Bonny Lass of Fisherrow (The)

Bonny Lass of Fisherrow (The) Click on the tune title to see or modify Bonny Lass of Fisherrow (The)'s annotations. If the link is red you can create them using the form provided.Browse Properties <br/>Special:Browse/:Bonny Lass of Fisherrow (The) Query the Archive
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	C
Accidental	NONE
Mode	Ionian (Major)
Time signature	4/4
History	CANADA(Maritimes/English)
Structure	AAB
Editor/Compiler	Nathaniel Gow
Book/Manuscript title	Book:Complete Repository Part 3
Tune and/or Page number	p. 21
Year of publication/Date of MS	1806
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 (p. 25) of 1786, 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.

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 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||