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Nigel Boullier Jigs/Quadrille tunes - Annie Laurie & Brian O'Neill Josie Nugent & Nigel Boullier (fiddles) and Brian Stafford ( uilleann pipes) play two Jigs or 6/8 Quadrille Tunes, Annie Laurie & Brian O'Neill that come from the playing of Jackie Donnan and Willie McCloy. Recorded Bangor 2022. Jigs - Jackson's Trip & the Boy in his Pants Nigel Boullier and Dianna Skillen play two Jigs - Jackson's Trip & The Boy in his Pants . Nigel learnt Jackson's Trip from fiddle player Jackie Donnan, which he in turn learnt from Willie McCloy, and he learned T he Boy in his Pants from Lisburn fiddler Liam Donnelly . Recorded in 1994.

The O'Neill Manuscript James O'Neill (1862 - 1949) was born in Kilpike, near Banbridge. He was taught the fiddle by his father John who was an excellent player. When James left Ulster for Chicago around 1881 he brought with him his father's collection of Irish music, including both printed collections and John's own handwritten manuscripts. These five pieces of music, penned by James O'Neill in the period 1889 - 1902, are thought to be his own compositions. 1 Reel - The Spinner's Delight (HD ref JO'N446) Reel - The Maple Tree (HD ref JO'N446) 2 Hornpipe - Untitled Hornpipe (HD ref JO'N447) Hornpipe - Untitled Hornpipe (HD ref JO'N447) Hornpipe - Untitled Hornpipe (HD ref JO'N447 )

