The Irish Washerwoman is a traditional Irish jig whose melody is familiar to many people in the British Isles and North America. It repeats its refrain several times, sometimes by gradually increasing in tempo until being played very fast before coming to a sudden stop. The tune has lyrics, but is typically rendered as an instrumental. It is one of the melodies played when Scottish highland dancers

Scottish highland dance

The term Highland dance or Highland dancing is used today to refer to a style of athletic solo dancing which developed in the Gaelic Highlands of Scotland...

 dance a Scottish dance to the tune of an Irish Jig.

The song was arranged for the Boston Pops Orchestra

Boston Pops Orchestra

The Boston Pops Orchestra is an American orchestra based in Boston, Massachusetts, that specializes in playing light classical and popular music....

 by the American composer Leroy Anderson

Leroy Anderson

Leroy Anderson was an American composer of short, light concert pieces, many of which were introduced by the Boston Pops Orchestra under the direction of Arthur Fiedler...

 in 1947 and has featured in the repertoire of the Dutch violinist and composer André Rieu

André Rieu

André Léon Marie Nicolas Rieu is a Dutch violinist, conductor, and composer best known for creating the waltz-playing Johann Strauss Orchestra.- Early life and studies :...

, conductor of the Johann Strauss Orchestra

Johann Strauss Orchestra

The Johann Strauss Orchestra was founded by André Rieu in 1987. At the time of its first concert on January 1, 1988 the orchestra consisted of 12 musicians. In 2008 the orchestra has expanded to 43 members and performs regularly with guest musicians and singers such as Mirusia Louwerse, Carmen...

.

A filk song called The Chemist's Drinking Song is set to this tune with lyrics by John A. Carroll

John A. Carroll

John Albert Carroll was a Democratic United States Representative and United States Senator from Colorado. Born in Denver, he attended the public schools, and during the First World War served in the United States Army...

, based on an idea by Isaac Asimov

Isaac Asimov

Isaac Asimov was an American author and professor of biochemistry at Boston University, best known for his works of science fiction and for his popular science books. Asimov was one of the most prolific writers of all time, having written or edited more than 500 books and an estimated 90,000...

.

External links

• A clip of John Sheahan
  John Sheahan
  John Sheahan is a notable Irish violinist, folk musician, composer and member of the folk band The Dubliners. Sheahan was born in Dublin and lives in Mulhuddart, County Dublin, though his family are natives of Glin, County Limerick...
  
   and André Rieu
  André Rieu
  André Léon Marie Nicolas Rieu is a Dutch violinist, conductor, and composer best known for creating the waltz-playing Johann Strauss Orchestra.- Early life and studies :...
  
  playing the song on violins
• A site with lyrics
• Sheet music on TradTune.com
• Sheet music for piano – intermediate level 4, with sound recording.
• The Chemist's Drinking Song