The Fiddler’s Companion

© 1996-2009 Andrew Kuntz

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Notation Note: The tunes below are recorded in what is called “abc notation.” They can easily be converted to standard musical notation via highlighting with your cursor starting at “X:1” through to the end of the abc’s, then “cutting-and-pasting” the highlighted notation into one of the many abc conversion programs available, or at concertina.net’s incredibly handy “ABC Convert-A-Matic” at

http://www.concertina.net/tunes_convert.html 

 

**Please note that the abc’s in the Fiddler’s Companion work fine in most abc conversion programs. For example, I use abc2win and abcNavigator 2 with no problems whatsoever with direct cut-and-pasting. However, due to an anomaly of the html, pasting the abc’s into the concertina.net converter results in double-spacing. For concertina.net’s conversion program to work you must remove the spaces between all the lines of abc notation after pasting, so that they are single-spaced, with no intervening blank lines. This being done, the F/C abc’s will convert to standard notation nicely. Or, get a copy of abcNavigator 2 – its well worth it.   [AK]

 

 

 

IR BUACAILLIN OG &c. Irish, Air (2/4 time). F Major. Standard tuning. AB. Source for notated version: “From T. Mac Mahon” [Petrie]. Stanford/Petrie (Complete Collection), 1905; No. 1507, pg. 377.

           

IR IOMADA YEOMAN MALLUIGTE DO TILL A DOGAD. Irish, Air (2/4 time). E Flat Mixolydian. Standard tuning. AB. A version of Petrie’s “John Doe” (No. 738) and “An Peltan Leanbac” (No. 1520). Source for notated version: from Mary Madden [Petrie]. Stanford/Petrie (Complete Collection), 1905; No. 1519, pg. 380.

           

IR MAIT E AN FION (The Wine is Good). Irish, Air (4/4 time). F Major. Standard tuning. One part. Source for notated version: Mrs. Close [Petrie]. Stanford/Petrie (Complete Collection), 1905; Nos. 1527 & 1528, pg. 382.

           

IRELAND FOREVER! (Eirinn Go Brat). AKA and see “Banks of Inverness,” “Croppies March,” “Croppy’s Retreat,” “Erin go Braugh,” “Heather on the Hill [1],” “Lark’s Nest.” See also tune as part of “Seige of Ennis [1],” “Walls of Limerick.” Irish, Air (6/8 time). G Major. Standard tuning. AB. O’Neill (Music of Ireland: 1850 Melodies), 1903; No. 372, pg. 65.

X:1

T:Ireland Forever!

M:6/8

L:1/8

R:Air

N:”With Spirit”

S:O’Neill – Music of Ireland (1903), No. 372

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:G

D|G>AB G>AB|c>de dB^G|A>Bc A>Bc|E/A/z G G/F/ z A|AGF B2B|B<ed d>^cA|

A2 f/d/ d/B/ GA|A>B^c d2D||GGG G2 D/D/|DE=F F/E/ zE|AAA AcB|ABG GF D/D/|

GzG BzB/B/|ddg fdc|Bcd e2 d/B/|A/d/ z c2 B<G||

           

IRELAND GREEN. AKA and see “Irish Molly,” “Scotch Mary.”

           

IRELAND IN NEW YORK. AKA and see “Croghan Hill [1].”

           

IRELAND WE KNEW, THE. Irish, Reel. G Major. Standard tuning. AABB.  Composed by County Cavan/Philadelphia fiddle player and composer Ed Reavy (1898-1988). Reavy (The Collected Compositions of Ed Reavy), No. 44, pg. 46.

X:1

T:The Ireland We Knew

R:Reel

C:Ed Reavy

M:2/2

L:1/8

Z:Joe Reavy

N:Much has come and gone in Ireland since the early

N:days of this century. Nothing remains the same in a world that has long

N:since entered its most advanced technological age. But poets dream their

N:dreams, and the heart of every Irishman longs for the Ireland he once

N:knew.

K:G

dc | BdcA BGG_B | A=F (3FEF ABcA | BdcA G2 A=F | DCB,C DE (3=FGA |

BdcA BGG_B | A=F (3FEF CF (3FEF | GABc (3dcB (3cBA | BdcA BGGA :||

Bggf gd^cd | A=F (3FEF DEFD | Bggf gdBd | cBdc BG=FD | Ggfg agfg |

ecBc A=F (3FEF | GABc dcBc | dg (3gfg fdcA :||

           

IRELAND’S OWN. Irish, Double Jig. D Major. Standard tuning. AABB. Does not sound particularly Irish. Kerr (Merry Melodies), vol. 4; No. 202, pg. 23.

X:1

T:Ireland’s Own

M:6/8

L:1/8

R:Jig

B:Kerr – Merry Melodies, vol. 4, No. 202  (c. 1880’s)

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:D

g|fed dBc|d2B A2G|FAd dcd|fee efg|fed eBc|

d2B A2G|FAd fec|edd d2::g|fdf a2 a|fdf a2a|

agg gff|fee efg|fdf a2a|fdf a2a|a^gf efg|(b3 a2):|

                       

IRENE MELDRUM’S WELCOME TO BON ACCORD. Scottish, March (2/4 time). D Major. Standard tuning. AABB’’CCDD’. Composed by W.G. Meldrum. Martin (Ceol na Fidhle, vol. 3), 1988; pg. 6.

                       

IRISH. English, Reel. G Major. Standard tuning. AAB. Jamie Knowles believes this is a composition from North West England, and that the title refers to the style of the piece and not the origin. It is vaguely evocative of O’Carolan. Source for notated version: contained in the 19th century Joseph Kershaw Manuscript—Kershaw was a fiddle player who lived in the remote area of Slackcote, Saddleworth, North West England, who compiled his manuscript from 1820 onwards, according to Jamie Knowles [Kershaw]. The Joseph Kershaw Manuscript, 1993; No. 68.

                       

IRISH AIR FROM ROBIN HOOD. AKA and see “The Young May Moon [2].”

           

IRISH-AMERICAN JIG. Irish, Jig. Ryan’s Mammoth Collection, 1883; pg. 101.

 

IRISH-AMERICAN REEL. AKA and see "Great North Reel,“ “The Narrowback." American, Reel. USA, New England. F Major. Standard tuning. AABB. New York musician, researcher and writer Don Meade identifies this as a version of “Lee’s Double Clog,” (AKA “The Narrowback”) also printed by Ryan (pg. 160), and says it was a favorite tune of New York fiddlers Larry Redican and the late Andy McGann (d. 2004). Source for notated version: Eddy Arsenault (b. 1921, St. Chrysostom, East Prince County, Prince Edward Island) [Perlman]. Cole (1000 Fiddle Tunes), 1940; pg. 3. Miller & Perron (New England Fiddler’s Repertoire), 1983; No. 83. Perlman (The Fiddle Music of Prince Edward Island), 1996; pg. 118. Ryan’s Mammoth Collection, 1883; pg. 25. F&W Records 3, "Canterbury Country Dance Orchestra." Rounder 7002, Graham Townsend‑‑"Le Violin/The Fiddle."

X:1

T:The Narrowback

T:The Irish-American Reel

S:Andy McGann, as transcribed in Treoir magazine

D:Larry Redican on "Job of Journeywork" (RTE)

R:reel

M:4/4

L:1/8

K:F

cde |: fage fcaf | bgeg fdcB | AFcF dFcF | AGG^F Gcde |

fage fcaf | bgeg fdcB | ABcd efga |1 bgeg fcde :|2 bgeg f2 fg |:

afef Acfg | afcf Acfa | bagf gdgf | egfd cefg |

afcf Acfg | afbg ecde | fcdB cABG |1 AFGE F2 fg:|2 AFGE F4 |

X:2

T:Irish-American

M:2/4

L:1/8

R:Reel

S:Ryan’s Mammoth Collection (1883)

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:F

(3c/d/e/|f/a/g/e/ f/c/a/f/|b/g/e/g/ f/d/c/B/|A/F/c/F/ d/F/c/F/|A/G/G/^F/ G/c/d/e/|

f/a/g/e/ f/c/a/f/|b/g/e/g/ f/d/c/B/|A/B/c/d/ e/f/g/a/|b/g/e/g/ f:|

|:f/g/|a/f/c/f/ A/c/f/g/|a/f/c/f/ A/c/f/a/|b/a/g/^f/ g/d/g/=f/|e/g/f/d/ c/e/f/g/|

a/f/c/f/ A/c/f/g/|a/f/b/g/ e/c/d/e/|f/c/d/B/ c/A/B/G/|A/F/G/E/ F:|

 

IRISH-AMERICAN [2], THE.  AKA and see “The Abbey Reel,” “Drag Her Around the Road,” “The Moher Reel,” “Reddigan’s,” AKA – “The American Reel.” Irish, Reel. A Dorian. Standard tuning. AA’B. Source for notated version: New Jersey flute player Mike Rafferty, born in Ballinakill, Co. Galway, in 1926 [Harker]. Harker (300 Tunes from Mike Rafferty), 2005; No. 45, pg. 14.

           

IRISH BLANKET, THE. Scottish (?), Jig. D Major. Standard tuning. AABBCCDDEEFF. McGlashan (Collection of Scots Measures), c. 1780; pgs. 30-31.

X:1

T:Irish Blanket, The

M:6/8

L:1/8

R:Jig

S:McGlashan – Collection of Scots Measures (c. 1780)

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:D
DED DED|DED B3|ABc def|ged cBA|DED dFD | AFD B3|ABc dcB| ABG FED :|

|:ABA ABA|ABA f3|ef^g agf|efd cBA|ABA acA | ecA B3|ABc dcB| ABG FED :|

|:DED AFD|DED B3|ABc def|efd cBA|DED AFD | DED B3|ABc dcB| ABG FED :|

|:ABA ecA|ABA f3|ef^g agf|efd cBA|ABA ecA | ABA B3|ABc dcB| ABG FED :|

|:D2d D2d|D2d B3|ABc def|efd cBA|d3 B3 | AFD B3|ABc dcB|ABG FED :|

|:A2a A2a|A2a f3|ef^g agf|efd cdB|a3 f3 | ecA B3|ABc dcB|ABG FED :|

           

IRISH BOREE, THE. English, Country Dance Tune (4/4 time). D Minor. Standard tuning. AB. Source for notated version: “From Playford’s The English Dancing Master, 17th edition, London, 1721" [Stanford/Petrie]. Stanford/Petrie (Complete Collection), 1905; No. 587, pg. 148.

