"Blackthorn Stick" has been absorbed into several fiddling traditions. It is similar to the jig "Haste to the Wedding. Samuel Bayard describes it as "a thoroughly characteristic Irish jig, probably of no great age." Blackthorn (Prunus spinosa) is a hard wood tree or bush with small white flowers. It is reddish-black in color. Its wood is very hard, close grained and has numerous knots and it is the choice wood for canes. Modern day shillelaghs are made of blackthorn due to the long shortage of oak in Ireland. I have known it a long time and can't remember what my source was. I remember best hearing it by The Chieftans.