This method, although little practised, is fairly well known. The plain course consists of seven consecutive slow sixes, and the bobs and singles are the same as Stedman. Up to the year 1909 little was heard of the method. In that year the late Rev. H. Law James advanced the theory that it is the plain course of Stedman, and that quick sixes are the bobs. This brought it into prominence, and a statement was made that no peal had been discovered with Stedman bobs and singles. The writer had shortly before found the system of proof just demonstrated, and by a slight alteration of Table B was able to find peals in this method. The variation is necessary because in Stedman a slow six always follows a quick, while in Erin it comes after another slow. The reason for this is given in the previous chapter, and merely entails a change in the order of the letters. Whereas for direct sixes the table is correct, for reversed sixes only the order of the letters in the first column must be changed from ABC to CAB. This will enable readers to check the courses given and find the joinings without any description, except the figures of the blocks:-
Alternative 1234567=14C 1234567=14C -1234567=14C -14C 1234567= 9C S2415376 9C S2415376 9C 2416375 10A 10A 2416375 1B 4527163 8B 4527163 8B -4623175 1C - 1C S4623157 10B -5741263 4B S5741236 4A 6347251 11B 11B 6345271 14B -7152463 7B 7153462 12B 3765412 4A S 3B 3567412 13B -1274563 6B 1376524 6C 7531624 12B 5A 5731624 5C -2415763 2B S3615742 2B -5176324 7A S 4B -7156324 3C 4526137 1B 6534127 1B -1653724 8A 8A 1672543 12C S5641273 10A S5461372 10A -6317524 2C - 2C 6214735 11A 6157432 11A 4157623 11A 3762145 6B - 7B S2467153 2C -1764532 5B -1746523 5B S7231654 5A -12B 4725631 6B -7415632 3C -7615423 3C 2175346 3A 6C -7546231 7B 4573126 12A S6574132 7C S1523764 13C 13C -5672431 4B 5342761 13A S5461723 13A 5316247 9B 9B -6254731 8B 3256417 4152637 -3652147 2463517
The first two blocks differ only in the slow connections and, aalthough a pair of bobs may be moved in both, it has no effect on the joining of blocks in this first. In the second it will reduce the number of separate blocks, but not to a great extent. In these two, extents can only be found by omitting singles at 1 and 8.
It may be mentioned that the first block provided the initial peal, and the figures were completed on May 28th, 1909. They were received by Mr. W. H. Barber on the following night, and by his co-operation in swotting up the calling, arranging the band and conducting, the first peal of Erin Triples was rung at St. Mary's, Gateshead, on June 5th, 1909.
Commenting on this method, it must be said that it compares badly with Stedman Triples as regards interesting ringing, without compensating musical possibilities. This cannot be said of the method on the higher numbers. In Caters and Cinques there is great compensation to ringers who like to listen to and send forth good music. Consider that Erin naturally brings up the beautiful course-end music with 54 changes, and there is no comparison in Stedman, even in shortened courses. This in itself is a good case for Erin, if ringers wish to please the public ear, and gratify their own.
This page created by Philip Saddleton
Last updated 01/09/96