Comber & Balloo Sessions

Killarney Boys of Pleasure

Known participants - Jackie Donnan, Geordie McAdam (fiddles), Denis Calvert (whistle). The Killarney Boys of Pleasure was a popular reel in the Comber session being played in two keys, A and up a string on the fiddle in E. Lady Ann Montgomery, also popular, was usually followed by the Bank of Ireland & the Woman of the House.
Recorded at the Castle Inn, Comber, January 1975.

Killarney Boys of Pleasure & Lady Ann Montgomery (Reels)Comber 1975

00:00 / 02:22

Jig/Quadrille Tune - Paddy's Return & The Whitehouse Lass

Known participants in Paddy's Return - Jackie Donnan, Geordie McAdam (fiddles), David Lowry (banjo), Denis Calvert & Sam McCaughey (whistles), Ronnie Crutchley (guitar). Known participants in the Whitehouse Lass - Jackie Donnan (fiddle), David Lowry (banjo), Denis Calvert (whistle), Ronnie Crutchley (guitar). Jackie learned the Whitehouse Lass from Toye Willie Savage and Willie McCloy who, in turn, learned it from John Simpson (1836 - 1921).
Recorded at the Castle Inn, Comber, January 1975.

Paddy's Return & the Whitehouse Lass (Jigs)Comber 1975

00:00 / 01:36

Reel - The Maids of Galway

Known participants - Jackie Donnan, Geordie McAdam (fiddles), David Lowry (banjo), Denis Calvert & Sam McCaughey (whistles), Essie McHugh (banjo mandolin), Ronnie Crutchley (guitar).
Jackie learned the Maids of Galway from Willie McCloy. The Maids of Galway is a setting of the Boyne Hunt, which is known under a number of names in Ireland. It was composed in Scotland by Miss Magdalene Stirling of Ardoch titled the Perthshire Hunt c.1788.
Recorded at the Castle Inn, Comber, January 1975.

Maids of Galway (Reel)Comber 1975

00:00 / 00:54

Jigs - The Rafters Over the Waves & Mick O'Connor's

Known participants - Jackie Donnan, Geordie McAdam (fiddles), David Lowry (banjo), Denis Calvert & Sam McCaughey (whistles), Essie McHugh (banjo mandolin), John Moulden (spoons, which were dampened by both being wound in tape). The jig set was popular and locally titled (and in part mistakenly) the Rafters over the Waves & Mick O'Connor's, the second jig was composed by flute player Vincent Broderick titled the Whistler at the Wake. These two jigs were usually followed the Bush on the Hill, and the Butcher's March. The Bush on the Hill is another composition of Vincent Broderick's titled The Old Flail.
Recorded at the Castle Inn, Comber, January 1975.

Rafters over the Waves (Jigs)Comber 1975

00:00 / 02:07

Reel - Farewell to Cailroe

Known participants - Jackie Donnan, Geordie McAdam, Ernie Swain (fiddles), Denis Calvert (whistle).
Jackie Donnan learned the reel Farewell to Cailroe from Tom McHale when Tom visited the Balloo House sessions around 1971. It was composed by Cork accordion player Finbarr Dwyer.
Recorded in the Castle Inn, Comber in 1976.

Farewell to Cailroe (Reel)Comber 1976

00:00 / 01:09

Reels - The Broken Pledge & The Morning Dew

Known participants - Jackie Donnan, Geordie McAdam, Ernie Swain (fiddles), Ronnie Crutchley (guitar).
Reels, the Broken Pledge and the Morning Dew.
Recorded the Castle Inn, Comber in 1976.

the Broken Pledge & the Morning Dew (Reels)Comber 1976

00:00 / 02:11

Reels - Shaney Mulhearn's & Charlie Lennon's No.4

Known participants - Jackie Donnan, Geordie McAdam, Ernie Swain (fiddles), Davy Simpson (banjo mandolin), Ronnie Crutchley (guitar). The reels, Shaney Mulhearn's and Charlie Lennon's No 4.
Recorded the Castle Inn, Comber in 1976.

Shaney Mulhearn's & Charlie Lennon's No.4Comber 1976

00:00 / 02:31

Jig - The Cliffs of Moher

Known participants - Jackie Donnan, Geordie McAdam, Ernie Swain, Sam McCaughey (fiddles), David Lowry (banjo), Denis Calvert (whistle), Davy Simpson (banjo mandolin), John Moulden (spoons, which were dampened by both being wound in tape). The jig the Cliffs of Moher.
Recorded at the Castle Inn, Comber, January 1975.