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Dances in Orange Halls Throughout my many years of research on fiddle playing and dancing in County Down the aspect that surprised me the most was the enormous number of Orange Halls, dotted throughout the County Down countryside, that had held regular dances in the period up to World War II. Up to the late 1920s there are records of traditional dances in over seventy Orange Halls. The dances consisted of the various figure dances, square dances and two-hand dances and step dances. The music in this period was played, in the main, on fiddles. By the late 1920s melodeons and accordions had begun to appear. From the fiddle player's perspective, Jimmy Savage (Postman Johnnie's James) jokingly claimed to be the most travelled fiddler in Ulster. When I asked him where his travels had taken him, he replied that he had played in 26 Orange Halls over the years. And these were not merely sporadic instances. In April 1988 Jimmy was made a presentation for having played the fiddle for the regular dance in Carrickmannon Orange Hall for fifty years. In 2009 I asked John Jess, who was then aged 100, what had got him interested in playing the fiddle at the early age of 7. He replied that his father was a steward at the Orange Hall nearby (Drumiller LOL No 582) and that his mother would have made the tea at any social functions. Being the eldest child he would accompany her and he was put in the corner. He said there were always fiddles being played, by a number of players, and he just had to play one. In 1988 fiddle player Jimmy Savage celebrated playing at the dance in Carrickmannon Orange Hall for 50 years. Benraw Orange Hall Benraw Orange Hall is situated in the quiet rural area south-east of the Windy Gap on the road to Leitrim Village. The following fiddlers regularly played for numerous dances in Benraw Hall; Willie, James & Ivor Herron, Arthur Annett, Joe Cinnamond John Redmond, John Seawright, Thomas Henry Gibson, Bertie McIlroy. Above; Benraw Orange Hall on the Slievenaboley Road. 2012 Benraw Orange Hall (circled) from the Windy Gap looking towards Leitrim Village and the Mourne Mountains. Legananny Orange Hall is in close proximity being less than a mile to the north (left), 2012. Legananny Orange Hall Legananny Orange Hall is situated in the quiet rural area east of the Windy Gap on the road to Leitrim Village. The following fiddlers all played regularly for various dances in Legananny Hall; Willie Herron, Arthur Annett, Joe Cinnamond Thomas Henry Gibson, Bertie McIlroy. Above; Legananny Orange Hall on Legananny Hall Road, 2012. Legananny Dolmen, a megalithic dolmen, is estimated to be 5,000 years old. Legananny Orange Hall is about six fields downhill on the left, 2012 Aughnaskeagh Orange Hall Aughnaskeagh Orange Hall is situated in the quiet rural area between the villages of Kinallen and Dromara. The following fiddlers all played regularly for various dances in Aughnaskeagh Hall; Willie & John Wallace, Sammy Thompson, John Jess, Walter Stronge, David Cherry. Right; Ticket for a Soiree & Ball at Aughnaskeagh Orange Hall on Friday 27th November 1903. Waringsford Orange Hall Waringsford Orange Hall is situated in Tullynisky Road in the village of Waringsford, which is itself between the villages of Kinallen and Dromara. The following fiddlers all played regularly for various dances in Waringsford Hall; Willie & John Wallace, Thomas Rodgers, William Corbett, Bob Graham, David Cherry, William Cherry, Howard Martin R. J. McMillan. Above; Waringsford Orange Hall on Tullyniskey Road, 2012. Above; Tickets for a Socials & Balls at Waringsford Orange Hall for Waringsford Golden Star RBP and Waringsford Rising Star, all on Friday evenings; 28th February 1919, 17th December 1920, 3rd February 1928 and 25th January 1929. Listooder Orange Hall Listooder Orange Hall, which was built in 1871, is situated on the edge of Listooder, a hamlet which lies approximately midway between the village of Crossgar and the town of Ballynahinch. The following fiddlers played regularly for various dances in Listooder Hall; Robert McVeigh, Henry Harris, Hugh Hunter, Toye William & young Willie Savage Bobby Geddis. Above; Listooder Orange Hall, 2012. Pikestone Orange Hall Pikestone Orange Hall is situated approximately midway between the towns of Killyleagh and Downpatrick. It is situated close to the main Killyleagh Road at the junction of the Greystown Road. It was built in the mid 1860s and is home to Ballygawley Standard LOL and Ballygawley Olive Leaf RBP. Initially single storey a second floor was added in 1932. The following fiddlers played regularly for various dances at the Pikestone; John Duff, Willie McCloy, Betty McIlroy (nee Donnan), William John & Samuel Crawford. Above; Pikestone Orange Hall, 2012. Pikestone derives its name from the period of the 1798 rebellion. Pikes were legal, as long as they were not sharp - being caught by the authorities with a sharpened pike was a hanging offence. A local blacksmith made the pikes; these were then sharpened and hidden beneath a large stone in the locality, hence the name the "Pikestone". Toye Orange Hall Toye Orange Hall is situated a couple of miles north of the town of Killyleagh, on the Comber Road. The following fiddlers played regularly for various dances at the Pikestone; Toye William & young Willie Savage, Jimmy Bonar, Betty McIlroy (nee Donnan), Jackie Don na n. Right; Toye Orange Hall 2017. Fiddle player Toye Willie Savage was Worshipful Master of the Toye Lodge for many years. He was involved in the building of the current hall in 1935 and was caretaker there after he retired from work. Raffrey Orange Hall Raffrey Orange Hall is situated a half mile north of the hamlet of Raffrey, on the Carrickmannon Road. The following fiddlers played regularly for various dances at Raffrey; Willie McCloy, May McVeigh (nee McCloy) Willie, Johnnie & Jimmy Hayes Tom Miskelly. Above; Raffrey Orange Hall on the Carrickmannon Road, 2012. The Magzenna Waltz. Raffrey OH, 2012 The Dancers in the foreground are Ivan & Jean Wilson Accordionist - Sammy Miskelly 16 Steps - the 5th Figure of the Caledonians. Raffrey OH, 2012 Accordionist - Sammy Miskelly Raffrey OH, 2012 The dancer in the centre is fiddle player Jim Moore from Dromara still enjoying dancing at 92. Some of the Orange Halls with traditional Dances to Fiddle Music East Down Ardmillan Ballymacreely Carrickmannon Crossgar Drumreagh Killinchy Killyleagh Listooder Pikestone Raffrey Toye Ards Kircubbin Newtownards Portavogie True Blues Volunteer's Lecale Ballyclander Ballykilbeg Central Ballynahinch Ballykine Ballylone Ballymaglave Ballynahinch Burren Cumberbridge Glassdrumman Legacurry Magheraknock Spa Upper Crossgar e Central West Blackscull Clogher Donaghcloney Drumnaferry Islandderry Magherally Central Dromara Annahilt Aughnaskeagh Ballaney Ballygowan Ballykeel Ballyknock Ballymacormick Ballyroney Ballyvicknakelly Benraw Carnew Closkelt Derryneill Drumiller Dromara Dromore Drumlough Drumnavaddy Finnis Gransha Kilmacrew Central Dromara Kilntown Kilwarlin Kinallen Halliday's Bridge Legananny Lisnaward Listullycurran Magherabeg Moneyslane Mount Ida Quilly Skeagh Taughblane Tullynisky Tullynore Waringsford Whitehill Map showing the Locations of the above named Orange Halls

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)

