This music was collected from Bay de Verde, Newfoundland, an area well known for its traditional music as well as its traditional musicians. The tune, a polka called Who Stole the Miner's Hat?, was transcribed from Greg Walsh and the song, Capelin on Sunday, came from his cousin Mike Walsh.

In the 1920's, prospectors were looking for deposits of iron ore in the Bay de Verde area. When peat was found, miners were sent from St. John's to excavate. During their stay, a miner's hat was stolen and was later found hanging on a clothesline. Someone decided to commemorate the event by composing a tune (or perhaps renaming an old tune) and calling it Who Stole the Miner's Hat?. As with many traditional tunes in Newfoundland, this one had amusing lyrics, often meant to help people remember how a tune went. This tune is no exception, however our source for the tune could not recall the exact words, so we have not included them.


Greg learned the polka from his grandfather, Edward Walsh, who was a shopkeeper, a fisherman and a musician. He managed O'Neill's store in Bay de Verde from 1948-1953 and later opened his own shop. He also worked with the department of fisheries as a regional inspector. In the spring of the year, Edward regularly went to the ice for the seal hunt aboard such vessels as the Algerine and the Beothuk. His fiddle was never left ashore.


Edward had a unique style of playing and often changed the tunes he played by adding or removing beats, in keeping with the movement of the dancers. He also had his own distinct form of ornamentation. One example of this ornamentation can be found in the 2nd and 6th measures of the "turn" of this polka (this tune has two parts, the second of which is the "turn").

Although Edward didn't write his own music, he had a vast repertoire of tunes and regularly played fiddle for dances in the Bay de Verde area. He said, in a recording made by his son Ron, that he might start playing for a dance in the evening, finish the next morning and then spend the entire day fishing! Edward Walsh passed away in 1995 at the age of 84. We hope to transcribe more of his tunes for future editions of The Broadside.

Capelin on Sunday

It was in the month of June
Upon a Saturday afternoon,
When me wife, she called out to me without warning.
She said, "Pad Quinlan he just phoned ya,
Lookin' for the twine he loaned ya.
Go and haul your capelin trap tomorrow morning."

So 'twas take her off the collars
For to make some extra dollars
And I'm sure all hands agrees that that's quite charming.
So with twine and rope and grapnel
We will catch the spawny capelin
For to feed the Japanese on Sunday morning.

'Twas Loyola, Bren and Larry
Ern and Mose and Tom and Gary
All hands rushing in the bight, no time for yarnin'.
And there was Skipper Billy Pryor
Scravelin' like a man afire
Just to be the first one in on Sunday morning.
And 'twas Cliff and Robert Barter
'Twas unmoor her and then start her
Then go in around Blundons Point and head her northern.
For the trap, it lies in Swile Cove
And Cliff says to Bob "now, by jove,
We'll put capelin to the ringbolt Sunday morning."

And 'twas Fabian and Ronnie
Edmund Noonan, brother Tommy
All hands dippin' in the capelin, boys, they're swarmin'.
Then Sim Lockyer turns to Johnnie
Says "boy, most of them is spawny
We'll get twenty cents a pound on Sunday morning."

Now we all thought we'd have less work
'Till we brought them to the Brestwork
And then Ambrose culled them out with all his learnin'.
He says "with undersize and redfeed,
Boys they're full of stuff we don't need
And you'll get two cents a pound on Sunday morning.

So now don't make it a habit
To go fishin' on the Sabbath
'Cause the man above can take ya without warnin'.
And when you're six feet under
It's too late to know you blundered
And you should have gone to Mass on Sunday morning.

- Brian Walsh


Like Greg and Mike, many of the younger musicians from Bay de Verde were introduced to traditional music through musicians from the older generation - musicians such as Edward Walsh and Kevin Broderick. These seasoned players have been a source of inspiration for the younger generation and have greatly influenced their musicianship. Some of the tunes exclusive to the Bay de Verde area are still heard at sessions in Bay de Verde and St. John's and have been recorded by groups such as the Walsh Family Band.

The words to Capelin on Sunday were written by Brian Walsh of Bay de Verde in the early 1990's for a fireman's concert in the community. Brian is rumored to have written a number of recitations, but isn't generally known for his songwriting. The song is modeled after another one about closing up shop on Sundays. The melody of the song follows the tune Off to Philadelphia. The song is not based on any particular incident, but the people mentioned are all from Bay de Verde. We think you'll find it an amusing song, as we did.

Songs & Tunes is a new column in this newsletter. The Editors welcome any submission of songs and tunes for this section. Many thanks to Michelle Brophy and Rob Brown for their contribution to this issue of The Broadside.