Dillentante folkmusic fans regularly opine that this folkmusic business is concerned with the doings of chaps like Christy Moore, Ronny Drew, the fiddle playing of Michael Coleman and the like.

 

Us true connosieurs, we know that the alpha and omega of Irsih folkmusic is in fact, the Godfather himself....Val Doonican.

 

This is my little homage to Val's songs.  Also it is to repay my own dear father, who often played to me his collection of Irish tenors.  He had seventeen different  recorded versions of Rose of Mooncoin, and with virtually no encouragement would play you them all - pointing out the significant variations.