ROGERS O'NEILL (Rauidri Ua Niall). Irish, Hornpipe. A Major. Standard tuning (fiddle). AABBCCDD. "Rogers O'Neill" was composed by elderly Chicago fiddler biography:Edward Cronin, originally from Limerick Junction, County Tipperary, in honor of the oldest of collector and compiler Captain Francis O’Neill’s sons, who while still young showed promise as a fiddler and college student. Tragically, Rogers died in 1904 at the age of 18 from spinal meningitis. See also “Lament for Rogers O'Neill.”
The first strain of "Rogers O'Neill" is similar to that of "Scotch Hornpipe (A)" in George H. Coes' Coes Album of Jigs and Reels (1876) which later appeared in Elias Howe's Musician's Omnibus parts 6 & 7 (c. 1880) as "Temple Hornpipe." It is possible Cronin had some familiarity with the melody from either collection and adapted it to his purposes. Cronin's subsequent strains are not similar.
Additional notes
Printed sources : - O'Neill (Krassen), 1976; p. 181. O'Neill (Music of Ireland: 1850 Melodies), 1903; No. 1634, p. 303. O'Neill (Dance Music of Ireland: 1001 Gems), 1907; No. 862, p. 149. O’Neill (O’Neill’s Irish Music), 1915; No. 342, p. 168.
