Shoot the Piper at the Ferry Inn. at Orkney Bands

Shoot the Piper at the Ferry Inn.

Published by Matthias May 1st, 2006 in Side Column.

Regulars at the Ferry Inn in Stromness welcomed the return of Thursday folk sessions last night. It was a lively night featuring twelve musicians, opening with a set from Shoot the Piper playing anthems like ‘Lark in the Morning’ and ‘Moving Clouds’. Breakneck jigs were interspersed with soulful ditties sung by Frank Keenan, Jo Philby and Catherine Grivas. Flute player Gemma McGregor played ‘Da Slockit Light’ by Shetlander Tom Anderson, thus prompting a debate between John Adams (Bass) and Fiona Driver (Fiddle) as to the meaning of the title. It seems that Tom wrote the tune after losing his wife and the slockit light was the one left burning in the window, constant like the love in his heart.

1 Response to “Shoot the Piper at the Ferry Inn.”

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1 Gemma McGregor May 1st, 2006 at 1:34 pm

David Delday, a second generation Shetlander, told me that Tom wrote the tune after returning to his empty croft years later and seeing no lights in the windows.

Side Column

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