James & Gus McElroy These two recordings of James McElroy and his son Gus were kindly given to me by Jim Walsh of the McElroy family. Reels - The Maids of Castlebar and Drowsy Maggie James McElroy (1892 - 1982) playing the well-known reels the Maids of Castlebar and Drowsie Maggie. Recorded c. 1960. Maids of Castlebar & Drowsy Maggie - Reels James McElroy 00:00 / 02:19 Reels - Cooley's Reel and The Mason's Apron James and his son Gus McElroy playing the well-known reels Cooley's and the Mason's Apron. Recorded c. 1960. James and Gus McElroy - Cooley's Reel & the Mason's Apron James McElroy 00:00 / 02:56 Eddie McMullan Jigs - Untitled, Gerry's Beaver Hat, Biddy the Bold Wife Eddie McMullan plays three jigs, the first one is untitled followed by Gerry's Beaver Hat & Biddy the Bold Wife . Untitled, Gerry's Beaver Hat, Biddy the Bold Wife Eddie McMullan 00:00 / 02:13

Map of Central Down (West) William Kennedy The O'Neills of Kilpike, Banbridge The Legacy of the O'Neills The McKinleys of Drumnaferry Fr Tom McConville Marie Lavery, The Laverys of Redhill Jim Creaney of Mullaghcarton

The Old Time Fiddler c.1963 Tom Miskelly, Danny Cromie, Willie Savage (younger) & Alec Crawford Blackthorn Céilí Band c,1960 Peter Gallagher, Sean Quinn, Harry Magee, Gus McElroy & Maurice Rodgers Blackthorn Céilí Band c.1962 Sean Quinn (piano accordion) on the left, Gus McElroy (fiddle) & Dan McElroy (piano accordion) on the right Baile's Dance Band, 2003 Jackie Bailie (fiddle), John Bailie (banjo) & his wife Anne (keyboards) - Village Hall, Greyabbey. Blackthorn Céilí Band c,1960 Peter Gallagher, Sean Quinn, Harry Magee, Gus McElroy & Maurice Rodgers 1/5 The Dundrum Céilí Band c.1957 Joe Cardwell, Michael Rodgers, Kevin Cunningham, Harold Hurley, Billy Redmond, Johnny McKeating & Eddie Mason John Burns Dance Band, Irish Club, Bristol, 1962 Harry Grover (button accordion), Michael Cotter (drums), John Burns (fiddle), the names of the piano accordionist & pianist are not known Céilí Band, Ashley Hall, Belfast, 1993 Davy Graham (Bangor), Willie Coyle (Kircubbin), Nigel Boullier (Bangor), Dianna Skillen (Bangor) & Michael Herron (Coalisland)

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.

David Carse - Part 3 1 Reel - New May Moon Reel - Craig of Ailsey 2 Reel - The Opera Reel 3 Reel - The Maids of Galway (HD ref WMcC98) Reel - Dick's Reel Jig - The Campbells are coming (HD ref JW294) 4 Hornpipe - The Cuckoo's Nest (HD ref JD147) 5 Reel - Jenny among the hay Reel - Carrickmannon Lasses (HD ref WS128) Quadrille Tune 6/8 - The Quaker generally titled Merrily danced the Quaker (HD ref JD158) 6 Waltz - The Scotch Waltz, also locally called The Girl from Foley's Hotel or Sweet Sixteen (HD ref WS135) Quadrille Tune 6/8 - 3rd Lancers locally titled Whut wud ye dae if yer Rump was brok (HD ref JS123) 7 Jig - Father O'Flynn Reel - Glasgow Reel 8 Schottische - Come and Go Schottische 9 Reel - Gypsy Lass (HD ref WMcC97) Hornpipe - Untitled Hornpipe 10 Hornpipe - Untitled Hornpipe Strathspey - Untitled Strathspey 11 Reel - Carrickmannon Lasses (HD ref WS128) Reel - Jenny among the Hay Polka - Ballroom Polka 12 Quadrille Tune 2/4 - Duncan Davidson (HD ref WS128) Polka - Dargon Polka Schottische - What's a' the Steer 13 Song - Home fires burning Reel - Purty Kate 14 Polka - Heel and Toe Polka Jig - Paddy get up (HD ref JE179) Reel - The Blackbird (HD ref WMcC97) 15 Reel - Scotch Mary (HD ref JW321) Hornpipe - Untitled Hornpipe 16 Hornpipe - The Caspier's Hornpipe Hornpipe - The West End Hornpipe 17 Reel - The Black Haired Girl Reel - The Wine that shook the Barley Jig - Rory O'Moore 18 Hornpipe - The First of May (HD ref JD148) Hornpipe - The old Wife of 80 years 19 Figure Dance - Bessy Black (HD ref WS113) Country Dance - Princess Royal (HD ref WMcC93) 20 Indecipherable Jig - Aprons On (HD ref RQ203) Jig - The Royal Arch Mason (HD ref JW298) 21 Jig - Jackson's Trip (HD ref JS82) Jig - Tilerugan Lodge Jig - The Connaught Man's Rambles (HD ref WMcC95) 22 Untitled Strathspey - Miss Lyle's Strathspey (HD ref JD163) 23 Jig - Killyban Braes Reel - Mason's Apron (HD ref WMcC98) 24 Jig - Trip to the Cottage Reel - Push about the Joram (HD ref RQ205) 25 Polka - Untitled Polka (last 3 bars) Quadrille Tune 6/8 - Untitled locally titled Whut wud ye dae if yer Rump was brok (HD ref JS123) Reel - Miss McLeod's Reel (HD ref JW319) 26 Reel - Touch me if you dare (HD ref JRQ206) Hornpipe - The Blackbird 27 March - The White Cockade Polka - The Wooden Stane Dyke 28 Waltz - Untitled Waltz Reel - Katy got her clinkin generally titled The High Road to Linton (HD ref JD161) 29 Waltz - The Woodland Whisper (HD ref JW341) Waltz - The Dewdrop (HD ref RQ207) 30 Schottische - The Governor Schottische Schottische - Untitled locally titled John Simpson's Schottische (HD ref JS85) 31 Waltz - The Cornflower Waltz (HD ref WS135) Jig - The Blackthorn Stick occasionally called The Moorhall Jig (HD ref JSav124) 32 Quadrille Tune 6/8 - Untitled generally known as 4th figure Patience Lancers (HD ref WS124) 2nd part Quadrille Tune 6/8 - Untitled (Jimmy Ward's No 6 for 1st of the Lancers HD ref JW313) Quadrille Tune 6/8 - Untitled generally known as 4th figure Patience Lancers (HD ref WS124) 1st part

