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

Manuscript Indexes The various tune types are self-explanatory (as they relate to various dances e.g. reels, jigs, mazurkas), with the exception of Quadrille Tunes. Fiddle players in East Down generically called tunes played for the dancing of Quadrilles (and their associated sets) "Quadrille Tunes". These include single jigs, double jigs, polkas and marches, and shades in between. Reels Jigs & Slip Jigs 6/8 Quadrilles, 2/4 Quadrilles, 4/4 Quadrilles Polkas Hornpipes Mazurkas, Marches Schottisches, Strathspeys, Flings Barndances, Waltzes, Varsovienna Tunes Figure Dances, Country Dances, Round Dances, Irish Dances, Planxtys, Airs

The Edmond Manuscript Jimmy Edmond (1873 - 1935) was a fiddle player from the Curragh, a mile south of Killinchy in East Down. The manuscripts below have been handed down from Jimmy Edmond to his niece Mary Jane to Jackie Donnan to myself. Jackie Donnan met Mary Jane on the road near Derryboye in 1951 and expressed interest in the Edmond's jig The Pleasures of Summer. He had heard about Edmond's playing of the tune from his mentor Willie McCloy. Mary Jane called with Jackie a few days later and gave him the one page of Jimmy Edmond's manuscripts that contained the jig. Sadly the remainder of the Edmond manuscripts were burnt. 1 Reel - Captain Bounce (HD ref JE181) Reel - Fight about the Coals (HD ref JE181) [See also Captain Bounce transcribed by Willie McCloy (HD ref JS85). There is a vast difference in the bowing between Jimmy Edmond's version and that scribed by Willie McCloy. T his is particularly interesting as they only lived a couple of miles apart. ] 2 Jig - Sheelin Agra (HD ref JE180) Hornpipe - Jack's the Lad (HD ref JE179) 3 Jig - The Pleasure of Summer (HD ref JE180) 4 Jig - Happy to Meet (HD ref JE179) Jig - Paddy get up (HD ref JE179) Jig - Paddy O'Carrel (HD ref JE180 )

David Carse - Part 5 1 Reel - Back at Dromore Hornpipe - The Butchers of Bristol (HD ref JW322) 2 Schottische - Untitled generally known as Miss Stewart's Highland (HD ref WMcC101) 3 Reel - The Wind that shook the Barley (HD ref JW328) Reel - The Miners of Wicklow (HD ref WMcC99) 4 Jig - The Irish Washerwoman Jig - The Campbells are coming (HD ref JW294) 5 Hornpipe - The First of May (HD ref JD148) Reel - Through the Broom (HD ref RQ206) 6 Polka - The Dargan Polka also locally titled The Dragon Polka (HD ref JD154) Polka - The Belfast Polka (HD ref WS116) 7 The Buck Hunt Schottische - Highland generally titled Miss Stewart's Highland (HD ref WMcC101) 8 Jig- The Blackthorn Jig also locally titled Jimmy Savage's Quadrille Tune (HD ref JSav173) Reel - The Soldier's Joy (HD ref JD161) 9 Reel - The Green Fields of America (HD ref RQ206) 10 Quadrille Tune 6/8 - Burney's No 1 (HD ref WS119) Quadrille Tune 2/4 - Burney's No 2 (HD ref WS119) 11 Quadrille Tune 6/8 - Burney's No 3 (HD ref WS119) Quadrille Tune 2/4 - Burney's No 4 locally known as La Russe (HD ref WS121) 12 Quadrille Tune 2/4 - Burney's No 5 locally known as The March to the Battlefield (HD ref WS126) Quadrille Tune 6/8 - The Rakes of Kildare locally known as The De'il set sail with my Darlin' 13 Reel - The Flowers of Edinburgh (HD ref JW323) Fling - Green grow the Rashes O ' (HD ref JW285) 14 Hornpipe - Skatings Waltz known locally as Her Golden Hair hung down her Back (HD ref WS113) Schottische - The German Schottische (HD ref WS130) 15 Hornpipe - Bony Crossing the Alps Polka - The Ballroom Polka 16 Jig - Unknown (in part, only 5 bars) Quadrille