elling ▁and ▁settled ▁in ▁Per th shire . ▁The ▁McG reg or ▁family ▁tried ▁to ▁teach ▁Belle ▁how ▁to ▁read ▁pal ms ▁( fort une ▁telling ), ▁but ▁she ▁didn ' t ▁take ▁to ▁this . ▁The ▁family ▁frequently ▁went ▁to ▁Northern ▁Ireland ▁to ▁do ▁p ear l - f ishing . ▁In ▁the ▁even ings ▁they ▁would ▁gather ▁at ▁ce il id hs ▁to ▁exchange ▁folk ▁songs . ▁ ▁Mar riage ▁Belle ' s ▁version ▁of ▁" If ▁I ▁Was ▁a ▁Black bird " ▁inspired ▁Alex ▁Stewart , ▁a ▁viol in ▁player , ▁to ▁propose ▁to ▁her . ▁They ▁married ▁in ▁secret ▁on ▁ 1 7 ▁August ▁ 1 9 2 5 ▁at ▁B ally m oney ▁in ▁Northern ▁Ireland . ▁As ▁married ▁second ▁c ous ins , ▁they ▁for ▁a ▁time ▁had ▁fear s ▁that ▁this ▁would ▁affect ▁the ▁health ▁of ▁their ▁children , ▁but ▁such ▁fear s ▁proved ▁unf ounded . ▁ ▁Belle ▁married ▁into ▁a ▁rich ▁her itage . ▁ ▁Alex ' s ▁father ▁J ock ▁Stewart ▁( 1 8 6 9 – 1 9 5 4 ) ▁had ▁become ▁a ▁champion ▁viol in ist , ▁supposed ly ▁the ▁subject ▁of ▁the ▁popular ▁Sc ots ▁and ▁Irish ▁drink ing - song ▁" J ock ▁Stewart , ▁A ▁Man ▁You ▁Don ' t ▁Me et ▁Every ▁Day " ▁recorded ▁by ▁The ▁Dublin ers ▁and ▁The ▁P og ues ▁among ▁others . ▁ ▁J ock ' s ▁father , ▁" Big ▁Jimmy " ▁Stewart , ▁also ▁a ▁champion ▁viol in ist