Bottle of Punch (The)

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Theme code Index	5L2 6L7L 5L2 6L7L
Also known as	Bobbing for Eels, Bowl of Punch (The), Butchers of Bristol (1) (The), Dairymaid (6) (The), Fishing for Eels, Glens of Mayo (The), Humours of Miltown (2) (The), Ioc an Reicneail, Jackson's Bottle of Punch, Jackson's Bottle of Brandy, Jackson's Jug of Punch, Jackson's Jug of Brandy, Jug of Punch (5) (The), Old Man's Jig (The), Pay the Reckoning
Composer/Core Source
Region	Scotland, Ireland
Genre/Style	Irish, Scottish
Meter/Rhythm	Jig/Quadrille
Key/Tonic of	G
Accidental	1 sharp
Mode	Ionian (Major)
Time signature	6/8
History
Structure	AAB
Editor/Compiler	Biography:Niel Gow
Book/Manuscript title	Book:Third Collection of Niel Gow's Reels
Tune and/or Page number	p, 22
Year of publication/Date of MS	1792
Artist
Title of recording
Record label/Catalogue nr.
Year recorded
Media
Score ()

BOTTLE OF PUNCH. AKA and see "Bobbing for Eels," "The Bowl of Punch," "The Butchers of Bristol [1]", "Dairymaid [6]," "Fishing for Eels," "The Glens of Mayo," "The Humours of Miltown [2]," "Ioc an Reicneail," "Jackson's Bottle/Jug of Punch/Brandy," "The Jug of Punch [5]," "The Old Man's Jig," "Pay the Reckoning." Irish, Scottish; Jig. D Major. Standard tuning (fiddle). AAB (Gow): AABB (Kerr). The word 'punch' derives from a Hindi word, panch, meaning 'five', because of its five ingredients: spirits, water, lemon-juice, sugar and spices. The word was first recorded in English in 1669. It was a favorite convivial libation of the hard-drinking 18th century. One period anecdote goes:

A well-known person, named Led---ge, who lived at Bluebell, having met a favourite boon companion, was induced by him to partake of some refreshment at an inn, where he speedily consumed 16 tumblers of punch. He was rising to leave, when the friend suggested that he should "make up the twenty." "The parish priest is to dine with me," replied Led---ge, "and I should not wish him to see the sign of liquor on me."

Gow (1792) lists the tune as "Irish." In the Goodman manuscripts (vol. IV, pg. 11) "Bottle of Punch" is attributed to the 18th century gentleman piper Walker 'Piper' Jackson, of the townland of Lisdaun, parish of Ballingarry, Aughrim, County Limerick. Breathnach (1996) finds the tune in O'Neill's Dance Music of Ireland (1907) under the titles "Jackson's Bottle of Brandy," "Bobbing for Eels," "Fishing for Eels," and "Jackson's Jug of Punch." As "The Bowl of Punch" it appears in the John O'Daly manuscript in the National Library in Dublin, and as "The Bottle of Claret" it can be found in Samuel Holden's Collection of Old-Established Irish Slow and Quick Tunes (1806-1807). O'Farrell, in his Pocket Companion for the Irish or Union Pipes (vol. 1, pg. 17) gives it as "Pay the Reckoning." In addition, says Breathnach, Kerry titles employed for the melody have been "The Old Man's Jig" and "The Fading Rose," while flute player Michael Tubridy of Clare and Dublin calls it "The Glens of Mayo." Joyce's (1909) "The Humours of Ballinaraheen" and "The Humours of Winnington" share the 'B' part with "Bottle of Punch." Finally, Breathnach finds that O'Neill prints a tune called "Dunmanway Lasses" (DMI, 194) with a related first strain.

Printed sources: Carlin (The Gow Collection), 1986; No. 322. Gow (Third Collection of Niel Gow's Reels), 1792; p. 22 (3rd ed.). Kerr (Merry Melodies), vol. 1; No. 23, p. 38.

X:2
T:Bottle of Punch, The
M:6/8
L:1/8
R:Jig
B:Gow - 3rd Collection of Niel Gow's Reels, 3rd ed., p. 22  (orig. 1792)
Z:AK/Fiddler's Companion
K:G
.D2.B AFD|"tr"EDE {D/E/}F2E|D2B AFD|"tr"EDE FDB,|D2B AFD|
"tr"EDE FGA|"tr"B>cd AGF|"tr"EDE FDB,:||(df).d cec|BdB ABc|dfd ege|
"tr"f>ed {d}cBA|(df).d cec|BdB ABc|~d>cB AGF|"tr"EDE FDB,|(df).d (ce).c|
BdB ABc|"tr"d>ef efg|"tr"f>ed {c}ecA|(df).d (ce).c|BdB ABc|{c}cef AFD|"tr"EDE FDB,||