Tune 2/4 - Untitled , known locally as Old Molly Doodle will you not come out is the 5th figure of the Patience Lancers (HD ref WS124) Song - The Minstrel Boy 17 Quadrille Tune 6/8 - 1st Figure of the Quadrilles generally known as The Laird of Cockpen (HD ref TO191) Quadrille Tune 2/4 - 2nd Figure of the Quadrilles generally known as The Rakes of Mallow 18 Schottische - Louden's Bonnie Woods and Braes (HD ref WS129) Quadrille Tune 2/4 - The Lass O' Gowrie (HD ref WS126) 19 Quadrille Tune 6/8 - 1st Lancers also known locally as Jimmy Ward's No 6 (HD ref JW313) 20 Hornpipe - Sailor's Hornpipe (HD ref JW289) Jig - Nora Creana 21 Waltz - The Dewdrop Waltz (HD ref RQ207) Walrz - The Calcutta Waltz 22 Schottische - Highland Schottische Schottische - Money Musk 23 Hornpipe - Skating Waltz locally known as Her golden hair hung down her neck (HD ref WS113) Quadrille 2/4 - Rob Roy (HD ref WS124) 24 Jig - Tenpenny Bit Polka - Jenny Lynd Polka (HD ref JW302) 25 Jig - The Protestant Boys (HD ref JW297) March - The Boyne Water (HD ref JW309) 26 Jig - St Patrick's Day Jig - The Protestant Boys (HD ref RQ203) 27 Polka - Untitled Polka Jig - Untitled locally titled Hurrah for the Bonnets O' Blue in East Down (HD ref JS81) 28 Quadrille Tune 6/8 - Kenmure's on an awa' locally known as Nane o' yer Winkin' at Me auld Man (HD ref WMcC233) 29 Reel - Soldier's Joy (HD ref JD161) Hornpipe - Untitled Hornpipe (Illegible) 30 Schottische - Brighton Schottische (HD ref JD130) Jig - Nelly Flaherty's Drake (1001 Gems No 44) Jig - Untitled first part only, generally known as Roaring Jelly (HD ref WS113)

James Ward - Part 1 Part 1 of the manuscripts were handed down from Jimmy Ward to Dick McConville, to Dick's son Eugene, to myself and Jackie Donnan in 1994. 1 Jig - The Maid that can do it (HD ref JW29 6) Jig - The Royal Arch Mason (HD ref JW298 ) [Note: Jimmy Ward's signature on the right hand side.] 2 Reel - The Harvest Home Reel (HD ref JW324) Reel - Rachael Rea's Reel (HD ref JD160) 3 Reels - The Copperfire Reel generally known in Ireland as Rakish Paddy (HD ref JW322) Reel - The Regatta Reel (HD ref JW293) Jig - Joan down upon Jennet (HD ref JW293) [Note - Rakish Paddy is Scottish in origin where it is known as Caber Feidh (The Deer’s Antlers). It is interesting that the original Scottish title Caber Feidh is phonetically similar to Jimmy Ward's title Copperfire . 4 Reel - Old McDonald's Reel (HD ref JW320) Reel - Scotch Reel (HD ref JW316) 5 Reels - The New Road to Elgin (HD ref JW326) Reel - The Forth Bridge of Edinburgh (HD ref JW324) [The Forth Bridge of Edinburgh is a version of the reel well-known in Ireland as The Musical Priest .] 6 Reel - The Lily of the West generally known as Miss Monaghan (HD ref JW324) Reel - Sleeping Maggie a version of Drowsy Maggie (HD ref JW321) [Note - Jimmy Ward was known for adding additional parts to a tune, often in a different key to those preceding them.] 7 Hornpipe - Gibraltar Hornpipe (HD ref JW288) Reel - Roll her down the Mountain (HD ref JW320) 8 Jig - Untitled (HD ref JW300) Jig - All the Blue Bonnets are over the Border (HD ref JW290) 9 Jig - Jackson's dear Whiskey (HD ref JW292) Quadrille Tune 6/8 - The New May Moon (HD ref JW308) Quadrille Tune 2/4 - Untitled generally known as Duncan Davidson (HD ref JW306) 10 Reel - Lady Hillsborough's Reel (HD ref JW317) Reel - Lord Egilton's auld Man: Scotch Reel generally known as a strathspey titled Lord Eglintoun's auld man (HD ref JW317) Reel - New Irish Reel (HD ref JW325) 11 Jig - The Widow's