manx celtic music and dance

Research article 3 by David Speers - Car ny Ferrishyn

01 Apr 2014

This is the third in a series of articles that sets out to explore some of the links between the traditional music collected in the Isle of Man and that found in Ireland and Britain, to discover some of the hidden histories behind our traditional music, and to show that the Island has produced beautiful music to match any found elsewhere.

The full article can be read here


Daunsey, or Car, ny Ferrishyn (also: Snieu Queeyl, Snieu)
The only true reel recorded in the Clague music books is called Daunsey ny Ferrishyn, the Fairy Dance (Daunsey is spelled without the “y” in the manuscript). This is a strange feature of the Manx collections and, to players of traditional music, disappointing. It is strange because historically reels were played (and danced) in the Isle of Man and were very popular in the 19th century. George Quarrie’s poem The Melliah (a celebration traditionally held at harvest time), for example, talks of “reel on reel, jig on jig” being played for dancers in 1860’s.
 

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