Help!

Do any members have or know of any copies of little books entitled ‘Come-All-Ye’ or ‘Old Come-All-Ye’s’ printed by the Derry Journal? They were important for introducing or reinforcing songs in Inishowen and north Derry. What is known already is outlined below.

In February 1915, the Journal printed the words of ‘The Banks of Claudy’. The following week and until March 1916 a song or more appeared, for most of that time, under the heading “’Come-All-Ye’ Famous Old Irish Songs”. 48 of the songs were compiled in a booklet of 30 pages, “Come-All-Ye: famous old Irish songs”, and was followed by another, similarly titled, of 40 pages with 65 songs. Others followed, at least two called “Old Come All Ye’s” “Second Enlarged Edition” with 64 pages but with the contents differently arranged, in different covers and showing different prices. I know of three other ‘editions’ or printings, one of which I have not been able to trace.

The copies I know of are in my collection, Steve Roud’s, ITMA (where I have an inaccurate essay which can’t be taken down), Belfast Public Library, Belfast Music Library, Linen Hall Library, Belfast, Queens Univ Belfast, Armagh Public Library, National Library of Ireland, The Boole Library at University College Ccork, Sheffield University, Notre Dame University (USA). (If anyone has access to the latter report, the catalogue entry has features that may indicate it is unique and I’d appreciate confirmation.)

If anyone has knowledge, could you say here so we can exchange details? Please? When doing so, could you, if possible, give all the words on the cover – colour of the cover - the first interior page heading – number of pages – number of songs.

I am also fairly sure that there was a second newspaper series in 1933 but getting to grips with that will have to wait until Libraries open again - unless someone with a sub to the British Newspaper Archive has enough spare time and would like to help!

Can anyone suggest other fora upon which an appeal might attract positive response?

Thank you