Rant (HD ref JW299) Jig - The Self Jig (HD ref JW299) known in East Down as The Lilies of France (HD ref JS83), and best known as collected by James O'Neill as The Girls of Banbridge as published in Music of Ireland , Francis O'Neill, 1903. Jig - The Lug of the Spade (HD ref JW296) 12 Reel - The Bowl of Coffee (HD ref JW321) Quadrille Tune 6/8 - Untitled Quadrille for the Lancers Jimmy Ward No 8 (HD ref JW314) 13 Reel - Untitled Reel locally known as Jimmy Ward's Reel (HD ref JW329) Hornpipe - Untitled Hornpipe (HD ref JW290) 14 Jig - The Miners of Wicklow (HD ref JW296) Quadrille Tune 6/8 - The Tyrone Quickstep (HD ref JW311) known in East Down as Brian O'Neill (HD ref WMcC96) a version of the well-known jig Paddy's Return Jig - The Rakes of Newcastle (HD ref JW297) 15 Jig - The Kinegar Slashers (HD ref JW295) generally known as The Kinnegad Slashers 16 Reel - Touch it if you dare (HD ref JW328) 17 Hornpipe - Untitled Hornpipe

David Carse - Part 7 1 Reel - Drowsie Maggie Reel - Glasgow Gates 2 Jig - Captain White (HD ref JM360) Fling - Green grow the Rashers O' (HD ref JW283) Polka - Ladies Polka 3 Quadrille Tune 6/8 - Untitled locally titled Burneys No 3 (2nd part only) (HD ref WS119) Quadrille Tune 2/4 - Untitled locally titled La Russe (HD ref WS121) Quadrille Tune 2/4 - Untitled locally known as The March to the Battlefield (HD ref WS126) Schottische - The Keel Row 4 Hornpipe - Bonaparte's Hornpipe 5 Jig - Untitled locally known as The Widow's Rant (HD ref JW299) 6 Reel - Back to Dromore Hornpipe - The Butchers of Bristol (HD ref JW322) 7 Polka - Untitled Polka Reel - The Bowl of Coffee (HD ref JW321) Quadrille Tune 6/8 - Untitled locally known as Robbie Gray's (HD ref JW311) 8 Hornpipe - The Queen's Hornpipe (HD ref JW289) Jig - The Bridal Jig Hornpipe - Untitled generally known as The Trumpet Hornpipe 9 Reel - Purty Kate generally titled Bonnie Kate Hornpipe - Saint Patrick's Hornpipe 10 Reel - The Wind that shakes the Barley (HD ref JW328) Hornpipe - Untitled Hornpipe 11 Reel - Untitled locally titled Over the Hill Reel - Untitled generally titled The Scholar 12 Hornpipe - Untitled Hornpipe 13 Quadrille Tune 2/4 - The Boys of Belfast (HD ref WS125) 14 Schottische - Maggie Picking 15 Hornpipe - Millicen's Favourite generally titled The Belfast Hornpipe

Sammy Thompson - Part 1 Part 1 of Sammy Thompson's manuscripts were handed down from Sammy to Jim Moore, and following Jim's death from Jim's daughter Linda to me in 2021. Jim had previously given me photocopies c. 2002. 1 Reel - The Edentrillick Reel (HD ref RQ205) 2 Reel - My Lofty Hills (HD ref RQ205) Reel - Lord Roden's Reel (HD ref RQ205) 3 Reel - Miss Johnston's Reel (HD ref RQ205) 4 Reel - Untitled Reel generally titled Jimmy Ward's Reel (HD ref RQ205) 5 Reel - Untitled Reel generally known as The Donegal Reel 6 Hornpipe - The New Invention Hornpipe (HD ref JW288) Reel - Scotch Mary (HD ref JW321) 7 Song - No Luck about the House Schottische - The Keelrow Song - Let him go, let him go tarry 8 Hornpipe - The Stack of Barley. Parts 3 & 4 are generally known as Bantry Bay 9 Reel - The Lowlands of Scotland (HD ref JW325) Reel - The Bowl of Coffee (HD ref JW321) 10 Reel - Untitled Reel locally called Lord Roden's Reel (HD ref JW317) 11 Hornpipe - The Harvest Home Reel - Queen's Wedding (HD ref ST354) 12 Jig - The Widow's Rant (HD ref JW299) Schottische - Sally round the Gooseberry Bush (HD ref JW331) Quadrille Tune 2/4 - Duncan Davidson (HD ref JW306) 13 Waltz - Untitled Waltz, locally called Jimmy Ward's