Map of East Down The Savages of East Down Jackie Donnan, Willie Lindsay The Jimmy Savages, Jimmy Bonar, Bobby Geddis The Miskellys of Ballygowan The Fiddler Orr and 1798 at Carricknacessnagh The Edmond Brothers, Godfrey Downey, Jimmy McVeigh Robert McVeagh, Hughie Hunter, Henry Harris, Willie Silcock The Quinns of the Glass Moss

Andy Dickson 2 The following audio tracks were recorded at the Tivoli Bar Folk Club, Donaghadee on 17th April 1978 by Denis Reynolds which he later digitised. Reel - The Man from Bundoran & The Glass of Beer Andy Dickson (fiddle), Dermy Diamond (banjo), Tara Bingham (flute) accompanied b y Eugene "Spooly" Kelly (guitar) and Sammy Weir (bodhran) play two reels - The Man from Bundoran and The Glass of Beer. The Man from Bundoran, The Glass of Beer Andy Dickson 00:00 / 02:37 Reels - McDonagh's & Charlie Lennon's No.4 Andy Dickson (fiddle), Dermy Diamond (banjo), Tara Bingham (flute) accompanied b y Eugene "Spooly" Kelly (guitar) play two reels - McDonagh's and Charlie Lennon's No 4 McDonaghs, Charlie Lennons No 4 Andy Dickson 00:00 / 03:08 Reels - The Crosses of Annagh, Crowley's & Fergal O'Gara Andy Dickson (fiddle), Dermy Diamond (banjo), Tara Bingham (flute) accompanied by Eugene "Spooly" Kelly (guitar) and Sammy Weir (bodhran) play three reels - The Crosses of Annagh, Crowley's and Fergal O'Gara. Crosses of Annagh, Crowleys, Fergal OGara Andy Dickson 00:00 / 03:58 Reels - Farewell to Ireland & The Tarbolton Andy Dickson (fiddle), Dermy Diamond (banjo), Tara Bingham (flute) accompanied by Eugene "Spooly" Kelly (guitar) and Sammy Weir (bodhran) play two reels - Farewell to Ireland and The Tarbolton. Farewell to Ireland, The Tarbolton Andy Dickson 00:00 / 05:29 Jigs - The Black Rogue & Richard Dwyer's Andy Dickson (fiddle), Dermy Diamond (banjo), Tara Bingham (flute) accompanied by Eugene "Spooly" Kelly (guitar) and Sammy Weir (bodhran) play two jigs - The Black Rogue and Richard Dwyer's. The Black Rogue, Richard Dwyer's Andy Dickson 00:00 / 03:12