The Winter Night Schottische barndance

Not a hornpipe, but a set dance. Another tune from Fermanagh. We don’t get many set dances posted, so here is a particularly attractive one from the seemingly infinite repertoire of Cathal McConnell. I learned it from his first solo recording “On Lough Erne Shore” - must have been 1979 or thereabouts. I would think it is fairly close to the recorded version, as I used to learn McConnell’s tunes note for note. Unfortunately, I no longer have the LP to check my version against his, so I am unsure about the repeat of the second part. McConnell followed it with a reel which I will post if it comes back to me. Andy Kerrin was from Derrylin, county Fermanagh, but I don’t know what instrument he played.

Ignore sheet music. A part once, B part twice. At least that’s how I remember it.

Paddy, this tune is also on Hammy Hamilton’s solo recording “The Moneymusk”: it’s in one of gorgeous flute duet tracks with Paul McGrattan. The notes say the tune comes from Cathal McConnell as you write, but it is named after a different Fermanagh musician Eddie Duffy.

They play it as a hornpipe with a strange structure, something like BBABBABB.

Slainte, wasn’t aware that Hammy had recorded this -- ashamed to admit I don’t have a copy of “Moneymusk” though I try to make a point of supporting friends by buying their recordings. I know he put Eddie Duffy’s H‘pipe on it, but that’s a quite different tune. At least I think so. I got a h’pipe called Eddie Duffy’s from Hammy once, but have lost most of it. That was a completely different tune, but I don’t remember if it is the same as on his solo album. Hammy and I are in irregular contact, but I owe him an email and will ask. Anyway, no matter what the name it’s still a grand wee tune. I hope to see McConnell in December as one of my students tells me the Boys of the Lough will be touring the US. Haven’t heard them live for many years and am looking forward to it.

To clarify, this is the very last tune on H. Hamilton’s album “The Moneymusk”: the second one in track 18. I learned it some months ago but have completely forgotten about it. I’ve just checked the track of the recoding and now confirm it’s the same tune. Not sure about its title though.

I tried recording this lovely set dance at: http://slainte.web.infoseek.co.jp/sound_e.html It’s the very first take with some rough bits and noises from inside and outside the house. Hope it’s good enough as a little tribute to Cathal McConnell.

“Kerr’s Second Collection of Merry Melodies”
James Kerr, Glasgow, 1870s
Page 50, tune #439

CD: “Danny O’Donnell: Bean Ag Baint Duilisc”
track 9: Winter Night Schottische

~ and it has been called by all of these, but it ain’t a ‘set dance’… 😉

9. Barndance Gan Ainm

The ‘barndance’ or ‘german’ as it was often called in Donegal seems to have been originally a schottische type of tune along with the highland schottische (fling), which in turn was a relation of the strathspey. The respective dances are quite different. Danny learned this barndance in his own locality of The Rosses, where it was popular at one time at country dances. ~ Mick Brown, Teelin, October, 2012