Joe Holmes - Here I am Amongst You: Songs, Music and Traditions of an Ulsterman

Here I Am Amongst You is an account of the folklore and repertoire of one of the most influential singers and traditional fiddlers in Ireland - Joe Holmes (1906-1978) of County Antrim. It journeys into the heart of a diverse traditional life in Ulster, giving a detailed and comprehensive account of the world of a singer musician in the 20th century: one which knew little religious or community boundaries - with house dances and song sessions, mumming customs at Christmas, shinny playing, haymaking in summer, while journeying to other parts of Ireland to share music with great musicians, such as Sarah and Rita Keane of Galway, John Doherty of Donegal, and Denis Murphy of Slieve Luachra in Kerry. It publishes some 80 songs of love, politics, early classic ballads, songs of emigration and of local interest, together with transcriptions of over 50 dance tunes, ranging from mazurkas, polkas, schottisches, quadrilles, lancers, and hornpipes, to jigs and reels, reflecting the varied influences and traditions of Ireland and Scotland.