Annotation:Merry Old Woman (1) (The)
X:1 T:Merry Old Woman [1], The M:6/8 L:1/8 R:Jig S:O'Neill - Dance Music of Ireland: 1001 Gems (1907), No. 72 Z:AK/Fiddle's Companion K:G G/A/ | B3 AGF | DGG G2A | BAB cBc | dgg fdc | BGB AFA | DGG FGA | BdB cAF | AGG G2 :| |: A | BAB cBc | dgg fdc | dgg gfg | agf g2[Aa] | [1 BAB cBc | dgg fdc | B2d cAF AGG G2 :| [2 bgb afa | gfd cAF | Bcd cAF | AGG G2 |]
MERRY OLD WOMAN [1] (An Sean Bean Sultmar). AKA and see "Ballai Lios Chearbhaill," "Boys of New York (The)," "Mouse in the Cupboard (The)," "Rakes of Newcastle West (The)," "Repeal of the Union (2)," "Tumble the Tinker," "Walls of Enniscorthy," "Walls of Liscarroll (2)," "Wollop the Potlid (1)." Irish, Double Jig (6/8 time). G Major. Standard tuning (fiddle). AAB (Cranitch, O'Neill/1915): AABB (Roche): AABB' (O'Neill/Krassen & 1001). Irish collector P.W. Joyce [1] (1827-1914) printed the tune as "Rakes of Newcastle West (The)," although Francis O'Neill points out it is a "much simpler setting" than his. "The Merry Old Woman" is probably O'Neill's title, for in Irish Folk Music (1910, p. 100) he says:
None of our best performers had any name for this favorite jig, so it could not be permitted to remain nameless any longer. By dint of persistent investigation we eventually learned that it was known as 'Walls of Enniscorthy.' Few double jigs equal it. None excel it, and I'm inclined to believe that it is one of "Old Man" Quinn's tunes preserved to us by Sergeant Early.
Early recordings of the tune are by Frank Lee's Tara Ceilidh Band, who consisted of Frank Lee (piano), possibly Richie Tarrant (fiddle), possibly Paddy Tarrant (fiddle), probably Joe Hann (piccolo), possibly Bill Smith (drums), recorded in Hayes, Middlesex, September 1932.
O'Neill also was sent a portion of the 1890's music manuscript collection of London dancing master Patrick Reidy, originally from Castle Island, Co. Kerry, who was employed by the Gaelic League in that city to provide instruction on Irish dancing. It contains a tune called "Boys of New York (The)" which is a version of "The Merry Old Woman," and is so identified by a penciled remark (possibly in O'Neill's own hand) on the MS page. Reidy attributed the tune to Daniel Kelleher of Clonogh, Castle Island, Kerry. See also the related "Scully Casey's Jig (3)."