Waltz (HD ref ST357) Jig - Lannigan's Ball (HD ref RQ203) 14 Round Dance - Bravo locally called Mary Ann Magee (HD ref WS129) Polka - Untitled Polka (HD ref JW305) Quadrille Tune 6/8 - Untitled Quadrille from Sammy Thompson (HD ref ST353) 15 Polka - Untitled Polka (Jimmy Ward's No 2 HD ref JW 305) 16 Jig - The Rollicking Irishman (HD ref JW298) Quadrille Tune 2/4 - La Russe (HD ref WS121) 17 Hornpipe - Boney over the Rhine Quadrille Tune 6/8 - Untitled Quadrille Tune generally known as The muckin o' Geordie's Byre 18 Schottische - Untitled Schottische 19 Quadrille Tune 6/8 - Untitled locally called Yankee Doodle (HD ref JW316) Quadrille Tune 2/4 - The Rose Tree also locally called Auld Moylan Gibberland (HD ref WS117) 20 Waltz - Ballykeel Waltz (HD ref ST357) Waltz - The Alpine Waltz (HD ref JW338) 21 March - The Centenary March 22 Jig - The Miners of Wicklow (HD ref JW296) 23 Quadrille Tune 2/4 - Untitled 2/4 Quadrille Tune (Sammy Thompson's No 3 HD ref ST354) 24 Quadrille Tune 6/8 - Untitled Quadrille from Jimmy Ward No 8 (HD ref JW314) Quadrille Tune 2/4 - Untitled generally titled I wish I were where the Gaddy Rins (HD ref JW307) 25 Jig - Untitled Jig from Sammy Thompson (HD ref ST351) 26 Highland Fling - Untitled Fling from Jimmy Ward (HD ref JW286) 27 March - Shane O'Neill's March 28 March - The Belfast March 29 Figure Dance - The Sweets of May 30 Hornpipe - The Stack of Wheat 31 Jig - The Red Rose (HD ref ST 351) 32 Quadrille Tune 6/8 - I'm a Young Man (HD ref ST 353) Jig - The Drunken Parson (HD ref PJJS174) 33 Waltz - The Starry Night (HD ref JW340) 34 Waltz - Johnny Bryson's Waltz (HD ref JB384) 35 Polka - The Dargon Polka (HD ref ST352) 36 Hornpipe - The Boys of Blue Hill 37 Round Dance - Molly Walker Circle 38 Round Dance - Coming through the Rye (HD ref JD162)

Sessions The Bus Pass Ceili Band - Rice's International Bar, Newtownards Reel - The Boy in the Boat Jackie Flynn (accordion), Bernie Stocks (fiddle), Davy Graham (guitar-bouzouki), Trevor Stewart (pipes), Dianna Skillen & Nigel Boullier (fiddles), Paul Bell (flute), Ian Hull (bodhran). Recorded 4th January 2023. Jig - Connie the Soldier Jackie Flynn (accordion), Bernie Stocks (fiddle), Davy Graham (guitar-bouzouki), Trevor Stewart (pipes), Dianna Skillen & Nigel Boullier (fiddles), Paul Bell (flute), Ian Hull (bodhran). Recorded 4th January 2023. Ards Peninsula Sessions - Coach Inn, Portaferry Reels - Austin Tierney's & Return to Miltown From the left; Shirley Howard (fiddle), Davy Graham (mandola), Anita Anderson (piano accordion), Bob Torrens, Ernie Swain, Marie & Deirdre Shannon, Dianna Skillen (fiddles). Recorded 4th November 2012. Reels - Sailing into Walpole's Marsh & the Galtee Ben Healy (flute), Davy Graham (mandola), Bob Torrens, Ernie Swain, Marie & Deirdre Shannon, Dianna Skillen (fiddles), Ian Hull (bodhran). Recorded 4th November 2012. Jig - Sean Ryan's No. 3 This jig was known as Sean Ryan's Number 3 in the Comber and Balloo sessions because it was played in a set after two other compositions of Sean Ryan's. It is generally titled the Dooney Rock . Davy Graham (mandola), Shirley Howard, Bob Torrens, Ernie Swain, Marie & Deirdre Shannon, Dianna Skillen (fiddles). Recorded 4th November 2012. Ards Peninsula Sessions - The Portaferry Hotel, Portaferry Reel - Music in the Glen From the left; Brian Harte (guitar) off screen, Liam McQuillan (bouzouki), Ian Hull (bodhran), John Savage & Ernie Swain (fiddles), Ben Healy (flute), Bob Torrens (fiddle), Trevor Stewart (pipes). Recorded 2017.

