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Annotation:Pretty Peggy (1)
X:1 T:Pretty Peg T:Pretty Peggy [1] M:C L:1/8 B:Petrie - Fourth Collection of Strathspeys, Reels, B:Jiggs & Country Dances (1805) K:D A|d2 fd AFED|d2 fd egfe|d2 fd AFDF|GEFD CEE:| A|(F/E/D) AD BDAD|(F/E/D) (F/E/D) CEEA|(F/E/D) AD BDAD|GFED A,DDA| F/E/D dD cDBD|AD G/F/E/D/ CEEG|FAdf edcB|AGFE FDD||
PRETTY PEGG{Y} [1] (Mairgreadin Deas). AKA – “Pretty Peg.” AKA and see “Bill Clancy's Delight,” “Ladies' Delight," "Lady Elizabeth Percy's Reel," "Snuff Box.” Scottish, Irish; Reel. D Major. Standard tuning (fiddle). AB (O'Neill/1850 & 1001, Surenne): AAB (Athole, Gow, Hunter, Johnson, Martin & Hughes, Petrie, Skye): AA'B (O'Neill/Krassen): ABB' (Hardie): AABB’ (Skinner). The melody is identified by the band Altan as a Scottish reel that has been popular in Ireland for a number of years; indeed, J. Scott Skinner, in his Harp and Claymore collection observes it is "One of the finest of the old Reels." It is sometimes played with parts reversed (see O'Neill's "Bill Clancy's Delight"). The second strain is similar to "Perthshire Hunt (The)." See also “Humors of Westport (The),” “Maguinnis' Delight," “Milestone in the Garden (The)” and “Clydeside Lassies" for other tunes in this family.
The reel appears under the title "Snuff Box" in the 1821 music manuscript collection of musician John Burks attributed to "W.M." Unfortunately, nothing is known of Burks or where he hailed from, but at a guess, he may have been from the north of England or the Borders. County Leitrim piper and fiddler biography:Stephen Grier (c. 1824-1894) entered the tune into Book 2 of his c. 1883 music manuscript collection under the title "Lady Elizabeth Percy's Reel." The melody was also entered as an untitled reel in the 1890's music manuscript collection of London dancing master Patrick D. Reidy, originally from Castleisland, County Kerry. Reidy was employed to teach dancing at various Gaelic League functions, and was a correspondent of Capt. Francis O'Neill in America. He sent O'Neill one of his manuscripts [1] containing this tune, which he credited to Micheal B. Shanahan as his source (see also "Shanahan's Hornpipe", attributed to him).
