Because of its inclusion in Ryan's Mammoth Collection most assume this tune had its origins in 19th New England. It is however known in Ireland, paritally due to its inclusion in O'Neill's Music of Ireland as a hornpipe (as The Tullamore Piper for the its supposed source Bernard Delaney) so it is possible it came from that side of the water. O'Neill has however been suspected to have lifted some tunes from Ryan’s without credit.

The character of the tune makes me think there a strong French influence and so perhaps it comes from northern Vermont, New Hampshire or Maine. Popular in Cape Breton when I hear it I think of Donald Angus Beaton and Alex Francis MacKay. In the early part of this century it was played as a duet between the late - greats Sean Maguire and Buddy MacMaster and around the same time it was recorded by Kinnon and Andrea Beaton.

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