This is a compilation of recordings made between 1926 and 1944 in London for the HMV and Columbia labels.

Production and remastering by Tony Engle;
Sleeve notes by Sean Reid;
Sleeve photograph by Brendan Grimes;
Sleeve design by Tony Engle;
Original recordings from the collections of Tony Engle and Reg Hall, and from the EMI record library

Musicians

Leo Rowsome, pipes

Tracks

Side 1

1. Kiss the Maid Behind the Barrel / Touch Me If You Dare Irish reels (3.20)
   (HMV BD1312 [OEL11], Dublin, 24 April 1937)
2. Top of the Cork Road / The Irish Washerwoman jigs (3.05)
   (HMV BD1312 [OEL9], Dublin, 24 April 1937)
3. Boulavogue / The Old Bog Road airs of ’98 (3.02)
   (HMV BD1313 [OEL56], Dublin, 12 March 1938)
4. The Boys of Wexford / Kelly the Boy from Killane marches (2.47)
   (HMV BD1313 [OEL57], Dublin, 12 March 1938)
5. Boil the Breakfast Early / The Heather Breeze reels (3.21)
   (HMV BD1314 [OEL7], Dublin, 24 April 1937)
6. Savourneen Deelish / Clare’s Dragoons air & march (3.09)
   (HMV BD1314 [OEL8], Dublin, 24 April 1937)
7. The Blackbird (3.13)
   (HMV BD1315 [S2922], Dublin, 19 July 1937)

Side 2

8. St. Patrick’s Day (3.10)
   (HMV BD1315 [S2923], Dublin, 19 July 1937)
9. Rights of Man / Wexford / Dunphy’s Hornpipe hornpipes (2.45)
   (Columbia 4122 [A3672], London, 10 August 1926)
10. The Broom / Star of Munster / The Milliner’s Daughter Irish reels (2.54)
    (Columbia 4122 [A3674], London, 10 August 1926)
11. Day Dreams / The Low Backed Car waltzes (2.49)
    (Columbia 4123 [A3675], London, 10 August 1926)
12. Kitty’s Rambles / Donnybrook Fair / The Butcher’s March Irish jigs (2.49)
    (Columbia 4123 [A3676], London, 10 August 1926)
13. The Plains of Boyle / Bantry Bay Hornpipe hornpipes (3.14)
    (HMV IM1002 [OEL297], Dublin, 23 February 1944)
14. The Collier’s Reel / The Maid of Tramore reels (3.14)
    (HMV IM1002 [OEL298], Dublin, 24 February 1944)

Liam Walsh was recorded at the HMV studios in Hayes, Middlesex, 1924-26;
William Andrews was recorded in London (1928) and Dublin (1930);
Produced by Tony Engle;
Sleeve notes by Sean Reid;
Sleeve design by Tony Russell;
Seeve photograph of Liam Walsh from the collection of Reg Hall;
Original recordings from the collections of Reg Hall and Tony Engle, and from the EMI Record Library

Musicians

William Andrews, Liam Walsh: pipes;
Joe Milton: banjo [9, 13]

Tracks

Side 1: Liam Walsh

1. The Portlaw Reel (3.03)
   (HMV B2308 [Bb6677-1], 10 September 1925)
2. The Faithful Brown Cow air (2.55)
   (HMV B2548 [Bb6660-4], 8 January 1926)
3. Billy Taylor’s Fancy hornpipe (2.56)
   (HMV B2308 [Bb6661-2], 8 September 1925)
4. The Garden of Daisies set dance (3.10)
   (HMV B2073 [Bb5151-1], 30 September 1924)
5. The Banks of the Suir air & reel (3.08)
   (HMV B2073 [Bb5168-2], 2 October 1924)
6. The Mountain Lark / Dan McCarthy’s Fancy reels (3.01)
   (HMV B2157 [Bb6662-1], 8 September 1925)
7. The Cliffs of Moher / Saddle the Pony double jigs (3.00)
   (HMV B2157 [Bb6663-1], 8 September 1925)

Side 2: William Andrews

8. Yellow John / Kitty’s Rambles double jigs (2.54)
   (Parlophone E3574 [E2132], September 1928)
9. Speed the Plough / Johnny Gorman reels (2.51)
   (Parlophone E3575 [E3518-1], July 1930)
10. Ask My Father / The Mountain Lark single jigs (2.59)
    (Parlophone E3571 [E2129], September 1928)
11. May Day / The Cuckoo’s Nest hornpipes (2.46)
    (Parlophone E3576 [E2135], September 1928)
12. Smash the Windows single jig / Rocky Road to Dublin slip jig (2.55)
    (Parlophone E3576 [E2128], September 1928)
13. Bonnie Kate / First House in Connaught reels (2.43)
    (Parlophone E3575 [E3518-1], July 1930)
14. Munster Buttermilk. double jig (3.12)
    (Parlophone E3574 [E2133], September 1928)

This is a compilation of recordings made between 1925 and 1948 in London for the Rex, Imperial and Winner labels.