X:1

T: Irish Boree, The

M:C
L:1/8

S:Stanford/Petrie (1905), No. 587

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:Dmin

e2 | f3e d2^c2 | d2 ef gagf | e6e2 | f3e d2^c2 | d2 ef gfed | d6 || A2 | E3E F2G2 |

A2 GF AB c2 | E6A2 | F3E F2G2 | A2 GF GF E2 | D6 ||

           

IRISH BOY, THE. AKA and see “Breeches On,” “Irish Lad('s a Jolly Boy),” “O the Breeches Full of Stitches.” Irish, Air (2/4 time). A Major. Standard tuning. AB. Source for notated version: “From my Father” [Stanford/Petrie]. Stanford/Petrie (Complete Collection), 1905; No. 586, pg. 148.

X:1

T:Irish Boy, The

M:2/4
L:1/8

S:Stanford/Petrie (1905), No. 586

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:A

E | A>B cA | BA cA | E>A cA | BA F2 | A>B cd | e>f ec | A>B AF | {E/G/}FE E ||

c/d/ || e>f ec | BA Bc | e>f ec | BA F2 | ef/g/ ac | B>A Bc | A>B AF | {E/G/}FE E ||

           


IRISH CHAMPION, THE (An Gaisgeac Eirinneac). AKA and see "Muldoon, The Solid Man." Irish, Air (6/8 time, "with spirit"). D Major. Standard tuning. One part. O'Neill (Music of Ireland: 1850 Melodies), 1903/1979; No. 165, pg. 29.

X:1

T:Irish Champion, The

M:6/8

L:1/8

R:Air

N:”With spirit”

S:O’Neill – Music of Ireland (1903), No. 165

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:D

(A/G/) | (F2A) d2f | (e2c) (A2B) | {D}(cBc) d2d | (d3 d2)g | (f2d) (f2g) | a2f (g2 a/g/) |

f2d c2B | (A3 A2) g | (f2d) (f2g) | (a2f) (g2a/g/) | (f2d) (c2B) | (A3 A2) A |

(.B2.B) (g2f) | (.e2.c) (A2B) | {d}(cBc) (.d2.d) | (d3d2) ||

                          

IRISH COBBLER, THE. AKA and see "Shortenin' Bread [2],” “My Baby Loves Shortenin’ Bread.” Old‑Time, Breakdown. USA; Missouri, Iowa, Nebraska. G Major. Standard tuning. ABCDD (Christeson): AA'BBCC (Phillips). See also the closely related tune "Shortening Bread," a favourite of Kentucky fiddlers. Christeson (1973) maintained the “Irish Cobbler” was not heard that often when he was collecting, “although fiddlers around Jefferson City, Missouri, including Tony Gilmore’s nephew, played it earlier.” Nevertheless, the melody is on Missouri fiddler Charlie Walden’s list of ‘100 essential Missouri fiddle tunes’, and Iowa fiddler Dwight Lamb says it was a “common Missouri Valley tune” (he learned it from Bob Walters, “brushed up” by Missouri fiddler Casey Jones). Kentucky fiddlers such as Doc Roberts and George Hawkins recorded versions that Mark Wilson (notes to Rounder 0529, Dwight Lamb) says were “generally faster and more syncopated that the Missouri Valley treatments.” Sources for notated versions: Bob Walters (November, 1951, Burt County, Nebraska) [Christeson]; Cyrill Stinnett (Mo.) [Phillips]. R.P. Christeson (Old Time Fiddlers Repertory, vol. 1), 1973; pg. 97. Phillips (Traditional American Fiddle Tunes), vol. 1, 1994; pg. 119.

See also listings at:

Jane Keefer’s Folk Music Index: An Index to Recorded Sources

X:1

T:Irish Cobbler, The

M:2/4

L:1/8

R:Breakdown

S:Christeson – Old Time Fiddler’s Repertory, vol. 1, No. 136  (1973)

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:G

(3D/E/F/|GF ED|G/F/G/A/ B/c/d/B/|cc/A/ BB/G/|A/B/A/G/ F/D/E/F/|

GF ED|G/F/G/A/ B/c/d/B/|cc/A/ BB/G/|A/B/A/F/ G||B/c/|dd/^c/ de/d/|

B/d/e/f/ gB/c/|dd/^c/ dA/B/|c/B/A/G/ F/D/G/B/|dd/^c/ de/d/|B/d/e/f/ g/d/B/c/|

d^c =c/A/d/c/|B/d/A/F/ G||e/f/|gg/a/ g/e/d/e/|gg/a/ g/d/B/d/|gg/f/ g/b/a/g/|

f<ab/ ag/a/|bag f|e/f/g/e/ d/B/G/B/|c/d/c/A/ B/c/B/G/|A/B/A/F/ G||D/F/|

G(e e/)d/B/c/|d2e2|G(e e)d/B/|[AA][FA] [EA][DA]|

G(e e/)d/B/c/|d>^c de/f/|gg/f/ e/f/g/e/|d/c/A/F/ G:|

           

IRISH CRY. AKA and see "An Caoine."

           

IRISH DEVIL, THE. English, Jig. G Major. Standard. AABB. Trim (Thomas Hardy), 1990; No. 17.

           

IRISH DRAGOON. AKA and see ""Sprig of Shillelah."

           

IRISH DUMPE, THE. English, Dance Air (Slow 6/8 time). F Major. Standard. ABC. This air appears in the Fitzwilliam Virginal Book, c. 1621. The English musicologist Chappell (1859) quotes Sir Robert Stewart, who, in writing on Irish music for Grove's Dictionary, doubted the 'Irishness' of the tune despite the title. A melody by the name of “An Irish Dumpe,” signifying a lament or slow air, appears in Thompson’s Hibernian Muse of 1786, though the tune is a version of “The Lament of the Women in the Battle” (Gol na mBan san Ar). The melody also appears in Hoffman’s 1877 arrangement of tunes from the Petrie collection. Chappell (Popular Music of the Olden Time), Vol. 1, 1859; pg. 85.

X:1

T:Irish Dumpe, The

L:1/8

M:6/8

N:”Slow”

S:Chappell – Popular Music of the Olden Times  (1859)

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:F

F>Ac C>EG|d>BG A>FD|E/F/GF G/A/BA|G>FG F3||

FG/F/B FG/F/d|c>AB>G A/>G/F/G/A/=B/|c/d/eA/B/ c^F/G/A|E/F/GF E3||

A>GF c>BA|B>FG/F/ f>cd/c/|e3 c>GA/G/|B/A/G/F/G F3|A6||

                                   

IRISH EMBASSY, THE. Irish, Reel. A Dorian. Standard. AABB. Composed by Falmouth, Massachusetts, musician and writer Bill Black, named for a local Falmouth pub. Black (Music’s the Very Best Thing), 1996; No. 23, pg. 12.

X:1

T: Irish Embassy

C: © B.Black

Q: 350

R: reel

M: 4/4

L: 1/8

K: Ador

EAcB AGED | EGAB G2 ED | EAcB AGED | B,DGB, A,3 D |

EAcB AGED | EGAB G2 ED | EAcB AGED | GBdB A4 ||

eaab agef | gedc BG G2 | ea a2 eg g2 | fdcB A2 cd |

eaab agef | gedc BG G2 | EAcB AGED | B,DGB, A,4 ||

           

IRISH EXILE, THE (An Deoraide Eirionnac). Irish, Slow Air (6/8 time). G Major. Standard. One part. O'Neill (Music of Ireland: 1850 Melodies), 1903/1979; No. 388, pg. 68.

X:1

T:Irish Exile, The

M:6/8

L:1/8

R:Air

N:”Slow”

S:O’Neill – Music of Ireland (1903), No. 388

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:G

G/A/ | B>AG EAA | (A3 A2)  G/A/ | B>AG EGG | (G3 G2) G/A/ |

BGB d2 B/d/ | ece d2 d/c/ | B>AG EAA | (A3 A2) G/A/ | BGB d2 B/d/ |

ece d2 d/c/ | B>AG EGG | (G3 G2) ||

           

IRISH FOX HUNT, THE. AKA and see “Fox Chase [3].” Irish. The first full version of this programmatic piece appears in O’Farrell’s c. 1800 publications Collection of National Music for the Union Pipes and Pocket Companion for the Irish or Union Pipes. See O’Neill’s “Fox Chase” for more information on this tune.

           

IRISH FROLIC, THE. Irish, Slip Jig. The tune appears as an untitled slip jig in Breathnach’s Ceol Rince na hÉireann IV (1996, No. 37), from the Stephen Grier manuscript. Grier was a piper and fiddler from County Fermanagh whose manuscript dates from the early 1880’s. Breathnach finds the tune cognate with “Up wi’t Ailly Now” in James Aird’s Selection (1782).

           

IRISH GIANT, THE. AKA and see "An Fathach Eireannach." Irish, Double Jig. D Major. Standard tuning. AABB. The title refers to Charles Byrne, a 7 foot 7 inch Derryman who died in London in 1783 while still trying to thwart the plans of some over‑zealous anatomists waiting to examine his remains! Cranitch (Irish Fiddle Book), 1996; No. 17, pg. 131. Cranitch (Irish Session Tunes: Red Book), 2000; 17.

           


IRISH GIRL [1], THE. Scottish, Slow Jig. G Major. Standard tuning. AABB. "Very old. Skye set." MacDonald (The Skye Collection), 1887; pg. 183.

