The old 'rambling houses' were the places were music, song and dancing (or just conversation) took place regularly before the advent of playing in pubs; they were the homes of people who played, danced and sang or those where such activities were welcomed. The Dictionary of Hiberno-English gives the definition as 'visiting from house to house for gossip and entertainment'. They were also known as ceili houses. Here in Clare, a visit to such was known as going on ones 'coor' (from the Irish 'cuairt' or 'cuaird' - circuit, round, course). The tradition pretty well died out and several attempts to revive it locally met with little success.
Jim Carroll