> Folk Music > Songs > Nancy Whisky / The Calton Weaver / Long Cookstown

Nancy Whisky / The Calton Weaver / Long Cookstown

[ Roud 883 ; G/D 3:603 ; Henry H745 ; Ballad Index K279 ; DT CALTONWV , CALTONW2 ; Mudcat 125898 ; trad.]

Katherine Campbell: Songs From North-East Scotland Gale Huntington: Sam Henry’s Songs of the People John Ord: Bothy Songs and Ballads Willie Scott: Herd Laddie o’ the Glen Peggy Seeger, Ewan MacColl: The Singing Island

Willie Mitchell of Campbeltown, Argyllshire sang Nancy’s Whisky in December 1956 to Hamish Henderson. This recording was included in 2006 on the Kyloe CD Hamish Henderson Collects Volume 2. Mike Yates noted:

This song is perhaps best-known, as The Calton Weaver, through the version that Ewan MacColl often sang. MacColl had learnt it from Hughie Martin, a Glasgow singer and the song has been especially popular in Scotland, although in most of the versions collected by Gavin Greig and James Duncan the song is set in Dublin, which suggests that it may be originally from Ireland (Willie’s tune certainly has an Irish feel to it). There are two London broadsides, as Nancy Whisky, from Pitts and Jennings, which date to the early part of the 19^th century. Cecil Sharp found a couple of sets in Somerset and Oxfordshire and George B. Gardiner likewise noted a single text in Hampshire. An Irish set, collected in County Tyrone by Sam Henry, is included in Songs of the People (University of Georgia Press. 1990. p. 47). Stewarton, mentioned in Willie Mitchell’s version, is a village found at a junction of the main roads from Southend and Machrihanish to Campbeltown.

Ewan MacColl sang The Calton Weaver in 1958 on his Topic album of industrial ballads, Second Shift. This recording was also included in 1964 on his Topic album Steam Whistle Ballads and in 2003 on his anthology The Definitive Collection. The album’s liner notes commented:

The village of Calton no longer exists, having been swallowed up by the City of Glasgow more than half a century ago. Of its once thriving weaving trade, nothing remains but this wry little song. Ewan MacColl learned this version from Hughie Martin of Shettleston, Glasgow, who insisted that MacColl’s father had written the tune “because he didna tak’ to the ither yin”.

Jimmie Macgregor sang Nancy Whiskey in a recording made by Peter Kennedy at Cecil Sharp House that was published in 1960 on the HMV anthology A Jug of Punch.

Eddie Butcher of Magilligan, Co. Derry, sang Nancy’s Whiskey in July 1966 to Hugh Shields. This recording was included on the 3 CD set that accompanied Shields’ 2011 book on Eddie Butcher, All the Days of His Life.

The Clancy Brothers with Louis Killen sang Nancy Whiskey live at the Bushnell Auditorium in Hartford, Connecticut on 17 March 1972. This concert was published in the following year on their album Live on St. Patrick’s Day.

Andy Irvine sang Longford Weaver in 1980 on his Tara album Rainy Sundays…Windy Dreams.

Scotch Measure sang The Calton Weaver in 1985 on their eponymous Topic album Scotch Measure.

Chris Sherburn and Denny Bartley sang The Longford Weaver on their 1995 CD Last Night’s Fun.

This video shows Roisín White from Kilkeel, County Down, singing Nancy Whiskey in 1987:

Davy Steele sang Calton Weaver on his 1996 CD Chasing Shadows.

Norman Kennedy sang Nancy Whisky at one of two live concerts in Aberdeen in 1996 that were published in 2002 on his Tradition Bearers CD Live in Scotland.

Robin Laing sang Nancy’s Whisky in 1997 on his Greentrax album The Angels’ Share. He noted:

There are Irish versions of this song, except that in those, the weaver doesn’t give up whisky, bur returns to work in order to earn some money for his next spree.

Ellen Mitchell sang The Calton Weaver on her and Kevin Mitchell’s 2001 Musical Traditions anthology Have a Drop Mair. Ellen Mitchell and Rod Stradling noted in the accompanying booklet:

Ellen: I learned [this] by osmosis in my growing up. Calton is now a district of Glasgow, whereas at the time of the song it was a village (full of weavers I believe!).

