I recently reviewed Len Graham's book Joe Holmes 'Here I am amongst you': Songs, Music and Traditions of an Ulsterman (Dublin, 2010) in Folk Music Journal (2012). I regret that careless reading on my part caused the review to fall short of the standards I would expect.

I stated categorically that the note for song 35, Johnny Doyle, had explained that Joe Holmes had sung only five verses and that the book's compiler had added a further verse without explanation. This is not true – the explanation was there and I missed it. Under these circumstances, I feel I would have dealt more lightly with the book's other, slight, failings and, certainly, I would have spent fewer words in pointing them out.

I owe Len Graham and the readers of my poorly balanced review an apology which I now offer.

John Moulden
Sent also to – Len Graham, ballad-l, irtrad-l, tradsong, Musical Traditions, and the editor of FMJ