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.

Seamus Sands These audio clips were recorded by Seamus Sands for his albums Across Bridges , 2015 and A Deep Pool , 2018 and are presented here with his kind permission. The explanatory notes are taken from the album notes and written by Seamus himself. Reel - The Blackbird The first is my interpretation of a lovely Co. Down reel that is included in Nigel Boullier’s Handed Down book on Co. Down fiddle playing. Nigel learned the tune from fiddler Jackie Donnan and I feel the lovely melody suits being played slowly. The Blackbird (Reel) Seamus Sands 00:00 / 01:47 Reel - Sleeping Maggie Drowsy Maggie is perhaps one of the most commonly played session tunes, but this unusual 4-part version, titled Sleeping Maggie , comes from an undated manuscript of Co. Down fiddle player James Ward, who died in 1944. According to Nigel Boullier, Jimmy Ward was known for adding parts to tunes and it is possible that this version was his own creation. I like the fact that the unexpected third part at first doesn’t seem to fit but after a while it does seem to blend and give energy to the tune. Sleeping Maggie (Reel) Seamus Sands 00:00 / 01:19 Figure Dance - Bessy Black A six-part dance tune, also known as Betty Black , once common in Down and Armagh but no longer widely played. Not the typical rhythm of session tunes and I sometimes think the tune has a baroque feel to it, especially when played at a lower pitch, and I play it on a fiddle tuned down two tones. This version comes from my flute-player friend Dermot Rafferty and was recorded by his uncle, Hugh Savage, in 1952. Bessy Black (Figure Dance) Seamus Sands 00:00 / 02:22 Reel - The Silvery Bar The Silvery Bar is one of my own compositions and I play these tunes on the fiddle I made and for this last tune I’ve no excuses …..my fiddle, my tune, my playing! The Silvery Bar (Reel) Seamus Sands 00:00 / 01:23 Reels - The Carrickmannon Lasses / The Wind that Shakes the Barley I learned the first reel from Co Down fiddler Nigel Boullier during an enjoyable visit to share a few tunes. He collected it from fiddler Jackie Donnan who had learned it from fiddler Willie Savage. Carrickmannon is in Co. Down. The well-known Wind That Shakes the Barley is one of the first I learned from Co. Armagh fiddler Jimmy Burns and was a real favourite of the older players and ceili bands in the area. This is my interpretation of a quite ornate version in the Donnellan collection. The Carrickmannon Lasses / The Wind that Shakes the Barley (Reels) Seamus Sands 00:00 / 02:45 Barndance - Jimmy Doyle's Co. Down fiddle players Nigel and Dianna Boullier gave me the first barn dance after a very enjoyable day at their home exchanging stories and tunes. Nigel got the tune from his friend Jim Moore with whom he played weekly for over eight years. Jim in turn learned the tune from another Co. Down fiddle player, Jimmy Doyle, and Nigel includes it in his book Handed Down with some history regarding the player. There is a distinctive G-sharp note at the end of the second part that gives the tune something special and perhaps unexpected. Jimmy Doyle's Barndance Seamus Sands 00:00 / 01:27 Flings - Jimmy Ward's / Craigbuy House On Across Bridges I included tunes from Co. Down fiddler Jimmy Ward (d.1944). I’ve enjoyed playing tunes from this player that were made available through Nigel Boullier’s work and this is another of his tunes that