The Revelation
Ken Sheffield
The name of the tune is “Dennis O'Conor”
Longways for 3 couples
Al 1-4 1W, crossing in front of her partner, turns 2M by the right hand once and a half while 1M turns 2W by the left hand once and half; 5-8 1M turns 3W by the right hand once and a half while 1W turns 3M by the left hand once and a half (1s are now at the foot of the set, improper, while 2s and 3s have moved up and are still proper). A2 1-4 All set and turn single; 5-8 1s two-hand turn once and a half, ending facing the presence, while the 2s, followed by the 3s, cast up and out onto the ends of a line of six, facing up, thus: TOP 3M 2M 1M 1W 2W 3W B 1-8 Line leads up a double and falls back, then the 1M leads the men behind the women to reform the original set, but improper, as the 1W leads the women back to their improper places (as in Step Stately). C 1-8 1s cast into middle place, lead up to the top (still improper), turn towards each other and face down while the 2s turn two hands halfway, lead up to the top and cast to the bottom while the 3s cast down, meet and lead up to middle place improper; 1s and 3s circle four hands halfway while the 2s at the foot of the set turn two hands once round. Repeat 2 times to original places.
Ken writes that the movements in the C music are not broken out into units of 4 bars: each couple has 8 bars to perform their allotted parts. “The C music is meant to be an ‘all action part where everyone is doing something different until the last couple of bars when everyone is turning,” he says.
Denis O'Conor was the father of the young Charles to whom Carolan gave harp lessons. Charles later became a distinguished authority on the history, language and antiquities of Ireland. He succeeded to his father's estate in 1750, but shortly thereafter his younger brother Hugh, having turned Protestant, filed a bill of discovery with the object of ousting Charles from the property. After many anxious years, the suit was resolved by Charles making Payments to Hugh, thereby further encumbering the estate.