Tune of the Day: The Banks of Inverness
This melody is a popular polka in Ireland, but due to the word “Inverness” in the title it is thought to have Scottish origins (perhaps derived from a strathspey), and O'Farrell (c. 1806) gives the provenance as “Scotch”.
The tune is better known in Ireland under the title “The Croppies' March”. The term “Croppy” grew from the custom of the English and Scotch reformers in 1795, who cut their hair short. The same custom was adopted by the reformers in Ireland; and hence all those who wore their hair short were denominated “Croppies”, and were the marked objects of government vengeance. In truth, clipped hair constituted secondary evidence of treason, and was sufficient to cause the arrest and ill treatment of any person daring enough to adopt it.