Spootaskerry/ The Willow Kishie/ Simon's Wort

John Martin - fiddle; Billy Jackson - whistle; George Jackson - mandolin; Billy Ross - guitar.

Copyrights: a, Ian Burns/ Shapiro Bernstein; b, Willie Hunter jnr/ Springthyme Music; c, Willie Hunter snr/ Springthyme Music.

 

Three Shetland reels - composed by three different masters of the form, the first by Ian Burns refers to the 'spoot' or spout of water rising in rough seas over a 'skerry' - a partly submerged rock, and was the old name for his great aunt's house at Southness. The second, by Willie Hunter junior, refers to the woven willow basket or 'kishie' that was strapped to the back and used in Shetland for carrying peats. The third, by Willie Hunter senior, is named after a stone built look-out station or 'wart', this particular one - Simon's Wart, or Seoman's as it is pronounced, being in the parish of Nesting.