The Rose in the Heather

An Irish Jig, here played on violin

The Dublin Stage

A real fast polka

Men behind the Wire

Paddy McGuigan is an Irish musician who played for some years with the folk group Barleycorn. He has written some Irish rebel songs, including The Men Behind the Wire, The Boys of the Old Brigade, and Irish Soldier Laddie.

McGuigan wrote The Men Behind the Wire in the aftermath of internment in Northern Ireland. The song describes raids by British soldiers, and the "men behind the wire" refers to those held without charge or trial at Long Kesh prison camp, Magilligan prison camp and on board the Maidstone Prison Ship. McGuigan himself was picked up in a later round of internment, which some saw as the British State's revenge for writing the song.
British singer/songwriter Dido in her song 'Let's Do the Things We Normally Do' from the album 'Safe Trip Home' used a few lines from The Men Behind The Wire. This included the lyrics "Armoured cars and tanks and guns, came to take away our sons. But every man must stand behind, the men behind the wire."
A loyalist tune appeared called YCV Brigade which plagiarized lyrics from The Boys of the Old Brigade and also used the tune of Wild Colonial Boy.

John O'Connor (O'Carolan)

The lyrics (in Gaelic only) indicate John O'Connor was of Offaly and a young bachelor at the time the tune was composed. However, records indicate that Counselor John O'Connor died at the Battle of Aughrim - making the date too early for him to be the subject of the tune. Counsellor O'Connor's son Maurice succeeded him. There is no record of a brother named John, making the exact identity of the subject of the tune something of a mystery.

Don't Get Married Girls

Leon Rosselson (born 1934) is an English songwriter and writer of children's books. After his early involvement in the folk music revival in Britain, he came to prominence, singing his own satirical songs, in the BBC's topical TV programme of the early 1960s, That Was The Week That Was. He toured Britain and abroad, singing mainly his own songs and accompanying himself with complex arrangements for acoustic guitar.

In later years, he has published 17 children's books, the first of which, Rosa's Singing Grandfather, was shortlisted in 1991 for the Carnegie Medal.
He continues to write and perform his own songs, and to collaborate with other musicians and performers. Most of his material includes some sort of satirical content or elements of radical politics.

All For Me Grog

Traditional sea shanty

Hugh O'Donnell (O'Carolan)

Aodh Ruadh Ó Domhnaill, anglicized as either Hugh Roe O'Donnell or Red Hugh O'Donnell (1572 – 10 September 1602), was An Ó Domhnaill (The O'Donnell) and Ri (king) of Tír Chonaill (anglicized Tyrconnell, now known as County Donegal). He led a rebellion against English government in Ireland from 1593 and helped to lead the Nine Years' War (a revolt against English occupation) from 1595 to 1603. He is sometimes also known as Aodh Ruadh II or Red Hugh II, especially within County Donegal.

Hobart's Transformation

Here's the story for this tune:
 Hobart's Transformation celebrates the man who, almost single handedly, transformed the American Episcopal Church into a vibrant religious institution in the early 19th century.
The Church had fallen on hard times after the American Revolution because of public distrust of its association with the British government. Church leaders had done little to challenge this attitude and regain a following. John Henry Hobart changed this.

Bridger waltz

A Tennessee Waltz

Colonel Irwin (O'Carolan)