Annotation:Here's a health to our leader

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HERE'S A HEALTH TO OUR LEADER. AKA and see "Fearless Boys (The)," "Our President," "Christmas Eve (1)," "My Ain Kind Dearie (O)," "Ain Kind Dearie." Irish, Air and March (4/4 time). G Major. Standard tuning (fiddle). AB. "I heard this tune played on the Highland pipes by Lewis O'Brien when I was very young. It was on a Sunday, when good old Dr. Ryan, bishop of Limerick (who Confirmed me), was coming to administer Confirmation. The parishioners, led by their saintly and active parish priest, Father Darby Buckley, met his in a body at the bridge of Barrabunoky, with Lewis O'Brien at the head of the procession, playing all the time, with the grand blue ribbons flying from the tops of the pipes overhead. And in this manner we escorted the Bishop in honour and glory to the chapel" (Joyce). The melody dates back to the 1760's or earlier, according to music antiquarian John Glen.

Source for notated version: "Lewis O'Brien of Coolfree, Co. Limerick: 1845" (Joyce).

Printed sources: Joyce (Old Irish Folk Music and Song), 1909; No. 175, p. 88.

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