One of the greatest upsets in Irish horse racing history, on the Curragh of Kildare on March 28, 1752, inspired a ballad that has enjoyed many variations in both the British Isles and America. Our version is followed by two reels, The Salamanca and The Banshee, to relive the excitement of the race.

An emigration song made popular by Ireland's Christy Moore. We learned it with somewhat different lyrics from Catherine Side of Pangbourne, England.

A piece also known as Lament for Rory Og O'More, dating from the late 1500's. When Queen Elizabeth attempted to force colonization in our her's county, Rory led a successful 6-year guerilla war which continued on despite his own death. There is a story that while the Queen's representative was attending a feast in Munster in 1599, great tension was created when O'More's own harper was invited to perform this piece in the English delegate's presence.

Miss Thompson's Hornpipe, Love Will You Marry Me and The Earl's Chair.

A hauntingly beautiful song of bereavement and undying love from the Scottish Hebrides. Local tradition on the Isle of Lewis places the story in the 1790's and gives the lovers' names as Sheena MacFinlay and Donald MacRae. Although Donald was presumed to have been lost at sea, Sheena never abandoned hope for his return but watched daily for his boat from atop Gallows Hill outside the town of Stornoway. She expressed her thoughts in this poem, which was set to music after her death.

General Guinness comes from Ulster singer Robin Morton via the Boys of the Lough album "Live at Passim's". The party jigs are Tobin's Favorite, Willie Clancy's and The Jig of Slurs.