Annotation:Over the Water to Bessie
OVER THE WATER TO BESSIE. Irish, Reel (cut time). D Major. Standard tuning (fiddle). Caoimhn Mac Aoid believes "Over the Water to Bessie" was probably obtained by Dundalk fiddler Gerry o'Connor from Rev. Luke Donnelan's manuscripts, published in the Louth Archaeological Journal in the early part of the 20th century. The Reverend was a parish priest in the south Armagh/north Louth area who collected material. Fr. John Quinn points out that the second strain of "Over the Water to Bessie" is shared with the second strain of "Wind that Shakes the Barley (1) (The)." The first strain of "Over the Water to Bessie" seems related to the second strain of "Anderson's Reel (1)," taking into account octave differences for some of the primary notes.