X:1

T:Irish Girl [1]

M:6/8

L:1/8

R:Slow Jig

S:MacDonald – Skye Collection  (1887)

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:G

D|D>B,D D>B,D|D>B,D D2G|E>GE E>DE|G>AB B2A|A>Bd e>ge|

dBA G>AB|B>ed B>AB|GED E2::d|d>ed dBd|d>ed d2g|

ege edB|BAB G2G|Abg edB|cec B2A|ABd ege|GED E2:|

 

IRISH GIRL [2], THE ("An Cailin Eirinneac" or "An Cailin Gaedealac"). Irish, Slip Jig. A Minor. Standard tuning. AAB. O'Neill (Krassen), 1976; pg. 82. O'Neill (Music of Ireland: 1850 Melodies), 1903/1979; No. 1137, pg. 215. O'Neill (Dance Music of Ireland: 1001 Gems), 1907/1986; No. 425, pg. 84.

X:1

T:Irish Girl, The [2]

M:9/8

L:1/8

R:Slip Jig

S:O’Neill – Dance Music of Ireland: 1001 Gems (1907), No. 425

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:Amin

c2A AEA AEA|cBc Ace dcB|c2A AEA AEA|BAB gfe dBG:|

||cde efd e2d|cde efd ged|cde efd efg|agf gfe dBG|

cde efd e2d|cde efd ged|cde efd efg|agf gfe ded||

 

IRISH GIRL [3], THE. Irish, Air (4/4 time). A Major. Standard tuning. One part. "This beautiful air, and the accompanying words, I have known since my childhood. I have copies of the song on broadsheets, varing a good deal, and much corrupted. The versions I give here of air and words are from my own memory, as sung by the old people of Limerick whin I was a child. More than half a century ago I gave this air to Dr. Pertie: and it is included in the Stanford‑Petrie collection of Irish music, with my name acknowledged. But the words, as I give them here, have hitherto never been published though I have seen very corrupt versions in print" (Joyce). This melody served as the vehicle for many a folksong in the English speaking world, and versions have been collected in Canada, America and Australia. Cazden (et al, 1982) notes that several lumbercamp ditties were sung to it, including "Peter Emberley," some versions of "The Jam at Gerry's Rock," "The Farmer's Son and the Shanty Boy," and his Catskill Mountain (New York) collected "Adieu to Prince Edward's Isle." Phillips Barry identifies the tune strain for another Irish song in Petrie's collection, #498, "The Maid of Timahoe."

***

As I walked out one evening down by a river side,

While gazing all around  me an Irish girl I spied;

A rosy red was on her cheeks, and coal-black was her hair;

And costly were the robes of gold this Irish girl did wear.

***

Joyce (Old Irish Folk Music and Songs), 1909; No. 382, pg. 190.

X:1

T:Irish Girl [3]

M:C

L:1/8

R:Air

S:Joyce – Old Irish Folk Music and Songs  (1909)

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:A

E|A3B c2E2|=G2A2 ED CD|E2 FG A2A2|A4 z2B2|c2A2c2d2|(e3c) d2 ed|

C2 BA AG ED|E4 z2 AB|c2A2c2d2|e2 ec d2 ed|c2B2 AG ED| E4 z2 (3EFG|

A3B c2E2|=G2 A^G ED CD|E2 FG A2A2|A4 z2||

 

IRISH GIRL [4], THE. Irish, Jig. B Flat Major (Kerr): A Major (Gow, Plain Brown). Standard tuning. AABB. Source for notated version: a c. 1847 music manuscript by Ellis Knowles, a musician from Radcliffe, Lancashire, England [Plain Brown Tune Book]. Gow (Second Collection of Niel Gow’s Reels), 1788p pg. 15 (3rd ed.). Kerr (Merry Melodies), vol. 2; No. 279, pg. 30. Plain Brown Tune Book, 1997; pg. 46.

X:1

T:Irish Girl, The [4]

M:6/8

L:1/8

R:Jig

S:Kerr – Merry Melodies, vol. 2, No. 279  (c. 1880’s)

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:Bb

F2G B2c | d2(d d)cB | d2(d d)cB | cBc dBG | F2G B2c |

e2(e e)fg | fdB (c2B) | G3B3 :: def fdB | efg gab | def fdB|

cAF (F2e) | def fdB | efg gab | fdB (c2B) | G3B3 :|

X:2

T:Irish Girl

M:6/8

L:1/8

R:Jig

B:Gow – 2nd Collection of Niel Gow’s Reels, pg. 15, 3rd ed.  (orig. 1788)

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:A

F|”tr”E2F A2B|(c2c) “tr”c>BA|(c2c) “tr”c>BA|”tr”(BAB) cAF|E>FA A>Bc|

d2d def|ecA “tr”B2A|”tr”F3 A2::d|(c/d/e).e ecA|(d/e/f).f fga|

(c/d/e).e ecA|BGE “tr”E2d|(c/d/e).e ecA|(d/e/f)f fga|ecA “tr”B2A|”tr”F3 A2:|

 

IRISH GIRL [5], THE (An Cailín Gaelach). AKA and see “The Wild Irishman [3]." Irish, Reel. D Major. Standard tuning. AB. County Sligo/New York fiddler James Morrison called the tune “The Daisy Field(s),” according to Danny O’Donnell. Source for notated version: fiddler James Morrison (New York/County Sligo, Ireland) [Breathnach]. Breathnach (CRÉ III), 1985; No. 151, pg. 70. Shanachie Records 33004, "The Pure Genius of James Morrison" (1978). ‘Ón tSean-Am Anall’ (Danny O’Donnell).

           

IRISH HAUTBOY, THE (An Fioeog Eirinneac). AKA and see “Lisdoonvarna Reel,” "Mary Donlevy," “Smuggler’s Reel,” “Tadhg a Run.” Irish, Air (4/4 time). G Major. Standard tuning. AAB. From the latter 18th century, at least. A hautboy is an oboe, but it is possible the title refers to the uilleann pipes, another double-reed instrument. A simplified form of the melody is contained in the Joseph Kershaw manuscript. Kershaw was a fiddler who lived in Slackcote, Saddleworth, North West England, in the 19th century, and his manuscript dates from around 1820 onwards. Aird (Selections), Vol. 1, No. 14. Joyce (Old Irish Folk Music and Song), 1909; No. 733. The Joseph Kershaw Manuscript, 1993; No. 12. Petrie‑Stanford (Complete Collection), 1903‑06; No. 1499 (appears as "Mary Donlevy"). O'Neill (Music of Ireland: 1850 Melodies), 1903/1979; No. 570, pg. 100.

X:1

T:Irish Hautboy, The

M:C

L:1/8

R:Air

N:”Moderato”

S:O’Neill – Music of Ireland (1903), No. 570

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:G

{A}G>E|D>EGA B2 GA/B/|c2 BA B>G E2|DEGA B2 dB|A>B{B}AG G2:|

d2|g>f{f}ed efge|dcBA {A}GEED|g>fed efge|dBAG {A}G2 {G}FE|

D>EGA B2 GA/>B/|c>d/2c/4 BA BG {F}E2|D>EGA B2 dB|A>B{B}AG G2||

           

IRISH HIGHLAND, THE. Irish, Highland. Ireland, County Donegal. A Mixolydian. Standard tuning. AA’B. Source for notated verson: fiddler Simon Doherty (County Donegal) [Feldman & O’Doherty]. Feldman & O’Doherty (The Northern Fiddler), 1979; pg. 108.

           


IRISH HO-HOANE, THE. English, Dance Air (Slow 6/8 time). D Minor. Standard tuning (fiddle). One part. The air appears in the Fitzwilliam Virginal Book, c. 1621. Chappell (1859) cites Sir Robert Stewart, author of an article on Irish music in Grove's Dictionary, who thought the 'Irishness' of the melody in doubt despite the title. Hoffman (1877) published the air in his collection of arrangements generally from the George Petrie collection. Chappell (Popular Music of the Olden Time), vol. 1, 1859; p. 85.

X:1

T:Irish Ho-Hoane, The

L:1/8

M:6/8

N:”Slow”

S:Chappell – Popular Music of the Olden Time  (1859)

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:Dmin

D2D F>GF|G2G A3|A2d ^c2d|B c2 A2G|A2G A2G|A2=B c2c|

f2f e2e|d>ed ^c2A|f3 e3|d>ef g3|c2B A2G|A>Bc E2E|D6||

                                                  

IRISH HOP PICKERS, THE. Irish, Slip Jig. G Major. Standard tuning (fiddle). AABB. Source for notated version: copied from Wilson’s Companion to the Ballroom (1816) [O’Neill]. Kennedy (Fiddler’s Tune-Book: Slip Jigs and Waltzes), 1999; No. 34, p. 9. O’Neill (Waifs and Strays of Gaelic Melody), 1922; No. 185.

X:1

T:Irish Hop Pickers (#185), The

M:9/8

L:1/8

S:Wilson's Companion to the Ballroom 1816

Z:Paul Kinder

K:G

G2 A B2 c dBG|A2 B c2 d ecA|G2 A B2 c dBG|d2 g agf g3:|

|:d2 g gag fed|efe gfe d2 B|cdc edc BdG|E2 E FED G3:||

                          

IRISH HORNPIPE. American(?), Hornpipe. D Major. Standard tuning (fiddle). AABB. Despite the title, the tune does not sound in the least bit Irish to my ears, but rather more like the standard 19th century American stage hornpipes typical in Ryan’s Mammoth. A genericly titled "Irish Hornpipe" was recorded by Joseph Samuels for Edison Records (50900 {78 RPM}) in 1920 (appears as one of tunes of "Miss Johnson's Party Melody"). It is on Missouri fiddler Charlie Walden’s list of ‘100 essential Missouri fiddle tunes’. Cole (1000 Fiddle Tunes), 1940; p. 103. Ryan’s Mammoth Collection, 1883; p. 139.