appeals to me. My source for the second tune is John Macpherson Mulhollan's A selection of Irish and Scots tunes collection (Edinburgh). The title may be an alternative spelling of Craigboy, a townland in Donaghadee, Co. Down. It appears next to The Donaghadee Hunt , which I also play on this recording. Jimmy Ward's / Craigbuy House (Flings) Seamus Sands 00:00 / 02:31 Jig - The Donaghadee Hunt The Mulhollan collection (Edinburgh) was my source for the second jig. The Donaghadee Hunt Seamus Sands 00:00 / 01:06 Figure Dance - The Sweets of May The Sweets of May is a 3-part dance tune most associated with Co. Armagh. This Co. Down version appears in Handed Down and came from the playing of Jackie Donnan who learned it in the 1950s from Willie McCloy. Unlike other versions, it doesn’t have the first part repeated. Figure Dance - The Sweets of May Seamus Sands 00:00 / 02:14 Reel - The Grain of Tea The Grain of Tea is another tune I sourced from Handed Down. In my earlier solo recording, I played an unusual version of The Cup of Tea….. here’s another tea-themed tune! The Grain of Tea Seamus Sands 00:00 / 01:26 Mazurka - Rockin' the Cradle I’m delighted to be joined by my three fiddle-playing daughters, representing a sixth generation of fiddlers, for these mazurkas. The last tune is one I first heard at a session in Drumnaquoile, Co. Down quite a few years ago. This last tune is included in Handed Down. Mazurka - Rockin' the Cradle Seamus Sands 00:00 / 01:20 Air / Hornpipe - The Besom / The Man from Newry The Besom is a simple, but catchy, song and the first that my great-grandfather Sands taught his seven fiddle-player sons, including my grandfather. It was played and sung to me by Colum Sands who has words that start “As I was going to Newry …..” . The song with a similar chorus has links to Tyneside in the late 1700s and to Scotland. A version of the same tune appears in Levey’s 1858 Dance Music of Ireland as The Besom . The besom is a broom made of heather. The Man from Newry appears in O’Neill’s but isn’t a tune I ever heard when growing up in Newry! The Besom / The Man from Newry Seamus Sands 00:00 / 02:40 Set Dance - The Old Lodge Road / Rodney's Glory I grew up in Newry, a town bridging both counties Down and Armagh and many of the first tunes I learned there were set dances, which were played at a relaxed pace. The Old Lodge Road is one such tune that has remained with me from that time and it reminds me of Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann sessions in the old Newry library in the mid ‘70s, with my father at my side to encourage, and the older players patiently sharing. A lot of the tunes were set dances, barn dances, marches, mazurkas and airs, many with a strong Scottish influence. Some of the local players that inspired at those sessions were Willie McSherry, Bertie Trodden, Paddy Rafferty, and Sean O’Driscoll. Rodney’s Glory is also one of my favourites and there is something that keeps bringing me back to both these tunes. The Old Lodge Road / Rodney's Glory Seamus Sands 00:00 / 04:12

