Annotation:Limerick Town

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LIMERICK TOWN. Irish, Air. C Major. Standard tuning (fiddle). AB. Limerick is in the west of Ireland, originally settled on a bare, barren patch of hilly land on an island (now called King's Island) in the River Shannon. In 831 the Norsemen arrived in that part of Ireland, at first to pillage and despoil monasteries (where the riches were), then settling on the land to become farmers and keen merchants, building Limerick into a strong trading port. They held the area for a century before being driven out by Brian Boru on his succession to the sovereignty of Thomond. Limerick then became the chief seat of the O'Briens. In 1210 the English King John visited the city and made provisions for the building of a strong castle and a bridge across the Shannon River. The Castle remains to this day but the bridge was replaced in 1838 by the present Thomond Bridge (see note for "Thomond Bridge").

Source for notated version: "From Hughes" (Roche), probably referencing Herbert Hughes multi-volume Irish Country Songs.

Printed sources: Roche (Collection of Traditional Irish Music, vol. 3), 1927; No. 5, p. 2.

Recorded sources:




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