Swansea and further west

Swansea Docks and railway bridge (c1850)

We were a little thin on the ground again last Friday but with Colin back from his travels and Geoff back at the song-face, we carried on regardless.

Colin returned to his MC's chair and started the evening off with Mary Ann (Roud 4438). Derek suggested that Colin's song was somehow related to Swansea Town (Roud 165). Hold that thought while I delve a little deeper.

Mary Ann seems to be descended from Fare Thee Well / Turtle Dove / Ten Thousand Miles (Roud 422) and MainlyNorfolk suggests that it is Canadian although Roud's references include USA, Canada and Gloucestershire, UK.

The Famous Five

Dawn, South Maple Street, photo: Keith Carver

The ‘thirteenth’ alternative scribe arrived at the Bridge Inn at the same time as Colin, our regular MC, so organisationally we were looking good. Just after 8.15 pm Derek arrived and boosted the number of attendees by 50%.

Derek brought good news, Maggie L was feeling better than she had been, and he was also able to stay for the whole evening. He could not, however, be persuaded to exercise his status as first alternative scribe and gleefully declined my invitation. Colin announced there was no theme and Derek declared that he had a whole ream of Irish songs to still get through from the week before.