X:1

T:Irish Hornpipe

M:2/4

L:1/8

R:Hornpipe

S:Ryan’s Mammoth Collection (1883)

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:D

(3A/B/c/ | d/A/F/A/ d/f/a/f/ | g/f/e/f/ .d.A | B/d/A/d/ G/d/F/d/ | .E.E.E (3A/B/c/ |

d/A/F/A/ d/f/a/f/ | g/f/e/f/ d/c/B/A/ | B/c/d/A/ B/G/E/C/ | DDD :: F/G/ |

A/F/d/B/ f/d/A/F/ | G/A/B/G/ E>f | g/f/e/d/ c/d/e/f/ | e/d/c/B/ A>A |

(3d/4e/4d/4A/d/ (3f/4g/4f/4df | (3a/4b/4a/4f/d/ .A.f | (g/f/)e/d/ c/A/B/c/ | ddd :|

           

IRISH HOWL. AKA and see "How Happy Are," "No power on earth can e'er divide." The tune is in the third volume of Playford's Dancing Master, c. 1726.

           

IRISH HUNT, THE. AKA and see "Celia O'Gara."

           

IRISH HUNTING SONG. Irish, Air (4/4 time). C Major. Standard tuning. AB. Source for notated version: Mrs. Windele, via Forde (Joyce). Joyce (Old Irish Folk Music and Songs), 1909; No. 682, pg. 341.

           

IRISH JIG (Shetland).  AKA and see "Neil Gow". ???Green Linnet SIF‑1094, Capercaille ‑ "Sidewaulk" (1989)???.

           

IRISH JIGG, AN. AKA and see “A Clan March,” “Cairngorum Mountain [1]," “Hibernian Jig,” “Highlander’s Lament.” Scottish, Jig. The tune appears under this title in Aird’s Selections.

                       

IRISH LAD(‘S A JOLLY BOY), THE. AKA and see “Breeches On,” “Irish Boy,” “O Those Britches Full of Stitches.” Irish, Air or March (2/4 time). A Major. Standard tuning. AABB. A version of "Lord MacDonald('s Reel) [4]" and "Leather Breeches/Britches" which, Petrie (1855) notes was “a favourite march of the old Irish militia bands.” Stanford-Petrie (Complete Collection), 1905; No. 473, 989, pg. 252.

           

IRISH LADY [1], THE. AKA and see "An(n)iseed‑Water Robin," "Teague's Rambles." English, Country Dance Tune (6/8 time). E Minor. Standard tuning. AB (Sharp): AABB (Raven). Published by Playford in English Dancing Master (1651). Raven (English Country Dance Tunes), 1984; pg. 28 & 42 (the latter is a facsimile copy of Playford’s original). Sharp (Country Dance Tunes), 1909/1994; pg. 37.

X:1

T:Irish Lady, The [1]

T:Aniseed Water Robin

M:6/8

L:1/8

S:Sharp – Country Dance Tunes  (1909)

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:Emin

(efg) (fga) | d2d d2e | (f>gf/e/) (def/e/) | (dB)B B3 |

(efg) (fga) | d2d d2e | (f>gf/e/) (def/e/) | (dB)B B2 ||

A | GGG (G>FE) | ggg (g>fe) | (f2g a>gf/g/) | (e2B) (e2A) |

GGG (G>FE) | ggg (g>fe) | (f2g a>gf/g/) | (e2B) e2 ||

 

IRISH LADY [2], THE. AKA and see "The Black Rogue [1]," "Irish Lass [2]." Irish, Double Jig.

           

IRISH LAMENT FOR MARTYRED SOGGARTH AROON. Irish, Air (4/4 time). F Major. Standard tuning. One part. O’Neill (1922) says of his source: “James Whiteside, the ‘Bard of Bray’, County Wicklow, was a genius—scholar, poet, musician, composer. Born in County Monaghan in 1844, he retired after 40 years service as a schoolteacher at Bray. His playing of the violin won two first honors at two Feiseanna. An interesting sketch of his life appears on pages 384-7, [O’Neill’s] Irish Minstrels and Musicians.” Source for notated version: the Whiteside manuscript [O’Neill]. O’Neill (Waifs and Strays of Gaelic Melody), 1922.

X:1

T:Irish Lament for Martyred Soggarth Aroon

M:4/4

L:1/8

S:James Whiteside manuscript

Z:Paul Kinder

R:Air

K:F

"Adagio con expressione"(3DEF|G2 A>G G2 (6F/2G/2F/2E/2F/2A/2|G2 (3FDC D2

 (3D^CD|

B/2>c/2B/2A/2 B>d c/2d/2c/2=B/2 c>_e|d6 G/2A/2B/2c/2|

d>=e (3f/2g/2f/2e d>c A>G|G2 A>G F2 G>A|B2 (3AGA G2 (3FDC|

D6 (3DEF|G2 A>G G2 (6F/2G/2F/2E/2F/2A/2|G2 (3FDC D2 (3D^CD|

B/2>c/2B/2A/2 Bd c/2d/2c/2=B/2 c_e|d6 (3d=ef|

g/2a/2g/2f/2 g/2a/2g/2f/2 d>c A>G|G2 A>G F2 d>c|

B2 (3cAG G/2A/2G/2F/2 (3DE^F|G6||

           

IRISH LAMENTATION. AKA and see "Limerick Lamentation," "King James' March to Limerick." Irish, Scottish, English; Slow Air, Waltz or Country Dance Tune (3/4 time). G Mixolydian. Standard tuning. AABB. Peter Barnes dates the melody to c. 1735 where it was used for a longways dance; he thinks "it's triple time measures were probably once danced with a six‑count minuet step." The dating may be based on dance use, however, the melody as an air is quite a bit older in both Irish and Scottish tradition (see notes for “Limerick Lamentation” and “Lochaber No More,"). Barnes (English Country Dance Tunes), 1986. Matthiesen (Waltz Book II), 1995; pg. 25. Flying Fish FF90564, Bare Necessities ‑ "Take a Dance" (1991).

           

IRISH LASS [1], THE. English, Reel. England, Northumberland. C Major. Standard tuning. AABB. Seattle (William Vickers), 1987, Part 3; No. 497.

 


IRISH LASS [2], THE. AKA and see "The Black Rogue [1]," "The Irish Lady [2]."

           

IRISH LASSES [1], THE." English, Jig. England, Northumberland. D Major. Standard tuning. AABB. Seattle (William Vickers), 1987, Part 2; No. 215. A & M Records 79602 2000-2, Ashley MacIsaac - “Close to the Floor” (1992).

 

IRISH LASSES [2], THE. English, Jig. E Dorian. Standard tuning. AABB. Aird (Selections of Scotch, English, Irish and Foreign Airs), vol. 3, 1782; No. 30, pg. 11.

X:1

T:Irish Lasses

M:6/8

L:1/8

S:Aird, Vol. II (1782)

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:Edor

E2 (e e)de | fag fed | c2a B2g | BAG AFD | E2e ede | fag fed |

dcB dFF | E3 B3 :: E2B BGB | BGB BAG | F2(A A)FA |

(B/c/d)F E2D | E2B BGB | BGB BAG | FDF dFF | E3 B3 :|

           

IRISH LASSIE, THE. Irish, Air (6/8 time). G Major. Standard tuning. One part. Source for notated version: copied from Aird’s Selections (1782-97) [O’Neill]. O’Neill (Waifs and Strays of Gaelic Melody), 1922.

X:1

T:Irish Lassie, The

M:6/8

L:1/8

S:Aird's Selections 1782-97

Z:Paul Kinder

R:Air

K:G

"Andante cantabile"G/2A/2|B2 A B2 g|dBG A2 B|E2 D EFG|AFD D2 G/2A/2|

B2 A B2 g|^ceg f2 e|f>ed ed^c|d3-d2 d=c|B>cB cA>f|g3 d2 c|B>GB c2 d|

ede gfe|d2 (3e/2f/2g/2 f2 e|d2 c B/2c/2dD|EcB ADF|G3-G2||

           

IRISH LAWYER.  English, Jig. D Major. Standard tuning. AA’BB’. The melody, like many in Charles and Samuel Thompson’s 1757 collection, first appeared in John Johnson’s 200 Favourite Country Dances, vol. 7 (London, 1756). Thompson (Compleat Collection of 200 Favourite Country Dances, vol. 1), 1757; No. 92.

X:1

T:Irish Lawyer, The

M:6/8

L:1/8

N:Drone ‘A’ string whenever possible.

B:Thompson’s Compleat Collection of 200 Favourite Country Dances, vol. 1 (London, 1757)

Z:Transcribed and edited by Flynn Titford-Mock, 2007

Z:abc’s:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:D

f/e/|d2A AFA|AFA Afe|d2A AGF|EFE  Efe|e2A AF(A|A)FA AGF|GAB AGF|1

EFE E2:||2 EFE GFE||:D<EF F>EF|DEF GFE|D>EF F>EF|EFE GFE|
D>EF F>EF|FEF FEF|GAB AGF|1 EFE GFE:||2 EFE E2:||

 

IRISH LILT [1]. New England, Slip Jig ("Rant"). C Major. Standard tuning. AABBCC. Tolman (Nelson Music Collection), 1969; pg. 21.

 

IRISH LILT [2], AN. AKA and see “Miss Walsh’s Fancy.” Irish, Jig. A Major. Standard tuning. AABC (Sweet): AABBCC (Kerr). The second strain resembles "The Top of Cork Road." “Miss Walsh’s Fancy” in O’Neill. Aird (Selections of Scotch, English, Irish and Foreign Airs), vol. 1, 1782; No. 196. Kerr (Merry Melodies, vol. 2), c. 1880’s; No. 240, pg. 27. Sweet (Fifer’s Delight), 1964/1981; pg. 27.

