Monsignor Charles Coen recorded the jig on this track. In his own words, Father Charlie tells us what he knows about the tune:

'This tune "The Key in the Cill" or "The Key in the Kiln" was popular in Woodford when I was growing up. It was a great favourite of Bill Logue's. Bill took a strong sweet tone from a flute and had amazing breath control. As with many Irish tunes, the title doesn't have to make sense. "Cill" being the Irish for "church", the title could mean "The Key in the Church", or "church key", or the latter sometimes a humorous name for a corkscrew, or "Kiln" being a place for burning lime, it may have some strange connection with that. The tune is important for me because I made my debut along with Bill's son Josie at a church concert playing it on two fifes. I was ten and Josie was eight and it was the only tune we both knew. My mother had some words to that melody as follows:

"The girls are on the lookout young men,
The flowers are blooming,
It is Spring and June will surely a wedding bring.
The girls are on the lookout young men."'

Slán, Charlie.

Coen, Charles (concertina) 38213636

Coen, Charles 38213636

Séamus Connolly

Boston College Libraries

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