“The Irish Washerwoman” is a traditional jig known to have been played throughout Britain and Ireland and in North America. Although usually considered an Irish tune, some scholars claim that it is English in origin, derived from the seventeenth-century tune “Dargason”. According to the “tunearch” website, the earliest appearance is in Robert Petrie’s “Collection of Strathspeys Reels and Country Dances” 1790. A different page on the same website mentions that a version by Niel Gow appeared in 1792 in “A Third Collection of Strathspey Reels”.
“The Irish Washerwoman” appears to have developed from “Country Courtship (The),” which was extremely popular in the 19th century, as the tune under the “Washerwoman” title was to become a little later. The ending of the jig is the same as the endings of “In Bartholemew Fair” and “Free Masons (1).” Breathnach (1976) finds the second part identical to that of “Star at Liwis or Scheme (The)” printed by London publisher J. Walsh in Caledonian Country Dances (c. 1730, p. 59). The melody was found by the author of English Folk-Song and Dance in the repertoire of fiddler William Tilbury (who lived at Pitch Place, midway between Churt and Thursley in Surrey), who used, in his younger days, to play at village dances. Tilbury learned his repertoire from an uncle, Fiddler Hammond, who died around 1870 and who was the village fiddler before him. The conclusion was that “Haste to the Wedding” and melodies of similar type survived in English tradition (at least in southwest Surrey) well into the second half of the 19th century. Multi-instrumentalist John Rook (Waverton, Cumbria), for example, entered it into his large 1840 music manuscript collection. The jig is played very fast as an accompaniment for Northumbrian rapper sword dancing.
By the end of the 18th century the tune was identified with Ireland, and it is not surprising that that country also has laid claim to the tune. It has been reported that it was written by 19th century piper, fiddler and composer “Piper” Jackson, who was from either County Limerick or County Monaghan (according to the Boys of the Lough). Breathnach (1976) reports that Henry Mountain, No. 20 White Friar Street, Dublin, printed the melody in about the year 1785, calling it “The Wash Woman, a favourite New Country Dance.” A few years later is appeared in Lee’s New Collection of Irish Country Dances for the Year 1788. The title appears in a list of tunes in his repertoire brought by Philip Goodman, the last professional and traditional piper in Farney, Louth, to the Feis Ceoil in Belfast in 1898 (Breathnach, 1997). In modern times in Ireland the tune is rarely played, remarks Caoimhin Mac Aoidh, as it is considered trite and hackneyed, though it does retain strong currency among County Donegal fiddlers who play several elaborate versions. Doolin, County Clare, whistle player Micho Russell called it “Big Jig (The).”
The earliest recording appears to be Patsy Touhey in 1907, available on “The Piping of Patsy Touhey”. This later became available on the album “The Piping of Patsy Touhey” in 2005 on the Na Píobairí Uilleann label. A more famous recording is on the album “In Full Spate” by Paddy Glackin (1991). Scan Tester (1887-1972) recorded a version on the album “I Never Played To Many Posh Dances” (released 1990 but recorded between 1957 and 1968). This jig was incorporated as the first movement of the Irish Suite, a collection of traditional tunes arranged for orchestra by American composer Leroy Anderson in 1946. Over the years many songs have used The Irish Washerwoman tune. One of the most popularly known lyrics sung to the tune is McTavish Is Dead.
The jig has been used in many movies, such as Christmas in Connecticut and Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World. In the Little House on the Prairie book series, Pa Ingalls plays the song on his fiddle. In 1964 the Dutch group The Jumping Jewels recorded a version which reached No. 9 on the Dutch Charts.
