Song Lyrics and Melodies in the Edward Bunting Collection

Abstract This chapter demonstrates possibilities of how one might attempt to synthesize texts and melodies found in the unpublished manuscript collection of Edward Bunting (1773–1843), focusing on one song in particular: ‘Nelly an Chúil Chraobhaigh’ as notated by two scribes, James Cody and Patrick Lynch, for Bunting. Attempts at combining text and melody are undertaken using melodies notated by James Cody and lyrics found in both Cody and Patrick Lynch’s hands. The difficulties and challenges of the process in matching lyrics to various melodic settings are discussed. In the case of the Bunting collections, these difficulties were compounded by the nature of the notations and the hugely different skills and traditions which Bunting, Lynch, and Cody brought to their work. That some of the songs and song-tunes which were notated in Bunting’s collection, including ‘Nelly an Chúil Chraobhaigh’, are still sung today demonstrates both the possibilities and rewards of revisiting this important archive.