Tuesday 7 September 2021
Tune of the Day: The Gold Ring
Traditional Irish jig
This old uilleann piper's tune, dating back at least to the first half of the 19th century, comes with a story. According to tradition, a farmer once surprised a fairy gathering on returning home late one night. The fairies were dancing to the music of a fairy piper, but they ran off after being startled by the intruder. The farmer was about to continue his journey home when he found a tiny gold ring, left behind after the flight of the fey folk. He managed to return it to the fairies, and in exchange they gave him this tune, which the fairy piper had been playing when he first surprised them.