X:1

T:Irish Lilt [2]

L:1/8

M:6/8

R:Jig

K:A

EAA cAA|eAA cAA|EAA cAA|BAB cAA|EAA cAA|

eAA cAA|aga ecA|BAB cAA::aga ecA|cAc efg|aga ecA|

BAB cAA|aga ecA|cAc efg|aga ecA|BAB cAA:||:EAA cee|

dff cee|EAA cee|BAB cAA|EAA cee|dff cee|aga ecA|BAB cAA:|

 

IRISH LILT [3], AN.  Irish, Jig. D Major. Standard tuning. AABB. O’Neill (O’Neill’s Irish Music), 1915; No. 184; pg. 101.

X:1

T:Irish Lilt, An [3]

M:6/8

L:1/8

R:Jig

S:O’Neill – O’Neill’s Irish Music (1915)

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:D

A/G/ | FDD D2F | GEE E2c | dcB ABG | FDD D2 A/G/ | FDD D2F |

GEE E2c | dcB ABG | FDD D2 :: d/e/ | fef def | ede cde | dcd Bed |

cAA A3 | BAB GAB | AGA FGA | GFG EAG | FDD D2 :|

 

IRISH LILT [4], AN. American (?), Reel. D Major. Standard tuning. AABB. A tune in the music manuscript copybook of Henry Livingston, Jr.  Livingston purchased the estate of Locust Grove, Poughkeepsie, New York, in 1771 at the age of 23. In 1775 he was a Major in the 3rd New York Regiment, which participated in Montgomery’s invasion of Canada in a failed attempt to wrest Québec  from British control. An important land-owner in the Hudson Valley, and a member of the powerful Livingston family, Henry was also a surveyor and real estate speculator, an illustrator and map-maker, and a Justice of the Peace for Dutchess County. He was also a poet and musician, and presumably a dancer, as he was elected a Manager for the New York Assembly’s dancing season of 1774-1775, along with his 3rd cousin, John Jay, later U.S. Chief Justice of Governor of New York. It is possible that this ‘Irish Lilt’ derives from a stage production by the dancer Richard Aldridge. It is mentioned in the Recollections (1824) of playwright John O’Keeffe:

***

Aldridge, the dancer, composed a national ballet, which he called ‘The Irish Lilt’; it was made up of

original Irish airs. One night, whilst dancing at the Limerick theatre, he met with an accident that likely

shortened his life: springing up, and coming down, the boards gave way, and he went suddenly through

the stage, a depth of about ten feet; but such was the ardour of his dancing spirit, that he ran up stairs,

darted on the stage and gave a few steps, when, overcome with pain, he reeled and fell; yet I heard he

afterwards taught dancing in Edinburgh:

***

X:1

T:Irish Lilt, An  [4]

M:C|

L:1/8

R:Reel

S:Henry Livingston’s manuscript copybook, late 18th century

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:D

defg ag”tr”fe | defg (a2 d’)A | defg ag”tr”fe | dB (3BcB g2 fe :|

|: dB (3BcB cA (3AcA | dB (3BcB d2 fe | dB (3BcB cA (3AcA | dB (3BcB g2 fe :|

 

IRISH LILT [5].  AKA and see “Parson in Boots,” “Priest and his Boots [1].”

 

IRISH LILT [6].  English, Country Dance Tune (2/4 time). C Major. Standard tuning. AABB. The melody is unique to London publisher Charles and Samuel Thompson’s 1765 country dance collection. It is perhaps one of the melodies from dancer Richard Aldridge’s stage production called “An Irish Lilt” (see note for “Irish Lilt [4]”). Thompson (Compleat Collection of 200 Favourite Country Dances, vol. 2), 1765; No. 147.

X:1

T:Irish Lilt

M:2/4

L:1/8

B:Thompson’s Compleat Collection of 200 Favourite Country Dances, vol. 2 (London, 1765)

Z:Transcribed and edited by Flynn Titford-Mock, 2007

Z:abc’s:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:C

c(GG)E|G2 cd|e2 (d/e/f)|e(d d)c/B/|c(GG)E|G2 cd|e2 (d/e/f)|ec c2:|
|:ecef|{a}g2 fe|f>g a/g/f/e/|f(d d)c/B/|c(GG)E|G2 cd|e2 (d/e/f)|ec c2:||

           

IRISH LOTTERY.  English, Country Dance Tune (cut time). D Major. Standard tuning. AABB. The “Irish Lottery” first appeared in two London periodicals in the year 1753; R. Baldwin’s The London Magazine, or the Gentleman’s Monthly Intelligencer, and Sylvannus Urban’s The Gentleman’s Magazine and Historical Chronicle. Subsequently it was published in John Johnson’s 200 Favourite Country Dances, vol. 7 (London, 1756) and Charles and Samuel Thompson’s 1757 country dance collection. Thompson (Compleat Collection of 200 Favourite Country Dances, vol. 1), 1757; No. 61.

X:61

T:Irish Lottery, The

M:C|

L:1/8

B:Thompson’s Compleat Collection of 200 Favourite Country Dances, vol. 1 (London, 1757)

Z:Transcribed and edited by Flynn Titford-Mock, 2007

Z:abc’s:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:D

f|edcd e/d/c/B/ AB|AGFG (A/G/F/E/) Df|edcd e2a2|^g/f/e/d/ cB A3:|

|:A|(B/c/d)(dc) (d/e/f)(fe)|(f/a/g)(gf) e/d/c/B/ AA|(B/c/d) (c/d/e) (d/e/f) (e/f/g)|(f/g/a) Ac d3:||

 

IRISH MAD SONG. Irish, Air (6/8 time). This melody, which appears in Thompson’s Hibernian Muse (1786) is the well-known “Believe Me if All (Those Endearing Young Charms)” in 6/8 time.

           

IRISH MAN IN SPAIN, THE. English, Country Dance Tune (2/4 time). England, Shropshire. G Major. Standard tuning. AABB. Source for notated version: a c. 1837-1840 MS by Shropshire musician John Moore [Ashman]. Ashman (The Ironbridge Hornpipe), 1991; No. 25b, pg. 6.

           

IRISH MERRY MAKING. English, Slip Jig. D Major. Standard tuning. AABB. Raven (English Country Dance Tunes), 1984; pg. 130.

           

IRISH MILLER. AKA and see “Buttermilk Mary [3],” “Coleman’s Favourite,” “Fond of the Ladies” (‘A’ part only), “The Frolicksome Dame,” “Health to the Ladies,” “An Irishman’s Heart to the Ladies,” “An Irishman’s Love,” “The Móinín Jig,” “The Mountain Road [2],” “The Mountainy Boy,” “The Night of the Wedding,” “O’Mahony’s,” “Over the Callows,” “Paddy Clancy’s,” “Pat Beirne’s Favourite,” “The Queenstown Jig,” "Saddle the Pony [2]" (Roche), “Sweet Biddy Daly,” “To the Ladies.” American, Jig. A Major. Standard tuning. AABB. Ford (Traditional Music in America), 1940; pg. 102.

X:1

T:Irish Miller

M:6/8

L:1/8

R:Jig

S:Ford – Traditional Music in America (1940)

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:A

A|fec cBA|BcB AFE|EFA BAB|cBB B2a|fec cBA|

BcB AFE|EFA BAB|cAA Az::A|cee dff|cee cBA|

cee edc|cBB B2A|cee dff|cee eca|ecc cBA|BcB Az:|

           

IRISH MINUET, AN. Irish, Single Jig (6/8 time). D Major. Standard tuning. AAB. The ‘B’ part is the same as one of the parts in “Oíche Nollag” (Christmas Eve) and “There’s nae luck aboot the house [1].” Source for notated version: "Sent to me by Mr. Ormond Ossian Flanagan of Tannersville, Greene County, New York. Noted by Miss Emer Eillen Flanagan from the singing of Daniel Shevlin (an Irishman) living in the same place" [Joyce]. Joyce (Old Irish Folk Music and Song), 1909; No. 207, pg. 102.

           

IRISH MOLLY. AKA and see “Drowsy Maggie [3],” "Scotch Mary." The title appears on Martin Byrnes’s album. Leader LEA 2004, Martin Byrnes.

           

IRISH MOLLY BARN DANCE, THE.  English, Barn Dance. G Major. Standard tuning.

X:1
T:Irish Molly Barn Dance
R:barndance
S:Leeds Band
D:"Down the Long Road" Bob Davenport.
M:4/4
L:1/8
Q:1/4=100

Z:Neil Brookes [Tradtunes 04.08.06]
K:G
p:1
B/2c/2^c/2|d^c/2 de/2 d/2B/2G/2D/2G/2B/2|d^c/2=cA/2E3/2!
AB/2|cB/2 cd/2 c/2A/2F/2D/2F/2A/2|ed/2 A_B/2=B3/2!
Bc/2|d^c/2 de/2 d/2B/2G/2D/2G/2B/2|cd/2 ef/2 g3/2!
fe/2|dB/2 ed/2 cA/2 FG/2|A/2B/2A/2GF/2G3/2:||
p:2
GF/2|E^D/2 EF/2GF/2GA/2|Be/2 e^d/2e3/2!
FE/2|Dd/2d^c/2d3/2 BA/2| Gg/2 gf/2g3/2!
GF/2|E^D/2 EF/2GF/2GA/2|Be/2 e^d/2e3/2!
ef/2|g/2f/2e/2 f/2e/2d/2e3/2 BA/2|G3/2 F3/2 E3/2:||
p:3
DG/2| B3/2 B2-B/2 B/2 c^c/2 |d3/2. d-d3/2 d/2 BG/2|D3/2 GB/2d3/2
^c3/2|=c4-c/2!
B3/2| A3/2 A3/2z A/2 Bc/2|f3/2 f2-f3/2 |e3/2 e3/2 A3/2_B3/2| =B4-B/2!
DG/2| B3/2 B2-B/2 B/2 c^c/2 |d3/2. d3 GB/2 |d3/2 GB/2 d3/2
G3/2|g3z/2!
g/2 fe/2|d3/2 B2-B/2 B/2cd/2|e3/2 E3 FE/2|D3/2 B3/2 BG/2 AF/2|G
d/2e/2d/2B/2Gz :||

