The Moving Bog & The Ashplant Known participants - Ernie Swain, Dianna Skillen (fiddles), Nigel Boullier (banjo), Ronnie Crutchley (guitar). A favourite reel set at the Comber and Balloo sessions - The Moving Bog and the Ashplant . Recorded at the Castle Inn, Comber in 1978. the Moving Bog & Ashplant Comber 1978 00:00 / 01:34

Map of Lecale The McDonalds Will's Billy Curran Charlie Stewart Johnny McKeating Hughie McComb, James Robinson, Paddy Brennan

The Gray & Moore Manuscripts Robbie & Davy Gray Robbie and Davy Gray were two fiddle playing brothers who were raised in Ballynahinch and played regularly together for 60 years. Robbie (1909 - 1991) married and lived in Ballynahinch throughout his life where he worked as a cobbler, the same trade as his maternal grandfather William Shields. Following the death of their mother, Davy (1917 - 1990) went to live with Tommy McCormack's family at the Burren, a few miles west of Ballynahinch on the road to Dromore. He lived there for the remainder of his life. He worked on the roads carrying out maintenance and took pleasure cutting men's hair in the evenings. John Rooney (piano accordion), Robbie & Davy Gray (fiddles) & Stanley Carson (button accordion), at the Annahilt Official Unionist annual meeting, c.1982. Robbie Gray Davy Gray Jim Moore Jim Moore (1921 - 2018) lived all his life in Dromara working as a lorry driver and van driver. He initially learned the fiddle from Sammy Thompson. Other influences on his playing were Robbie Chambers of Finnis, who called regularly to the family home, and Robbie & Davy Gray of Ballynahinch and the Burren. Jim Moore playing a few tunes at Davy Gray's house at the Burren, c. 1983. Jim Moore Part 1 Jim Moore Part 2

Andy Dickson 1 The following audio tracks were recorded by Bernie Stocks at Andy & Anne's home. Reel - The Boys of Cornacrieve Andy learned the reel The Boys of Cornacrieve from Willie McKeever at a session in The Crosskeys, County Antrim many years ago. I learned the tune from my friend Liam Donnelly in 1977 who collected it from James McMahon the well-known County Fermanagh flute player. It was composed by James McMahon and is included in Liam's book County Fermanagh Dance Tunes Book Number 2 , the tunes having been collected between November 1966 and March 1967. Boys of Cornacrieve Andy Dickson 00:00 / 01:34 Reel - Untitled Untitled Reel Andy Dickson 00:00 / 01:11 Jig - Cathal McConnell's Jig Cathal McConnell's Jig Andy Dickson 00:00 / 01:11 Reel - The Cottage in the Grove Cottage in the Grove Andy Dickson 00:00 / 00:51 Reel - Felix Kearney's Andy learned this reel from County Tyrone Fiddle player Felix Kearney. Felix Kearney's Andy Dickson 00:00 / 01:32 Hornpipe - Rickett's Hornpipe Rickett's Hornpipe Andy Dickson 00:00 / 01:28 Reel - John Doherty's John Doherty's Andy Dickson 00:00 / 01:28 Reel - The Last Tune John Doherty's Dad Played Last Tune John Doherty's Dad played Andy Dickson 00:00 / 01:37 Jig - Up and About in the Morning Up and about in the the Morning Andy Dickson 00:00 / 00:59 Reel - Johnny from Gransha Johnny from Gransha Andy Dickson 00:00 / 00:56 Reel - Maguire's Reel Maguire's Reel Andy Dickson 00:00 / 01:19 Reel - Paddy Fahey's Paddy Fahey's Andy Dickson 00:00 / 02:20 Jig - Johnny Henry's Johnny Henry's Andy Dickson 00:00 / 01:10 Reel - Maids of Mullaghmore Maids of Mullaghmore Andy Dickson 00:00 / 01:49 Reel - Charlie Harris's Charlie Harris's Andy Dickson 00:00 / 01:27 Reel - The Hills and Vales of Cork Hills and Vales of Cork Andy Dickson 00:00 / 01:49 Schottische - Charlie O'Neill's Charlie O'Neill's Highland Andy Dickson 00:00 / 01:27 Hornpipe - Eddie Clarke's Eddie Clarke's Hornpipe Andy Dickson 00:00 / 01:31 Reel - Andy Dickson's Andy Dickson's Andy Dickson 00:00 / 00:48 Reel - Untitled Untitled Reel No 2 Andy Dickson 00:00 / 01:33 Barndance - Untitled No.1 Untitled Barndance 1 Andy Dickson 00:00 / 01:23 Barndance - Untitled No.2 Untitled Barndance 2 Andy Dickson 00:00 / 00:46 Hornpipe - The Plains of Waterloo The Plains of Waterloo Andy Dickson 00:00 / 01:21 Reel- The Submarine Composed by Andy Dickson. The Submarine Andy Dickson 00:00 / 00:50 Reel - The Shaving Glass Shaving Glass Andy Dickson 00:00 / 01:14

Dianna Skillen Jigs - The Irish Giant & The Atholl Highlanders Dianna Skillen (fiddle) and Nigel Boullier (banjo), Frankie Kennedy (flute) and Mairead Ni Mhaonaigh (fiddle), play two jigs - the Irish Giant and the Atholl Highlanders . 1983. The first tune was introduced into sessions in the late 1970s by Caoimhín Mac Aoidh, who learned it from his uncle Vincent McLaughlin from County Derry; the second of Scottish origin. View Reels - The Opera Reel & Jumping Geordie Dianna Skillen and Nigel Boullier play two reels; the Opera Reel and Jumping Geordie , 1995. The Opera Reel comes from the fiddle playing of Jackie Donnan (1933-2007), which he learnt from his fiddle playing mentor Willie McCloy (1886-1959). It can be found on page 99 of Nigel Boullier's book Handed Down, County Fiddling and Dancing in East and Central County Down 2012. The reel Jumping Geordie is known under various titles; the Pope's Toe , Walsh's . An early version, in the key of D, can be found on page 73 of the Athole Collection , 1884. Jumping Geordie can be found on page 99 of Dianna Boullier's book Exploring Irish Music and Dance , 1998. Jigs - Tatter Jack Walsh, Donal Staunton's & John Henry's Dianna Skillen & Sam McCaughey (fiddles), Nigel Boullier (banjo) and Davy Graham (mandola) play three jigs; Tatter Jack Walsh , Donal Staunton's and John Henry's . The second jig is better known as the Bush on the Hill and was often played in the 1970s sessions in Comber and Balloo, County Down where the founding banjo player Bob Davey had learned it from the fine Galway banjo player Donal Staunton from Spiddal. Dufferin Arms, Killyleagh, 1992 Mazurkas - The Spanish Mazurka & Rockin' the Cradle Dianna Skillen (fiddle), and Nigel Boullier (banjo) play two mazurkas; The Spanish Mazurka and Rockin' the Cradle . They learned both tunes from Jackie Donnan who in turn learned them from Willie Savage the fiddle player from the Toye, Killyleagh. Recorded 1983