Ever the Winds
1975—Polydor 2383 328 LP
Side One
Soldier Soldier
I Held A Lady
The New Doffing Mistress
Ever The Winds
The Humours Of Donnybrook Fair
I Wish I Was Hunting
Side Two
Gentle Annie
The Boys Of Killybegs
A Maid Going To Comber
The Cotton Mill Song
Ballinderry
The Bells Of Rhymney
Credits
Tommy Makem: Banjo, Whistle
Jake Walton: Hurdy-gurdy
Kevin Burke: Fiddle
P J Grotty: Concert Flute
Mick O’Connor: Mandolin, Tenor Banjo
Donal Lunny: Producer, Bouzouki, Guitar
Engineer: Chris Brunt
Recorded at Polydor Studios, London
Art Direction: Paul Welch
Design: Norman Moore
Illustration: Elizabeth Graham-Yooll
Photography: Ron Cohen
Printed and made in England by MacNeill Press Ltd
Sleeve Notes
SOLDIER, SOLDIER
Another version of The Trooper and the Maid in which the wily soldier takes
all the gifts he can get and still wriggles out of marrying the poor love-struck maid.
I HELD A LADY
This lovely song has become one of my favourites. The imagery in the Lyrics is extremely attractive and the tune, which is known as The Munster Cloak, is excellent.
THE NEW DOFFING MISTRESS
Doffing is one of the many processes used in the making of linen, and the doffing mistress was the charge hand over the doffers, as the girls who did this work were called. There was much comraderie in the midst of all the drudgery in the factories. The doffers in this case seem to have been very fond of their mistress, and distrustful of the new one who was taking her place. The song is from Belfast and I learned it from the singing of David Hammond.
EVER THE WINDS
True love never runs smoothly, and as has been stated very eloquently in another song, the joy of love lasts but a moment but the pain lasts forever.
THE HUMOURS OF DONNYBROOK FAIR
In a book called History of the County of Dublin published in 1838, DAlton writes of Donnybrook, This place was long celebrated for its Annual August Fair - The Bartholomew of Dublin; but which, in consequence of several riotous and disgraceful results, it has been necessary to suppress. On account of these Riotous and Disgraceful Results, the word Donnybrook is now quoted in the dictionary as meaning A Rough and Ready Free-for-all. Well there may have been Free-for-alls, but Ill bet there was a lot of jollyfication and good times as well!
I WISH I WAS HUNTING
A short word picture of a lovely life style. The reel played at the end is called Love at its Endings.
GENTLE ANNIE
A gentle song about a gentle lady. Love itself, of course, can be very gentle, and yet, if it is true love it can withstand anything, for as it says in the song of Solomon (8:7). Many Waters cannot quench love, neither can the floods drown it.
THE BOYS OF KILLYBEGS
Killybegs is a fishing port on the majestic coast of Donegal. This song is in praise of her fishermen who brave the seas every day to make a living. Success to them and to all fishermen.
A MAID GOING TO COMBER
This well loved song of gentle seduction is from County Down where the town of Comber is situated. The slip jig played is called Barney Brallaghan.
THE COTTON MILL SONG
Another of the many songs about the mills in Belfast in the late nineteenth century. The rollicking lilt of the melody makes it very happy-go-lucky and extra good for singing. I learned this song from the singing of the Irish Country Four. The instrumental is called Paddy Fahys Jig.
BALLINDERRY
Edward Bunting, who collected this song from a Dr. Crawford of Lisburn, County Antrim in 1808, stated that it was very ancient with date unknown and he noted that it was peculiar in that the chorus formed a harmony to the verse. There are supposed to be several other Irish airs with a similar chorus, but this is the only one that Bunting found in all his lifetime of collecting. Ballinderry is a very picturesque village near the shores of Lough Neagh in County Antrim.
THE BELLS OF RHYMNEY
A soulful cry about the injustices heaped on the coal miners of Wales. The words were written by Idris Davies and the melody added by Pete Seeger.