Gantocks from Steall by Ewen Henderson
The Gantocks is a small group of rocks off the coast of Dunoon on the Cowal peninsula and is also the name of the house in Fort William from which my parents have run a B&B for the past fourteen years. Famed for restorative breakfasts and (at times) near-infinite bed-space, it has become a well-known staging post for many a musician on manoeuvres in the Highlands.
Glendessary is a picturesque spot on the eastern fringes of na Garbh Chriochan (the Rough Bounds), running west from the head of Loch Arkaig.
The melody now known in piping circles as “Highland Harry” first appeared in print in 1762 as “The Highland Watch’s Farewell to Ireland” and acquired it’s more alliterative title after Robert Burns set his poem “Highland Harry Back Again” to the tune.
The heroes at Slighe nan Gàidheal have been celebrating Gaelic culture in the Pacific Northwest of the U.S.A. since 1997 and I have twice had the pleasure of teaching at their biennial Fèis. They certainly deserve a tune and a lively one at that!
Tracklist
| 8. | Gantocks | 5:40 |
Credits
Ewen Henderson: Fiddle, Piano, Smallpipes
Ewan MacPherson: Guitar
Recorded & Mixed by Barry Reid
Produced by Ewan MacPherson
Mastered by Ross Saunders at Dusty Reel
License
All rights reserved.
Ewen Henderson is a multi-instrumentalist and vocalist from the West Highlands of Scotland. With roots set deeply in the Gaelic language and culture of his native area, Ewen is most commonly heard as a live performer with Mànran but has also toured with Battlefield Band and the Afro Celt Sound System, among others.