More widely known as Nancy Whisky, this song was printed by both Pitts and Jennings (London) and has been found in the oral tradition throughout these islands, though most frequently in Scotland; Greig-Duncan has 12 examples—but there seem to have been no sound recordings made of the song. It was, perhaps, unexpectedly popular in Bampton, Oxfordshire, where both Shepherd Haden and Jinky Wells sang it, half a century apart.

Battlefield Band sang Nancy’s Whisky in 2002 on their CD Time & Tide.

Niamh Parsons sang Long Cookstown in 2005 on her Green Linnet album The Old Simplicity. She noted:

The great Armagh singer Roisín White sings this wonderful song. I had my eye on it for years and she kindly sang it for me at a great singing session in Forkhill. A few of us, Roisín White, Anne Skelton, Anne Parsons, John Hegerty and myself gathered for a nice long walk on the Saturday lunchtime of the Forkhill Singers Festival and only got as far as the first pub where we sat and drank creamy pints of Guinness and shared many songs. The session finally broke up in the late evening. Thanks to Roisín for her encouragement and for the song.

Steve Black sang Nancy’s Whisky, a “Kintyre song that Steve learned from Willie Scott who picked it up from Willie Mitchell of Campbeltown during the 1968 Blairgowrie Festival”, at the Fife Traditional Singing Festival, Collessie, Fife in May 2007. This recording was published in the following year on the festival anthology Nick-Knack on the Waa (Old Songs & Bothy Ballads Volume 4).

Alistair Ogilvy sang Calton Weaver on the TMSA Young Trad Tour 2011.

Mark Dunlop sang Long Cookstown in 2015 on Malinky’s CD Far Better Days. They noted:

This Irish version of the Nancy Whisk(e)y tale is also taken from Sam Henry’s Songs of the People. It was published on 5 March 1938 and was submitted by Paddy McGuckin of Cookstown, Co. Tyrone. Until the 1960s, Cookstown was of considerable importance in the Irish linen industry. It is referred to as ‘Long’ Cookstown at it has what is reputed to be the longest Main Street in Ireland. The song also features in the repertoire of Joe Holmes from Mark [Dunlop]’s birthplace of Ballymoney in County Antrim.

Andy Turner learned Nancy Whisky from the singing of the Dransfields and sang it as the 3 December 2024 entry of his project A Folk Song a Week.

Lyrics

Ellen Mitchell sings The Calton Weaver

I am a weaver, a Calton weaver,
I am rash and a rovin blade
I’ve got siller in ma pooches,
I’ll go follae the rovin trade.

Chorus (repeated after each verse):
Whisky, whisky, Nancy Whisky
Whisky, whisky, Nancy oh

As I gaed in tae Glesga city
Nancy Whisky I chanced tae smell
I gaed in, sat doon beside her.
Seven long years I looed her well.

The mair I kissed her, the mair I looed her.
The mair I looed her, the mair she smiled.
I soon forgot ma mither’s teachin,
For Nancy soon had me beguiled.

I woke up airly in the mornin,
Tae slake ma drooth it was ma need.
I tried tae rise, but I wisna able,
For Nancy hid me by the heed.

“Come awa, landlady, whit’s the lawin,
Tell me whit there is tae piy.”
“Seven shillins is the reck’nin,
Pay me quickly and go away.”

As I gaed oot by Glesga city
Nancy Whisky I chanced tae smell.
I gaed in, spent three and sixpence,
A I had left wis a crooked scale.

But I’ll gang back tae the Calton weavin,
I’ll fairly mak the shuttles fly.
And I’ll earn mair at the Calton weavin
Than ever I did in a rovin way.

Niamh Parsons sings Long Cookstown

For three long quarters I have been weaving
And for my wages I was penned down.
And for to buy a new suit of clothing
I made my way on to Long Cookstown

As I walked up through Long Cookstown
Oh Nancy Whiskey I chanced to smell
, Says I to myself, “I’ll come and taste you,
These three long quarters I’ve loved you well.”

I entered in to an alehouse tavern,
I asked their pardon for making free.
But Nancy met me at every corner,
“You’re heartily welcome young man,” said she.

But when I woke up all in the morning
I found myself in a strange bed;
I strove to rise but I was not able
For Nancy Whiskey ran in my head.