X:2

T:Irish Molly

M:2/2

L:1/8

Q:280

Z:Susan Bell [Tradtunes 04.08.06]

K:G

B->c | d>c d>e (3:2:6dBG DGB | d>c c>A E2 A->B | c>B c>d (3:2:6cAF DFA

| d>c A>B B2 B->c |

d>c d>e (3:2:6dBG DGB | c>d e>f g2 f->e | d>B e>d c>A F>G | (3ABA G->FG2 :|

 |: G->F | E>D E>F G>F G>A | (3Bee e>d e2 F-E | (3Ddd d>c d>c B>A |

(3Ggg g>f g2 G-F |

E>D E>F G>F G>A | (3Bee e>d e2 e-f | g>e f>d e>d B>A | (3:2:6GFG AGF E2 :|

D2 | B2 B3 B c>c | d2 d3 B A>G | F2 G2 d2 c2 | c4- c D/E/ F/E/D | c2c3 c B>c |

e2 e3 e de | f2 e2 A2 A2 | B4- B d d/c/c | B2 B3 B c>c | d2 d3 B A>G |

e4 f4 | g4- g g f>e | d2 d3 B c>d | e2 e3 E F>G | B2 A>B c2 F2 | G6 |]

X:3

T:Irish Molly Barn Dance

M:4/4
L:1/8

Z:Cherri  Graebe [Tradtunes 04.08.06]
Q:120
K:G
||:B>c|d>^c d>e (3dBG (3DGB|d>^c=c>A E2 A>B|c>B c>d (3cAF (3DFA|!
d>c A>_B =B2 B>c|d>^c d>e (3dBG (3DGB|c>d e>f g2 f>e|!
d>B e>d c>A F>G|(3ABA G>F G2:||:D2|E>D E>F G>F G>A|!
B>e e>^d e2 (3edA|D>d d>^c d>=c B>A|G>g g>f g2 D2|!
E>D E>F G>F G>A|B>e e^>d e2 e>f|(3gfe (3fed e>d B>A|G2 F2 E2:||
D2|B2B3 B c>^c|d2 d3 B A>G|F2 A2 d2^c2|c3-c2 D E>D|!
c2 c3 c B>c|e2e3 e ^d>e|f2 e2 A2 ^A2|B3-B2 D E>D|!
B2B3 B c>^c|d2 d3 B A>G|e2 ^d>e f2 B2|g3-g2 g f>e|!
d2 d3 d ^c>d|e2 E4 F>G|B2 A>B c2 B>A|G>d (3edB G2||

 


IRISH MOLLY-O. Irish, Air (6/8 time). F Major (Joyce, O'Neill): G Major (Kerr). Standard tuning. One part (Joyce): AB (Kerr, O'Neill). "The words I give here are mainly taken from 'The Native Music of Ireland,' 1842; but I heard different versions in my youth. As for the air: I give it from memory: and my setting hardly differs from that given in the above‑mentioned work. I learned it in childhood from the people all round me, with whom the song, both air and words, was in great favour" (Joyce). The song retained its popularity for some time and was widely disseminated. Cazden (et al, 1982) collected a version in New York's Catskill Mountains and notes that the original was re-written several times for the popular stage. See note for “The Enniskillen Dragoons” for brief discussion of the structure of this tune and partial list of others in this class. Joyce (Old Irish Folk Music and Song), 1909; No. 403, pg. 213. Kerr (Merry Melodies), vol. 1; pg. 41. O'Neill (O’Neill’s Irish Music), 1915; No. 91, pg. 51.

X:1

T:Irish Molly O

M:6/8

L:1/8

R:Air

S:O’Neill – O’Neill’s Irish Music (1915)

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:F

C | F2A c2A | F2A c2A | G2F D2D | (D3D2)A | d2d f2d | d2c c2d | B2B A2G | (A3A2) ||

c | d2d f2d | d2c c2d | B2B A2G | A3c2A | G2F G2A | d2c A2F | G2F D2D | (D3D2) ||

           

IRISH MUSIC CLUB, THE (An T-Aos Ceoil-Eirinnaig). Irish, Reel. D Major. Standard tuning. AB (O'Neill/1850): AA'B (O'Neill/Krassen). Chicago’s Irish Music Club, of which Captain Francis O’Neill was the chief officer, was founded in 1901 and grew out of the informal sessions of the Irish musical community.  The club played for dances and picnics, but peaked early due to the volatile mix of temperament of the members. O’Neill states, “After less than eight years of inharmonious experience, the most enjoyable, companionable and representative association of Irish musicians, singers and dancers ever organized in America degenerated into a mere shadow of its former prominence” (Irish Folk Music, 1910). Nicholas Carolan (1997), in his biography of O’Neill,  relates that by 1912 not a trace of the club remained and that “few of the former members were on speaking terms,” although O’Neill himself seems to have still be held in high regard by all. O’Neill himself severed ties with the club after an incident at a special meeting between the club officers in which an incident occurred (which Carolan surmises involved a gun being drawn, probably by one of the police officer members) when “nothing but the prestige of rank and authority enabled me ‘to prevent a tragedy’. Fortunately news of this incident did not reach the press, and having narrowly escaped a serious scandal, I never attended another meeting.” Source for notated version: Chicago fiddler Edward Cronin, originally from County Tipperary [O’Neill]. O'Neill (Krassen), 1976; pg. 151. O'Neill (Music of Ireland: 1850 Melodies), 1903/1979; No. 1498, pg. 277.

X:1

T:Irish Music Club, The

M:C|

L:1/8

R:Reel

S:O’Neill – Music of Ireland (1903), No. 1498

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:D

dB | AFDE FEFG | A^GAB cBcA | defd cAGF | DG{A}GF GABG |

AFDE FEFG | A^GAB cBcA | defg abag | fdec d2 || A2 | defg abaf |

Defg abaf | d g2 f gagf | dggf g2 fg | agfe defd | cAGF GABc | defd cAGF | Addc d2 ||

           

IRISH NATION, THE (Cinead Na N-Eirinn). Irish, Air (4/4 time). A Major. Standard tuning. AAB. O'Neill (Music of Ireland: 1850 Melodies), 1903/1979; No. 204, pg. 36.

X:1

T:Irish Nation, The

M:C

L:1/8

R:Air

N:”Moderate”

S:O’Neill – Music of Ireland (1903), No. 204

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:A

c>d | e>^de>f e2 c>e | d>cBA G2 AB | c>B (3cBA B>edB | A4 A2z :|

|| B | A2A2 a3g | e>de>f g3 z | A>AA>A a>ag>f | g<e z2 z2 c>d |

e>^de>f e2 c>d | e>^de>f e2 c>e | d>cBA G2 A>B | c>B (3cBA B>ed>B | A4 Az ||

           

IRISH NEWSMAN, THE. AKA and see "Come From the Devil and Shake Yourself," "Go to the Devil and Shake Yourself [1]," "When Sick is it Tea you want? [1]," "The Penniless Traveller."

           

IRISH OAK. AKA and see "Sprig of Shillelagh [1]."

           

IRISH PAT (Padraig Spoirtiuil). AKA and see “The Harvest Moon [1],” “Sporting Paddy [1].” Irish, Reel. A Dorian. Standard tuning. AB (Breathnach): AAB (O’Neill). Source for notated version: accordion player Sonny Brogan (County Sligo/Dublin Ireland) [Breathnach]. Breathnach (CRE I), 1963; No. 133, pg. 54. O’Neill (Waifs and Strays of Gaelic Melody), 1922; No. 246.

X:1

T:Irish Pat

M:4/4

L:1/8

S:Pat. Dunne manuscript

Z:Paul Kinder

R:Reel

K:Ador

EAAB GABG|EAAB G2 ED|EAAB GABd|gfge d2 BG:||

geef defd|geeg a2 ab|geef defd|efge d2 cd|

geef defd|geeg a2 ga|bagf gfed|efge d2 BG||

           

IRISH PELT. AKA and see “Humours of Ballinamult.” The tune appears under this title in Aird’s Selection of Scotch, English, Irish and Foreign Airs (volume III, 533), published at the end of the 18th century.

           


IRISH POT STICK, THE. AKA and see "Sean Buidhe."

           

IRISH RAGG. AKA and see “Around the House,” “Merrily Kissed the Quaker—New Set.” Irish. The melody, which is still part of the living tradition, appears in Burke Thumoth’s collection of c. 1750 and Brysson’s A Curious Selection of Favourite Tunes with Variations to which is appended “Fifty Favourite Irish Airs” (Edinburgh, 1790). Shanachie 79026, The Chieftains – “ Bonaparte’s Retreat” (appears as first tune of Around the House and Mind the Dresser set).

           

IRISH ROAD, THE. Canadian, Reel. Canada, Cape Breton. E Mixolydian. Standard tuning. AB. Composed by Cape Breton fiddler and composer Dan R. MacDonald (1911-1976). Cameron (Trip to Sligo), 1994; pg. 31.

           

IRISH ROUND, THE. AKA and see "Kennington Wells," "The Auld Jew," "Black‑Haired Dearie" (Ceann Dub Oilir),  "Currie koun dilish." Irish. The tune, originally Irish and dating from at least the 1st decade of the 17th century, according to Flood (1906), appears in Playford's Dancing Master of 1713 (pg. 146) under this title.

           

IRISH ROVERS, THE. Irish (?), Reel. D major. Standard tuning. AABB. Cole (1000 Fiddle Tunes), 1940; pg. 32. Ryan’s Mammoth Collection, 1883; pg. 57.

X:1

T:Irish Rovers, The

M:C|

L:1/8

R:Reel

S:Ryan’s Mammoth Collection (1883)

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:D

g|(3fga ec dAAB|dAAF GEEg|(3fga ec dAAB|Adeg fddz|(3fga ec d2 (cA)|

dAAF GEEz|FAGB AcBd|cdeg fd dz::dfAd fdAd|ceAc eAce|

(a}gfga gbag|fgec d2 (FA)|dfAd fdAd|ceAc e2 (fg)|fedc d2 (cB)|ABde fd dz:|

           

IRISH SHILLING. Shetland, Shetland Reel. Shetland, Whalsay.