David Carse - Part 2 1 Reel - Lucy Campbell Reel - Donegal Reel 2 Waltz - Untitled Waltz Jig - Irish Jig generally titled The Ship in full sail 3 Hornpipe - Untitled Hornpipe Reel - Dublin Reel generally titled Within a Mile of Dublin 4 Reel - Untitled Reel Schottische - Up in a Balloon (HD ref WMcC101) 5 Quadrille Tune 6/8 - Bonny Dundee (HD ref WS118) Quadrille Tune 2/4 - Kelvin Grove (HD ref WS120) 6 g Reel - Miss Ramsey Jig - The Maids of the Green (HD ref WMcC95) Jig - The Trip to the Cottage (5 bars) g 7 Quadrille Tune 6/8 - Off She goes (HD ref WS122) Reel - The Devil among the Tailors 8 Hornpipe - The Rights of Man Reel - Captain Bounce (HD ref WMcC85 & JE181) 9 Strathspey - Rother A Murchy's Strathspey 10 Reel - Through the Broom (HD ref RQ206) Reel - The Carrickmannon Lasses (HD ref WS128) 11 Quadrille Tune 2/4 - Untitled but generally titled The March to the Battlefield (HD ref WS126) Jig - Untitled Jig generally known as Lannigan's Ball (HD ref RQ203) 12 Reel - The Long Hills of Mourne (HD ref JW325) Hornpipe - Miss Dick's Hornpipe 13 Quadrille Tune 2/4 - The Girl I left behind me (HD WS125) Reel - Go no more to yon town Reel - Lowlands of Scotland (HD ref JW325) 14 Reel - The New Jorum Polka - The Dragon Polka (HD ref JD154 & JW352) 15 Jig - Tatter Jack Walsh Schottische - Lowden's bonny woods and braes (HD ref WS129) Quadrille Tune 6/8 - The Muses (HD ref JS84) 16 Hornpipe - Untitled Reel - Untitled 17 Quadrille Tune 6/8 - The King of the Cannibal Islands (HD ref JS83) Reel - The Arkansas Traveller 18 Q uadrille Tune 2/4 - Duncan Davidson (HD ref JW306) Reel - Kitty got her Clinkin generally titled The High Road to Linton (HD ref ID161) Reel - Fire on they Mountains (HD ref RQ204) 19 Jig - Cut and Dry Jig - The Divinity Reel - Brandy Bottle (HD ref RQ206) 20 Hornpipe - Wellington's Hornpipe Hornpipe - Untitled Hornpipe 21 Two Hand Dance - Coming through the Rye (HD ref JD162) Schottische - Dainty Davy Hornpipe - Queen's Wedding (HD ref WMcC94) 22 Quadrille Tune 6/8 - Untitled generally titled Burney's No 3 (HD ref WS119) Quadrille Tune 2/4 - Untitled generally titled La Russe (HD ref WS121 ) 23 Schottische - Untitled generally titled The Keel Row Quadrille Tune 6/8 - Quadrille generally titled Burney's No1 (HD ref WS119 ) 24 Schottische - Untitled Highland Schottische Jig - Aprons On (HD ref RQ203 ) 25 Polka - Ladies Polka Jig - The Trip to the Cottage 26 Quadrille Tune 6/8 - Untitled generally titled Patience Lancers figure 3 (HD ref WS123) Quadrille Tune 6/8 - 1st Lancers generally titled Patience Lancers figure 1 (HD ref WS123) 27 Quadrille Tune 2/4 - Untitled generally titled Patience Lancers figure 2 (HD ref WS123) Quadrille Tune 6/8 - Untitled generally titled Patience Lancers figure 4 (HD ref WS124) 28 Schottische - Hop Light Loo (HD ref WMcC101) Quadrille Tune 6/8 - 3rd Lancers generally titled Patience Lancers figure 3 (HD ref WS123) 29 Quadrille Tune 6/8 - Untitled locally titled Yankee Doodle (HD ref WMcC101) Quadrille Tune 6/8 - Untitled generally titled The Muckin O' Geordie's Byre 30 Round Dance - Mary Ann Magee (HD ref WS129) Hornpipe - Untitled generally titled The Auld Steamboat (HD ref RQ202) 31 Waltz - Jenny Joe Hornpipe - The Ould Steamboat (HD ref RQ202) 32 Polka - Captain with his Whiskers Country Dance - Pat Murphy Country Dance - John of Paris

Map of Central Down (Dromara) James Ward of Drumaknockan, Mussen, Ward & Lunn The McConvilles of Ballyvicknakelly Sammy Thompson & Tommy Ervine Jim Moore of Dromara Davy & Robbie Gray, Jimmy Gregg of Edentrillick The Wallaces of Waringsford Johnny Bryson, William Gill, John Ferris, John Magowan, James Alexander & Sandy Young Joe Gamble & the Jess Brothers of the Leapoges The McClurgs & Robbie Chambers Jimmie Campbell & Jimmy Doyle of Dromara Jimmy Cargin, Andy Crookshanks, Sam Agnew of Dromore