I then called on to the landlady
To see what reckoning I’d have to pay.
“There’s fifteen shillings for ale and brandy
And after that you may go or stay.”

I put my hand into my pocket,
That was the money I did pay down.
On looking back into my small purse
Now all remained was one bare half crown.

I put my head out of the window,
A charming lassie I chanced to spy.
With her I spent my two and two pence,
Now all remained was the fourpenny boy.

So I’ll go home and I’ll join my weaving,
My little shuttle I’ll steer a while.
And I will earn more pocket money
For Nancy Whiskey did me beguile.

Steve Black sings Nancy’s Whisky

I’m a weaver that follows weaving,
I’m a young and rovin blade;
To buy meself a new suit of clothing,
To Stewarton me way I made.

And as I come round by Stewarton corner,
Nancy’s Whisky I chanced to spy;
Thinks I tae meself, I’ll go in and taste her,
For ’tis seven long years now I’ve been dry.

Oh the more I tasted, the more I liked it,
The more I liked it, I tasted more;
Yes, the more I tasted, the more I liked it,
Till all my senses were gone ashore.

When I woke up the next morning,
I found meself in a stranger’s bed;
I tried to rise but I was not able,
For Nancy’s whisky held down my head.

I called for the landlady,
And I asked her what the reckoning be,
"The reckoning be full thirty shillings,
Come pay me quickly, be on your way."

I put me hand into ma pocket,
And all I had, I laid it doon;
And when I’d paid my thirty shillings,
All I’d left was a poor half-croon.

And as I went oot and around the corner,
A bonnie lassie I chanced to spy;
And on her I paid my two white shillings,
Till all was left, a crooked boy.

So I’ll go back and I’ll start ma weaving,
And ma shuttle, I’ll mak fly;
And curses be on Nancy’s whisky,
For Nancy’s whisky has ruined I.

Long Cookstown in Songs of the People

It’s three long quarters I spent a-weaving,
And for my wages I was paid down,
And to buy a suit of new clothing,
I made my way in to Long Cookstown.

As I was going up through Long Cookstown,
Nancy Whiskey I chanced to smell;
Says I to myself, “I’ll go in and taste you,
For three long quarters I loved you well.”

I stepped in to an ale tavern,
I begged pardon for making free,
But Nancy met me in every corner,
“You’re heartily welcome, young man,” says she.

When I awoke all in the morning,
I found myself in a strange bed,
I strove to rise but I was not able,
Nancy Whiskey run through my head.

Then I called on the landlady,
To see what reckoning I had to pay;
There was fifteen shillings for ale and brandy,
And after that, “You may go or stay.”

I put my hand into my pocket,
That was the money I did pay down;
On looking back into my small purse,
All that remained was one bare half-crown.

I put my head out of a window,
A smiling damsel I chanced to spy;
With her I spent my two and two pence,
Then all remained was the fourpenny boy.

So I’ll go home and I’ll join my weaving,
My little shuttle I’ll steer awhile,
And I will earn more pocket money,
For Nancy Whiskey did me beguile.

Malinky sing Long Cookstown

For three long quarters I was a-weaving,
And for my wages I was paid down,
And for to buy a new suit of clothing
I made my way into Long Cookstown.

And when I got to Long Cookstown,
Nancy Whiskey I chanced to smell;
Says I to myself, “I’ll go and taste you,
For three long quarters I loved you well.”

I stepped in to an ale tavern
And I begged pardon for making free,
But Nancy met me at every corner,
“You’re heart’ly welcome, young man,” says she.

When I awoke the next morning,
I found myself in a strange bed,
I tried to rise, but I wasn’t able
For Nancy Whiskey held me by the head.

So I went down to the landlady,
To see what reckoning there was to pay;
“It’s fifteen shillings for ale and brandy,
And after that you may go or stay.”

I put my hand to my pocket,
That was the money I did lay down;
On looking back into my small purse,
All that remained was a bare half-crown.

I put my head out of a window,
A charming damsel I chanced to spy;
With her I spent my two and tuppence,
Till all remained was the fourp’nny boy.

So I’ll go back all to my weaving,
My little shuttle I will work a while,
And I will earn some more pocket money,
For Nancy Whiskey did me beguile.