           

IRISH SHOW BOY. American (?), Jig. D Major. Standard tuning. AABB. Cole (1000 Fiddle Tunes), 1940; pg. 69. Ryan’s Mammoth Collection, 1883; pg. 101. White’s Unique Collection, 1896; No. 5, pg. 1.

X:1

T:Irish Show Boy

M:6/8

L:1/8

R:Jig

S:White’s Unique Collection (1896), No. 4

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:G

(f/e/) | d2A (FE).D | E>FE c>Bc | dfd AFD | (ED).D D2 (f/e/) | d2A (FE).D |

E>FE c>Bc | (df).d (AF).D | (ED).D .D2 :: A | dcd Bcd | efd cBA |

dcd efg | (fd).d d2f | gfg Bcd | efd cBA | dcd gfe | (fd).d d2 :|

           

IRISH TRADITION, THE. Irish, Reel. G Major. Standard tuning. AABB. Composed by Baltimore, Md., area musicians Brendan Mulvihill (fiddle) and Billy McComiskey (button accordion), who were in a band called The Irish Tradition.

X: 1
T:Irish Tradition, The
M:C
L:1/8
Q:220
C:Billy McComiskey and Brendan Mulvihill
S:from Catchin' the Tune
R:reel
K:G
|Bd(3ddd edBe|dBAB AGED|B,EDB, ~B,2~B,2|GBAG EFGA
|Bd(3ddd edBe|dBAB AGED|B,EDB, ~B,2~B,2|GBAF GAcA:|
|Bd(3ddd edBd|gb(3bbb agef|~g3e dBGB|cABG AE(3EEE
|GEDB, ~B,2A,B,|G,B,DG cABG|cA(3Bcd gedc|(3BcdAc BGG2:||

 

IRISH TROT [1]. AKA and see "Hyde Park [1]," "I'm Bubbled." English, Country Dance Tune (2/2 time). England, Northumberland. E Minor (Sharp): D Minor (Stanford/Petrie). Standard tuning. One part. The tune was published by Playford in the first edition of his English Dancing Master (1651) and by John Gay, in The Beggar's Opera (1729) {where it appears as "I'm Bubbled"}. Kidson (1922) says it was probably an alternative tune to "The Hide Park Frolic" in Pills to Purge Melancholy, Vol. IV, pg. 138. It is one of the "missing tunes" from William Vickers' 1770 Northumbrian dance tune manuscript. The Irish Trot usually referred to a dance, however, to which various tunes might be played. Despite its origins in the 17th century, it appears that in America the dance was not introduced in some areas until the late 19th century. Jim Kimball, a researcher from western New York state, found this reference to it in a diary of one Hod Case, a Bristol, N.Y., fiddler and journalist who kept diaries from about 1868 to 1940. In his entry of October 8, 1878, Case wrote:

***

Ike Benson and I played to a dance [at Hank Trafton's] Irish Trot

danced for first time in the state I think. Mrs. Trafton called it.

"Roys wife" an old Scotch ballad is the tune we played.

***

Kimball further notes: “Clarence Maher, a fine fiddler from Bergen, N.Y., who recently passed away at the age of 97, remembered playing the Irish Trot for local house parties from the 1910's into the 30's. His tune was another old Scots tune which in Harding's was just titled ‘The Old Highland Fling.’"

***

In other parts on North America it was known much earlier. The following is from Joseph Doddridge a volume entitled "Notes on the settlement and Indian wars of the western parts of Virginia and Pennsylvania, from 1763 to 1783, inclusive : together with a view of the state of society, and manners of the first settlers of the western country” (edited by A. Williams, published by J. Munsell, Albany, N.Y. 1876), pg. 176-177:

***

Dancing was the principal amusement of our young people of both sexes.  Their dances,

to be sure, were of the simplest forms.  Three and four handed reels and jigs. Contra dances,

 cotillions and minuets, were unknown. I remember to have seen, once or twice, a dance which
was called the Irish trot, but I have long since forgotten its figure.

***

Source for notated version: “From the 17th edition of The Dancing Master London 1721" [Stanford/Petrie]. Raven (English Country Dance Tunes), 1984; pgs. 41 & 60 (the former is a facsimile copy of Playford’s Dancing Master version while the latter is a facsimile of Gay’s Beggar’s Opera printing). Sharp (Country Dance Tunes), 1909/1994; pg. 38. Stanford/Petrie (Complete Collection), 1905; No. 588, pg. 148.

X:1

T:Irish Trot [1]

M:2/2
L:1/8

S:Sharp – Country Dance Tunes  (1909)

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:Emin

|: efgf e2 B2 | defe d2 cd | eedc B2d2 | G2 A2 B4 |

Bcde dB G2 | FGAB AF D2 | EFGA B2 e2 | defg e4 :|

X:1

T:Irish Trot [1]

M:C
L:1/8

S:Stanford/Petrie (1905), No. 588

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:Dmin

A | d>e fe d2A2 | c>d ed c3c | d>d cB A2c2 | F2G2 A3G |

A>B cd c>A F2 | E>F GA G>E ^C2 | D>E FG A2d2 | ^c>d ef d3 ||

 

IRISH TROT [2]. English, Jig. England, Yorkshire. D Major. Standard tuning. AABB. Source for notated version: a MS copy by fiddler Lawrence Leadley (Helperby, Yorkshire), c. 1840's [Merryweather & Seattle]. Merryweather & Seattle (The Fiddler of Helperby), 1994; No. 83, pg. 49.

 

IRISH TROT [3]. From Pills to Purge Melancholy, V, 108. Samuel Bayard notes that this tune is quite different than Playford’s Dancing Master “Irish Trot” but was nonetheless quite popular in its day. In his article “A Miscellany of Tune Notes” (Studies in Folklore, pg. 170), he records finding a Welsh version printed in Nicholas Bennett’s Alawon fy Ngwlad (1896), volume I, the third air on pg. 56. Another Welsh set of this tune reprinted from an 18th century manuscript by W.S. Gwynn Williams, Welsh National Music and Dance (pg. 133), under the title “The Galloping Nag, Round O.” Parry’s Welsh Harper (II, pg. 6) gives a version from Miss Williams’ earlier collection (Ancient National Airs of Gwent and Morganwg, 1844) appearing as “Ffoles Llantrisant” (The merry girl of Llantrisant).

           

IRISH TUNE [1], THE. Irish. An air by Irish harper Turlough O'Carolan, published in London, 1727, by Daniel Wright in his Aria di Camera.

 

IRISH TUNE [2], THE. Irish, Air. An air composed by Myles O’Reilly, which is the core of the piece improved upon by harper Thomas O’Connellan and called “The Breach of Aughrim.”

           

IRISH VAUXHALL, THE.  English, Country Dance Tune (2/4 time). D Major. Standard tuning. AA’BB’. The melody was first printed by London publishers John Johnson, in his Choice Collection of 200 Favourite Country Dances, vol. 5 (1750) and David Rutherford in his Choice Collection of Sixty of the Most Celebrated Country Dances (1750). Rutherford included the tune in his Compleat Collection of 200 Country Dances, vol. 2 (London, 1760), followed by Charles and Samuel Thompson in their 1765 country dance volume. A version was penned by London musician Thomas Hammersley into his 1790 music manuscript copybook. Thompson (Compleat Collection of 200 Favourite Country Dances, vol. 2), 1765; No. 199.

X:199

T:Irish Vauxhall

M:2/4

L:1/8

B:Thompson’s Compleat Collection of 200 Favourite Country Dances, vol. 2 (London, 1765)

Z:Transcribed and edited by Flynn Titford-Mock, 2007

Z:abc’s:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:D

d2 (f/e/)(d/c/)|d A2 d|efga|f d2 e|fgab|efga|d(e/f/) gf|1 {f}e4:|2 {f}e2 d/e/f/g/||

|:a2 (b/a/)(g/f/)|g e2 f|g2 a/g/f/e/|f d2 g|(f/g/a) (e/f/g)|(f/g/a) (e/f/g)|fd Ac|1 defg:|2 d4||

 

IRISH VOLUNTEER [1], THE. AKA and see "The Baltimore March" (Pa.), "Greene County" (Pa.). American, March (2/4 time). USA, southwestern Pa. G Major. Standard tuning. AABB. One of the standard tunes in the fifer's repertoire in Pennsylvania, according to Bayard (1981). Sources for notated versions: 8 southwestern Pa. fifers [Bayard]. Bayard (Dance to the Fiddle), 1981; No. 215A‑H, pgs. 169‑172.

 

IRISH VOLUNTEER [2], THE. AKA and see "Bowling Green."

