Growing up in Ireland, and while practicing my fiddle in the home of my grandmother, Elizabeth Collins (née Rochford), I drank many's the mug of black tea. I remember her tea being very strong and having to drink it without milk. I questioned my granny as to why she made it so strong. Her response to me was that it was 'no good unless you could trot a mouse on it'. Food for thought I suppose.

My good friend, the wonderful musician Josephine Keegan, composed this lovely tune. She plays it here for us on fiddle to her own piano accompaniment. Josephine did make some tea for Sandy and me when we visited her home in County Armagh and she did have milk! Josephine's composition may also be found in The Keegan Tunes, Cuid a Trá (Book 3).

Keegan, Josephine (fiddle, piano) (composer) 72741909

Séamus Connolly

Boston College Libraries

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