Production and remastering by Tony Engle;
Sleeve notes by Sean Reid;
Sleeve design by Tony Engle;
Original recordings from the collection of Reg Hall

Musicians

Leo Rowsome: pipes;
unidentified violin accompaniment [13-14]

Tracks

Side 1

1. Gillian’s Apples / The Maid of Tramore jigs (2.55)
   (REX 15024 [TB2699-1], 12 December 1936)
2. The Independent Hornpipe / The Star Hornpipe hornpipes (2.50)
   (REX 15026 [TB2700-1], 12 December 1936)
3. The Fairie’s Revels / I Won’t Be a Nun marches (2.52)
   (REX 15027 [TB2694-1], 12 December 1936)
4. Higgin’s Hornpipe / The Queen of May hornpipes (2.55)
   (REX 15048 [DR12553-1], 28 July 1948)
5. The Frieze Breeches seven part Irish jig (2.55)
   (REX 15048 [DR12550-1], 27 July 1948)
6. Tomorrow Morning / The Cloone Hornpipe hornpipes (2.58)
   (REX 15045 [DR12555-1], 28 July 1948)
7. The Bunch of Keys / Buckley’s Fancy reels (2.33)
   (REX 15024 [TB2702-1], 12 December 1936)
8. The Sweep’s Hornpipe / The Friendly Visit hornpipes (2.59)
   (REX 15045 [DR12556-1], 28 July 1948)

Side 2

9. The Cook in the Kitchen / Rakes of Kildare jigs (2.55)
   (REX 15027 [TB2692-1], 12 December 1936)
10. Jockey to the Fair set dance (2.40)
    (REX 15026 [TB2701], 12 December 1936)
11. My Darling Asleep / Tongues of Fire Irish jigs (2.50)
    (REX 15046 [DR12554-1], 28 July 1948)
12. Brian O’Lynn / The Newly Married Couple Irish jigs (2.51)
    (REX 15046 [DR12548-1], 27 July 1948)
13. A Nation Once Again / The Bold Fenian Men / Fainne Geal an Lac marches (3.00)
    (Imperial 2867 [6374-2], April 1933)
14. Shandon Bells / Haste to the Wedding jigs (3.02)
    (Imperial 2867 [6375], April 1933)
15. Snowy Breasted Pearl jigs (2.54)
    (Winner 4260 [9441], July 1925)
16. Rocky Road to Dublin slip jig (2.51)
    (Winner 4260 [9442], July 1925)

This collection is a (shortened) compilation of two Topic albums, Leo Rowsome, Classics of Irish Piping Volume 1 and Volume 3, released in 1975 and 1977. These in turn were taken from recordings made between 1926 and 1948 for the Rex, HMV and Columbia labels.

Musicians

Leo Rowsome: pipes

Tracks

1. Boil the Breakfast Early / The Heather Breeze reels (3.21)
2. Savourneen Deelish / Clare’s Dragoons air & march (3.09)
3. The Blackbird (3.13)
4. St. Patrick’s Day (3.10)
5. Boulavogue / The Old Bog Road airs (3.02)
6. The Boys of Wexford / Kelly the Boy from Killane marches (2.47)
7. Rights of Man / Wexford / Dunphy’s Hornpipe hornpipes (2.45)
8. The Broom / Star of Munster / The Milliner’s Daughter reels (2.54)
9. Day Dreams / The Low Backed Car waltzes (2.49)
10. Kitty’s Rambles / Donnybrook Fair / The Butcher’s March jigs (2.49)
11. The Plains of Boyle / Bantry Bay Hornpipe hornpipes (3.14)
12. The Collier’s Reel / The Maid of Tramore reels (3.14)
13. Gillian’s Apples / The Maid of Tramore jigs (2.55)
14. The Independent Hornpipe / The Star Hornpipe hornpipes (2.50)
15. The Frieze Breeches seven part jig (2.55)
16. Tomorrow Morning / The Cloone Hornpipe hornpipes (2.58)
17. The Cook in the Kitchen / Rakes of Kildare jigs (2.55)
18. The Sweep’s Hornpipe / The Friendly Visit hornpipes (2.59)
19. Jockey to the Fair set dance (2.40)
20. My Darling Asleep / Tongues of Fire jigs (2.50)
21. Higgin’s Hornpipe / The Queen of May hornpipes (2.55)
22. The Fairie’s Revels / I Won’t Be a Nun marches (2.52)
23. Shandon Bells / Haste to the Wedding jigs (3.02)
24. Rocky Road to Dublin slip jig (2.51)

Tracks 1-12 are from Classics of Irish Piping Volume 1 (12T259, 1975);
Tracks 13-24 are from Classics of Irish Piping Volume 3 (12T322, 1977)