Jane Ross (collector)
Jane Ross (5 August 1810 – 1879) was an Irish folksong collector from Limavady, County Londonderry, Ireland. She is most notable for collecting the tune that became Londonderry Air. Early life and family Jane Ross was born in or near Limavady, County Londonderry on 5 August 1810. She was the eldest of the four daughters and two sons of John Ross (1781–1830) and his second wife Jane (née Ogilby). Her siblings were Elizabeth, William, Ann, Theodosia and John. Her father was captain in the Limavady yeomanry and owner of land, flour mills, and a bleach green. Her brother William (born 1814) became rector of Dungiven and later canon of Derry cathedral. Her paternal grandfather, William Ross, was a land agent for the Conolly estate, provost of Limavady from 1789, and a linen merchant. Through both her parents she was related to other local gentry families. Music collecting Ross lived with some of her sisters in Limavady at 51 Main Street. Around 1853 she collected a number of traditional songs and airs from her local area and sent them to George Petrie, the Dublin-based folk music collector. He published them with other songs as Ancient music of Ireland (1855). The air,