Annotation:Widow Cantwell's Fancy (The)
X:1 T:Widow Cantwell's Fancy, The M:C| L:1/8 R:Hornpipe S:O’Neill – Dance Music of Ireland: 1001 Gems (1907), No. 912 Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion K:G ge|dBGG GBdB|(3ABG (3FGE DcBA|GFGG GBdB|BAAA A2ge| dBGG GBdB|(3ABG (3FGE DcBA|GBdg ecAF|G2G2G2:| |:Bc|dg~g2 dg~g2|dg~g2 edcB|Aa{b}ag fedc|Bdef gfge| dBGG GBdB|(3ABG (3FGE DcBA|GBdg ecAF|G2G2G2:|]
WIDOW CANTWELL'S FANCY, THE (Roga {an} Baintreabaig Ni Cantuell/Catmaeil). AKA and see "Callaghan's Hornpipe (2)," “Killaloe Hornpipe (The),” “Tom Connor's Hornpipe.” Irish, Hornpipe. G Major. Standard tuning (fiddle). AABB. The melody was collected in the mid-19th century under the alternate title “Killaloe Hornpipe” by Church of Ireland cleric James Goodman (1828-1896). Accordion player Jackie Daly recorded the tune as "Callaghan's" on his recording "Music from Sliabh Luachra" (1977).
O'Neill mentions the widow Cantwell and her 'late' husband in his Irish Folk Music: A Fascinating Hobby (1910):
Occasional mention had been made of a large bound volume of music manuscripts in the possession of the widow Cantwell, but nobody believed that we could get more than a glance at it, under any circumstances. There was nothing to be lost by trying, so I called on the bereaved lady, wearing the full uniform of a Captain of Police, by way of introduction. Without hesitation the heirloom was produced, and, finding certain numbers suitable for our purpose, I asked permission for our scribe, Sergeant James O’Neill, to call and copy them. To my great delight, the obliging widow told me to take the book along, but to guard it carefully and return it, uninjured and undiminished, at my convenience.
She explained her reluctance in lending the volume to others. One seeker for hidden treasures, like the writer, to whom she had entrusted it, finding that copying music was tedious and tiresome, overcame the difficulty by just clipping out an odd leaf here and there, to save trouble.
In our social chat the identity of the late lamented Mr. Cantwell was disclosed. At an Irish picnic at Willow Springs [ed.: Missouri?] some years before, I recollected having seen him play a flute in the midst of a circle of admirers. Mosquitoes of the large gray timber variety were so numerous, ravenous and unafraid, that they perched on his quickly moving fingers in groups and tapped him assiduously for his blood. Mr. Cantwell, much as he loved music, could not endure this torture very long; so to give him a chance to resume the entertainment, one of the audience waved a handkerchief steadily over his hands while it continued.
