Sir, - The article "He put an old song in our mouths" concerning the Coleraine song collector, Sam Henry, (In Time's Eye, May 2nd) was very gratifying to his daughter, Mrs Olive Craig, and to me, the author of the book mentioned in the article.
However, it is incorrect to say that there has been no sequel to my book. Sam Henry's Songs of the People, containing his 600 song contributions to the pages of the Coleraine newspaper, The Northern Constitution, was published in the US in 1990. It is coincidental that your reference to him should occur in the very week that the remaindered paperback stock of that book reached Ireland. It should be available soon on the bargain shelves - at about 2p a song, I'm told.
One other error: although I did say, as quoted, that Slim Henry in compiling his column had not adhered to the standards expected by scholars, I qualified this by saying that I believed their expectations had been inappropriate; it was precisely because "he put an old song in their mouths" that his collection was important. With its cheap availability this importance can continue. If any singer is unable to find a copy I will be happy to help. Yours, etc.
Portrush, Co Antrim