From The Ancient Brettons Christmas album 'Bright & Joyful' recorded in 1998. (c)mcps

The Holly & The Ivy

The Holly & The Ivy is from The Ancient Brettons Christmas album 'Bright & Joyful' recorded in 1998 which also includes:
O Little Town Of Bethleham,
In The Bleak Mid Winter,
Silent Night,
What Child Is This,
Mary's Boy Child,
In Dulci Jubilo (Transcription by Stuart Young of the Mike Oldfield arrangement)
Deck The Halls,
When The Presents Are Wrapped (lyrics by Stuart Young to the traditional tune 'Stowey' [When A Knight Won His Spurs])
Bight & Joyful,
Away In A Manger,
The Holly & The Ivy and 
Sweet Chiming Christmas Bells.

From The Ancient Brettons second studio album 'Drawn From Life' recorded in 1988, based on The Dubliners version of the traditional song 'Home Boys Home' (Roud #269).

Drawn From Life

Home Boys Home

Although played by The Ancient Brettons since their inception, it wasn't until the album 'Give A Little Something Back' that 'Irish Rover' was finally recorded. According to Walton's New Treasury of Irish Songs and Ballads 2, published in 1966, 'Irish Rover' is attributed to songwriter/arranger J. M. Crofts (Roud 4739), although most people associate the song with The Dubliners or The Pogues, albeit is probably The Clancy Brothers version where this version is derived from.

Give A Little Something Back

Irish Rover

Gypsy Rover is from the Ancient Brettons first studio album 'See You In The Barrel' recorded in 1986. There are a wide variety of similar traditional songs about a woman's encounter with gypsies (Roud #1, Child 200), but this version was written by Leo Maguire in the 1950s and subsequently recorded by the likes of The Clancy Brothers and The Seekers as well as The Highwaymen who had a minor 'hit' with it in 1961.

The Ancient Brettons

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