Bonny Lass of Fisherrow (The)

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Theme code Index	51H65 1526
Also known as	Bonny Lass of Fishirron (The), Bonny Lass of Fisherow (The), Cait Bhoidheach, Bonnie Kate (1), Bonny Kate (1), Boys of Limerick (The)
Composer/Core Source	Daniel Dow
Region	England, Scotland, Canada
Genre/Style	Cape Breton/PEI, Scottish
Meter/Rhythm	Reel (single/double)
Key/Tonic of	D
Accidental	2 sharps
Mode	Ionian (Major)
Time signature	4/4
History	CANADA(Maritimes/English)
Structure	AAB
Editor/Compiler	Biography:Samuel Ann & Peter Thompson
Book/Manuscript title	Book:Twenty-Four Country Dances for the Year 1787
Tune and/or Page number	p. 21
Year of publication/Date of MS	1787
Artist	Biography:Winston "Scotty" Fitzgerald
Title of recording	Classic Cuts
Record label/Catalogue nr.	Celtic Records CX 40
Year recorded
Media
Score ()

BONNY LASS OF FISHERROW/FISHIRRON, THE. AKA and see "Cait Bhoidheach," "Bonnie Kate (1)/Bonny Kate," "Boys of Limerick (The)." Scottish (originally), English, Canadian; Reel. England, Northumberland. Canada; Prince Edward Island, Cape Breton. C Major. Standard tuning (fiddle). AB (Kerr): AAB (Athole, Gow): AABB' (Phillips): AA'BB' (Cranford). Composed by Edinburgh composer and music teacher Daniel Dow (1732-1783), most famous as the composer of "Monymusk." Glen finds the tune first published in Daniel Dow's c. 1773 or 1775 (p. 2) and Neil Stewart's 1761 (p. 65) collections. In the opinion of Mr. Troup of Ballater (as cited by David Baptie in Musical Scotland, Past and Present, 1894, p. 46) "Bonny Lass of Fisherrow" is among the dozen or so of Dow's best compositions. The tune's title appears in Henry Robson's list of popular Northumbrian song and dance tunes, which he published c. 1800. As "Bonnie Kate (1)" the tune is played in Ireland in the key of D Major. On Prince Edward Island the tune is often played in a medley between "Rothermurches Rant" and "Bird's Nest (The)." It was printed by Thompson in his Compleat Collection of 200 Favourite Country Dances, vol. 5 (p. 21) of 1788, which version was reprinted by Brendan Breathnach in his Ceol Rince na hÉirreann, vol. 1, No. 174 (1963). The melody is popular in Ireland as the reel "Bonnie Kate (1)."

Source for notated version: Carl & Jackie Webster (Cardigan, Central Kings County, Prince Edward Island) [Perlman].

Printed sources: Carlin (The Gow Collection), 1986; No. 400. Cranford (Jerry Holland's), 1995; No. 73, p. 22. Gow (Complete Repository), Part 3, 1806; p. 21. Kerr (Merry Melodies), vol. 3; No. 120, p. 14. Lowe (A Collection of Reels & Strathspeys), 1844. Perlman (The Fiddle Music of Prince Edward Island), 1996; p. 118. Phillips (Fiddlecase Tunebook), 1989; p. 12 (appears as "Bonnie Lass of Fisherow"). Stewart-Robertson (The Athole Collection), 1884; p. 70. Thompson (Twenty-Four Country Dances for the Year 1787), 1787; p. 21. Thompson (Compleat Collection of 200 Favourite Country Dances, vol. 5), 1788; p. 21.

Recorded sources: Breton Books and Music BOC 1HO, Winston "Scotty" Fitzgerald - "Classic Cuts" (reissue of Celtic Records CX 40). Shanachie Records 14001, "The Early Recordings of Angus Chisolm" (appears as "Bonnie Lass of Fisherow").

X:1
T:Bonny Lass of Fishirron, The
M:C
L:1/8
R:Reel
N:Under section of "Dances, 1786".
B:Samuel, Ann & Peter Thompson - Compleat Collection of 200 Favourite Country Dances, vol. 5 (1788, p. 25)
N:" As they are Perform'd at Court, Bath and all Publick Assemblys ."
Z:AK/Fiddler's Companion
K:D
AFdA BdAF|DFAF EE/E E2|AFAd BGBd|ceAc dd/d/ d2:||
fdad fadb|adfd efgb|affa gbeg|faef dd/d/d2|
fdad fadb|adfd efge|dAFA ceAg|faef dd/d/ d2:|]

X:2
T:Bonny Lass of Fisherrow
M:C|
L:1/8
R:Reel
B:Stewart-Robertson - The Athole Collection  (1884)
Z:AK/Fiddler's Companion
K:C
A|GEcG AcGE|CEGE D/D/D A2|GEGc AFAc|BdGB c/c/c ~c:|
f|ecgc egca|gcec Bddf|ecgc egca|gede c/c/c ~cf|
ecgc egca|gcec Bddf|ecGc Acfa|gede c/c/c ~c||