Annotation:Kerry Dance (1) (The)

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 KERRY DANCE, THE. AKA and see "St. Patrick's Day (in the Morning)," "Barbary Bell," "Old Woman Tossed Up (1) (The)(in a Basket/Blanket)." Irish, Long Dance (6/8 time). A Major. Standard tuning (fiddle). AAB. A 'long dance' is an Irish country dance. According to Fuld (1971), "The Kerry Dance" was composed as a song, published in 1879 and usually attributed to James L. Molloy (b. County Offaly, Ireland, 1837-1909). The opening eight bars are virtually identical to "The Cuckoo," written and composed by Miss Margaret Casson and published in London about 1790; Molloy added the music of the middle part and new words. The melody was cited as having commonly been played for country dances in Orange County, New York in the 1930's (Lettie Osborn, New York Folklore Quarterly).  Source for notated version:  Printed sources: Roche (Collection of Traditional Irish Music, vol. 2), 1912; No. 293, p. 38.  Recorded sources:

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