Cliffs of Moher (Jig)Comber 1976

00:00 / 00:43

Reel - The Pinch of Snuff

Known participants - Jackie Donnan, Deidre Shannon, Geordie McAdam, Ernie Swain, Dianna Skillen (fiddles), Leon Agnew (flute), Nigel Boullier (banjo), Ronnie Crutchley (guitar).\
The Pinch of Snuff was a regular and popular tune in the Comber and Balloo sessions. It was often preceded by reels, Jackie Colman's and Murphy's.
Recorded at Balloo House, Killinchy, January 1977.

Pinch of Snuff (Reel)Balloo 1977

00:00 / 01:24

Reels - The Heather Breeze & Caher Rua

Known participants - Jackie Donnan, Deidre Shannon, Geordie McAdam, Ernie Swain, Dianna Skillen (fiddles), Leon Agnew (flute), Nigel Boullier (banjo), Ronnie Crutchley (guitar).
Reels, the Heather Breeze and Caher Rua.
Recorded at Balloo House, Killinchy, January 1977.

Heather Breeze & Caher Rua (Reels)Balloo 1977

00:00 / 02:36

Reels - Kilkeevan's Banks

Known participants - Jackie Donnan, Deidre Shannon, Gerry O'Connor, Geordie McAdam, Ernie Swain, Dianna Skillen (fiddles), Denis Calvert (whistle), Nigel Boullier (banjo), Ronnie Crutchley (guitar).
Jackie Donnan learned the reel from James McMahon who called it Kilkeevan's Banks. Fiddle player Liam Donnelly collected the reel from James McMahon in 1966 and titled it James McMahon's No 3, as included in Liam's book County Fermanagh Dance Tunes Book Number 2. It is best known as the Banshee.
Recorded at Balloo House, Killinchy, January 1977.

Kilkeevan's Banks (Reel)Balloo 1977

00:00 / 01:08

Jigs - I Lost my Love & The Laird of Cockpen

Known participants - Jackie Donnan, Ernie Swain, Dianna Skillen (fiddles), Nigel Boullier (banjo), Davy Graham (guitar).
Jackie learned I Lost my Love and I care nae from fiddle player Tommy Orr (1870 - 1958) from Butcher's Corner, Toye and the Laird of Cockpen from both Orr and Toye William Savage (1880 - 1956).
Recorded at the Castle Inn, Comber in 1977.

I Love my Love & the Laird of Cockpen (Jigs)Comber 1977

00:00 / 01:58

Jigs - Sean Ryan's Jigs & Munster Buttermilk

Known participants - Jackie Donnan, Geordie McAdam, Ernie Swain, Dianna Skillen (fiddles), Nigel Boullier (banjo), Ronnie Crutchley (guitar).
These jigs were part of a popular Comber set. They were simply called Sean Ryan's Nos 3 & 4, followed by Munster Buttermilk. Sean Ryan's No 3 is the Dooney Rock. These jigs were usually preceded by Sean Ryan's Nos 1 & 2 which were the Castle and the Nightingale.
Recorded at the Castle Inn, Comber in 1977.

Sean Ryan's Jigs & Munster Buttermilk (Jigs) Comber 1977

00:00 / 02:36

Quadrille Tunes - James McElroy's

Known participants - Jackie Donnan (fiddle), David Lowry (banjo).
Jackie learned these two Quadrille Tunes from James McElroy of Drumnaquoile.
Recorded at the Castle Inn, Comber in 1977.

James McElroy's (2/4 Quadrille tunes)Comber 1977

00:00 / 02:12

Polka/Quadrille Tune - Niel Gow's Farewell to Whisky

Known participants - Jackie Donnan (fiddle), Denis Calvert (whistle).
Niel Gow's Farewell to Whisky is one of the Scottish composer’s best-known tunes. Jackie learned it from Willie Savage and Willie McCloy. Savage played it for the 5th figure of the Lancers, whereas McCloy played it for the 5th figure of the Caledonians. Jackie and myself played it occasionally for the last of the Lancers.
Recorded at the Castle Inn, Comber in 1977.

Niel Gow's Farewell to Whiskey (hop skip polka)Comber 1978

00:00 / 01:02

Reels - The Moving Bog & The Ashplant

Known participants - Ernie Swain, Dianna Skillen (fiddles), Nigel Boullier (banjo), Ronnie Crutchley (guitar). A favourite reel set at the Comber and Balloo sessions - The Moving Bog and the Ashplant.
Recorded at the Castle Inn, Comber in 1978.

the Moving Bog & AshplantComber 1978

00:00 / 01:34