Annotation:Links of Killarow (The)
X:1 T:Links of Killarow, The M:C| L:1/16 R:Strathspey B:Alexander Mackay – A Collection of Reels, Strathspeys and Slow Tunes… B:Chiefly composed by Alexander Mackay, Musician Islay (c. 1822, p. 15) B: https://digital.nls.uk/special-collections-of-printed-music/archive/104487947 N:Dedicated to the Right Hon. Lady Elinor Campbell of Islay and Shawfield. N:Mackay was born c. 1775 and was a fiddler-composer from Islay. Many of his N:tune titles are reflect Islay settings. N:Printed in Glasgow by J. MacFadyen, 30 Wilson St. Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion K:C a2|g2e2c2g2 efge d3f|e3cg3c e2d2d2a2|g2e2c2g2 e3gd3B|c2A2G2E2 CCC2 C2:| |:F2|E3Gc3G A3Gc3G|E3Gc3G A2D2D2F2|E3Gc3G A2G2A2a2|g2f2e2d2 ccc2 c2:|
LINKS OF KILLAROW, THE. Scottish, Strathspey (cut time). C Major. Standard tuning (fiddle). AABB. "Links of Killarow" was first published in Islay fiddler-composer biography:Alexander Mackay's (b. 1773)A Collection of Reels, Strathspey and Slow Tunes, printed in Glasgow around 1822. Killarow was a former village near Islay House, Isle of Islay, in the inner Hebrides, but the populace (who were almost all spinners and weavers) had been moved aournd 1768 to a planned village nearby, called Bowmore (see note for "annotation:Merry Lads of Killarow (The)" for more). Islay House, seat of the Campbell lairds, was constructed in 1677 (with alterations in the 18th and 19th centuries) and was called Kilarrow House until around the time the village was moved to the other side of the sea loch, Loch Inddall. This circumstance removed the 'locals' from proximity to the 'big house', giving the Campbells greater privacy while also allowing them to keep an eye on the villagers from across the water of the loch. On the other hand, the locals gained improved housing in what was the first grid system town in Scotland.
In Scots language, links refers to the sandy undulating ground, usually covered with turf, bent grass, gorse, etc., which is frequently found near the sea-shore on a flat part of the coast. Links is a place-name associated with the nearest town, in this case the former town of Killarow, Islay.
