FTX-074 - THE PEDLAR'S PACK

JOHNNY DOHERTY -2-

Johnny is the most lyrical player of the famous travelling family of Donegal musicians. Here he plays a wide variety of tunes, also sings, and he tells the background story of each item. He also includes some outstanding descriptive pieces: The Fox-Hunt, Atlantic Roar, Four Posts of the bed, The Blackbird, Postman's Knock, Exhibition Waltz, Wounded Hussar, Lord Mayo, Rocking the Cradle and his own family version of The Irish Washerwoman.

1. STIRLING CASTLE/ GREY DAYLIGHT (Strathspey/ Reel) - 2'05"

2. THE BLACKBIRD (Song Air & Set Dance) - 3'10"

3. THE ATLANTIC ROAR (or ATLANTIC SOUNDS) - 2'05"

4. MOORLOUGH MARY (Song) - 5'15"

5. THE POSTMAN'S KNOCK (Hornpipe) - 2'40"

6. THE GIRL'S CROON (Story & Song Air) - 3'05"

7. THE SPEAKING WALTZ - 2'10"

8. TIGHEARNA MHUIGHEO (The Lord of Mayo - Story & Song Air) - 3'40"

9. (a) Talk about his father & (b) McSWEENEY'S REEL - 2'40"

10. 'SEILG A' MHADAIAIDH RUAIDH (The Fox Chase) - 2'05"

11. SEILG A' GHEARRFHIAIDH - (The Hare and Hounds) with talk -1'40"

12. ROCKING THE CRADLE (Song & tune on fiddle with variations) - 3'45"

13. THE DARK GIRL DRESSED IN BLUE (Polka) - 1'15"

14. THE IRISH WASHERWOMAN (Jig) - 1'20"

15. THE WOUNDED HUSSAR (Song Air) - 1'35"

16. (a) THE HIGH LEVEL/ (b) MADAM VANONI (Hornpipes) - 2'20"

17. THE OLD HAG AND THE CHURN (Story & Jig) - 2'12"

18. THE FOUR POSTS OF THE BED (Story & tune) - 2'30"

19. THE THREE O DONNELLS (Song) - 3'48"

20. ORO SE DE BHEATHA 'A' BHAILLE (Welcome Home - Bagpipe March) - 2'50"

Recorded by Peter Kennedy in Co Donegal in 1953. Edited by Peter Kennedy and first published on Folktrax Cassettes 1975.

Located by Sean O Boyle and Peter Kennedy in 1952, JOHNNY DOHERTY was still leading the life of a pedlar, travelling a triangular route, from house to house, in the Blue Stack Mountains between Gweedore, Carrick and Glen Finn. He had no fiddle of his own, but played upon those, very often found hanging on the walls, of those houses he visited with his wares. His pack, wrapped in black oilskin sheeting, consisted of buttons, combs, pins, cotton thread and needles, as well as various small articles of ladies clothing. When he started playing, word would soon get around, and all the neighbours would gather at the house for a night of ceilidh-ing, and Johnny would be accommodated there for the night.

For this recording, and when he was filmed by Peter Kennedy and Pete Seeger (THE IRISH FIDDLER - available on video), he played on Kennedy's fiddle, to which Johnny took a particular liking. When once located by the collectors, he recorded almost continuously, day and night, for a period of a whole week. When it was suggested to him that he should not record so much of his music for the two collectors at any one time, he reassured them, saying that he was anxious to record his complete repertoire of Irish, Scots and English tunes for the understanding and enjoyment of future generations.