           


IRISH WASHERWOMAN, THE (An Bhean Niochain Eireannach). AKA and see "Corporal Casey [1]," "Country Courtship," "Dargason," "Irishwoman," "The Irish Wash‑Woman," “Irish Waterman,” "Jackson's Delight [1]," "Paddy McGinty's Goat," "The Wash Woman," "The Scheme," "The Snouts and Ears of America," "Star at Liwis," "Sedany." Irish, English, Scottish, American; Double Jig. USA; Very widely known. G Major ('B' part is in G Mixolydian in some Scottish versions). Standard tuning. AA'B (Breathnach): AABB (most versions): AA'BB' (Gow, Perlman): AABBCC (Ashman). Although the tune has popularly been known as an old, and perhaps quintessential Irish jig, it has been proposed by some writers to have been an English country dance tune that was published in the 17th century and probably known in the late 16th century. Samuel Bayard (1981), for example, concludes it probably was English in origin rather than Irish, being derived from the air called "Dargason," or "Sedany" as it is sometimes called. Fuld (1966) disagrees, believing "Dargason" (which he gives under the title "Scotch Bagpipe Melody") and "The Irish Washerwoman" developed independently. "Dargason" was first printed in Ravenscroft's Pammelia (1609) and appears in the Playford's Dancing Master editions from 1651 to 1690, but subsequently the "folk process" melded the strain to other parts, thus making other tunes (see "The Green Garters" for example) including the precursors to the Washerwoman tune. One of these precursors was the English tune "Country Courtship" which dates from at least 1715 and probably to 1688, in which latter mentioned year it was first entered at Stationers' Hall. "The Irish Washerwoman" appears to have developed from "The Country Courtship," which was extremely popular in the 19th century, as the tune under the "Washerwoman" title was to become a little later. The ending of the jig is the same as the endings of “In Bartholemew Fair” and “The Free Masons [1].” Breathnach (1976) finds the second part identical to that of “Star at Liwis or The Scheme” printed by Walsh in Caledonian Country Dances (c. 1730, pg. 59). The melody was found by the author of English Folk-Song and Dance (pg. 144) in the repertoire of fiddler William Tilbury (who lived at Pitch Place, midway between Churt and Thursley in Surrey), who used, in his younger days, to play at village dances. Tilbury learned his repertoire from an uncle, Fiddler Hammond, who died around 1870 and who was the village fiddler before him. The conclusion was that “Haste to the Wedding” and melodies of similar type survived in English tradition (at least in southwest Surrey) well into the second half of the 19th century.

***

A variant of the modern version of the tune appears as air 13 in Samuel Arnold's stage piece The Surrender of Calais, report Van Cleef and Keller (1980), which was first performed in London in 1791. It was sung by the character O'Carrol, and Irish soldier, and the song became known as "Corporal Casey:"

***

When I was at home I was merry and frisky

My Dad kept a pig and my mother sold whiskey.

My Uncle was rich but he would never be easy

'Til i was enlisted by Corporal Casey.

Oh, rub a dub, row de dow Corporal Casey,

My dear little Sheelah I thought would run crazy,

Oh when I trudged away with tough Corporal Casey.

***

As "Corporal Casey," the tune appears in Instructions for the Fife (London, 1795). The melody also found its way into various broadsides and similar 'low' publications, such as the latter 18th century "Irishman's Epistle to the Officer's and Troups at Boston" (sic). Later the song “Paddy McGinty’s Goat” was set to the tune of “Irish Washerwoman.” Shropshire musician John Moore penned a version in his notebook of c. 1837-1840 which has a third part in 3/8 time, breaking the pattern of the rhythm--perhaps, thinks editor Gordon Ashman, it was used in an introductory mode for "setting" or "step to your partner." Under the title “The Irish Quadrilles” it was included by Lincolnshire papermaker and musician Joshua Gibbons in his 1823-26 music manuscript book.

***

Fuld (1966) finds the earliest printings of the tune under the title "Irish Washerwoman" to be in Neil Gow's A Third Collection of Strathspey Reels &c for the Piano-forte, Violin and Violoncello (1792) and James Aird's A Selection of Scotch, English, Irish and Foreign Airs (1794). Breathnach noted Dublin publication of “The Wash Woman” by Henry Mountian, c. 1785 and Ó Canainn (1978) finds it printed in Brysson’s A Curious Selection of Favourite Tunes with Variations to which is appended “Fifty Favourite Irish Airs” (Edinburgh, 1790) under the title “Irish Waterman.” Fuld also finds the melody under the title "The Melody of Cynwyd" in Edward Jones' Musical and Poetical Relicks of the Welsh Bards (London, 1794). Bruce Olson suggests that “The Wash Woman” was probably the original title, with ‘Irish’ being prefixed to the title outside of Ireland as an identifier--he thinks there were probably many tunes with ‘Irish’ in the title that identified place of origin and that were not part of the original title.

***

By the end of the 18th century the tune was identified with Ireland, and it is not surprising that that country also has laid claim to the tune. It has been reported that it was written by 19th century piper, fiddler and composer "Piper" Jackson, who was from either County Limerick or County Monaghan (according to the Boys of the Lough). Breathnach (1976) reports that Henry Mountain, No. 20 White Friar Street, Dublin, printed the melody in about the year 1785, calling it “The Wash Woman,” a favourite New Country Dance. A few years later is appeared in Lee’s New Collection of Irish Country Dances for the year 1788. The title appears in a list of tunes in his repertoire brought by Philip Goodman, the last professional and traditional piper in Farney, Louth, to the Feis Ceoil in Belfast in 1898 (Breathnach, 1997). In modern times in Ireland the tune is rarely played, remarks Caoimhin Mac Aoidh, as it is considered trite and hackneyed, though it does retain strong currency among County Donegal fiddlers who play several elaborate versions. Doolin, County Clare, whistle player Micho Russell called it “The Big Jig.”

***

American versions with the "Washerwoman" title appear toward the end of the 18th century. It was contained in A Collection of Contra Dances (Stockbridge, Massachusetts, 1792) under the title "Irish Wash Woman," and several American dance copybooks contain various dances to the melody, including Nancy Shepley's Manuscript (Pepperell, Massachusetts, c. 1795) and different figures in Asa Wilcox's MS (Hartford County, Conecticut, 1793). A third dance can be found in Gentleman and Lady's Companion (Norwich, Connecticut, 1798), while A Collection of Contra Dances (Stockbridge, Massachusetts, 1792) gives a dance similar to that copied by Shepley. Van Cleef and Keller (1980) state the name changes from "Irish Wash Woman" to "Irish Washerwoman" around 1795; it appears under the latter title in Benjamin and Joseph Carr’s Evening Amusement in 1796 (Philadelphia). The tune retained its popularity, at least for contra dancing, and was cited as having commonly been played for Orange County, New York country dances in the 1930's (Lettie Osborn, New York Folklore Quarterly), by 20th century Arizona fiddler Kenner C. Kartchner for dances in the Southwest, and by contemporary Buffalo Valley, Pa., dance fiddlers Ralph Sauers and Harry Daddario. Viola “Mom” Ruth, in her collection Pioneer Western Folk Tunes (1948) appends to the “Irish Washer Women” that it was what she played when she “Won the state’s (Arizona) championship 1926.” Galax, Virginia, fiddler Emmett Lundy had a waltz version of “Irish Washerwoman,” and southeastern Tennessee fiddler Blaine Smith played a duple-time version, as did Arkansas fiddler Absie Morrison (1876-1964)—see “Irish Washerwoman [2].” Tommy Dandurand recorded it as a vehicle for a ‘singing call’ in the 1920’s, which became fairly well-known among square dancers in the United States, says Paul Gifford. O’Neill printed the tune as “Irishwoman” in his 1915 O’Neill’s Irish Music, presumably editing out the word ‘washer’ in the title because he found it demeaning or offensive. The earliest sound recording of the melody is by Charles D. Almaine (1904), and it was issued on American 78 RPM’s by Maine fiddler Mellie Dunham (1926), Kentucky fiddler Doc Roberts with guitarist Asa martin (1928) and Virginia’s Kessinger Brothers (1930).

***

Other than for dancing, it was popular as a vehicle for "American stage Yankees," and according to Bronner (1987) it was included in the music to the "Federal Overture" (published by B. Carr in 1795) which played to theatres in Philadelphia and New York just prior to and at the beginning of the 1800's. Outside of the east coast Musicologist/folklorist Vance Randolph recorded the tune for the Library of Congress from Ozark Mountain fiddlers in the early 1940's and it was recorded as having been predicted by a local southwest Alabama paper (the Clarke County Democrat) in May, 1929, that it would by played at an upcoming fiddlers' contest. It appears in the repertoire list of Maine fiddler Mellie Dunham (the elderly Dunham was Henry Ford's champion fiddler in the 1920's). Galax, Virginia, region fiddler Emmett Lundy, who had an archaic style, played a waltz version of “The Irish Washerwoman.”

***

The melody is referred to by Bayard (1944) in his note for "The Snouts and Ears of America,” but Breathnach (1976) regards it as a “stain on the honour of washer women” that the tune was used for that song and “Paddy McGinty’s Goat” in the United States. Bayard reports that in Pennsylvania the following rhymes were collected with the tune:

***

Jim Doodle, he dramp that his father was dead,

And his father he dramp that Jim Doodle was dead. (x2)

Chorus: 

Jim Doodle, Jim Daddle, Jim Doodle, Jim Daddle,

Jim Doodle he gramp that  his father was dead;

Jim Doodle he dramp that his father was dead,

And his father he dramp that  Jim Doodle was dead.

or:

Jim Doodle didn't know that his father was dead,

And his father didn't know that Jim Doodle was dead,

And they both lay dead on the same damn' bed,

And neither one knew that the other was dead. (Bayard)

***

I have heard nearly the same rhyme with the name "McTavish" substituted for "Jim Doodle."  Also from Pennsylvania:  

*** 

We've plenty of horses, the best to be got,

The ones that can canter, the ones that can trot‑‑ (Bayard).

***

Introduced to the Shetland islands "by Scots girls (in the last decade of the 19th century) who came up in their hundreds during the herring season to live and work as gutters and packers at the numerous fishing stations which mushroomed each year around the Shetland shoreline" (Cooke, 1986).

***

Perlman (1996) notes that, unlike Ireland, the tune is one of the most widely played by fiddlers on Prince Edward Island. At the beginning of the 20th century in Cape Breton a solo dance called The Irish Washerwoman was in the repertoire of Donald Beaton, an itinerant tailor and an influential dancer and fiddler in the region around Mabou. It originally consisted of 12 steps.

***

Sources for notated versions: John Bennett (Cimarron County, Oklahoma) [Thede]: Edson Cole (Freedom, N.H.) [Linscott]; {1} Floyd Woodhull, 1976 and  {2} Hornellsville Hillbillies, 1943 (New York State) [Bronner]; 13 southwestern Pa. fiddlers and fifers [Bayard]; fiddler Paddy Fahy, 1970 (Ballinasloe, Co. Galway, Ireland) [Breathnach]; a c. 1837-1840 MS by Shropshire musician John Moore [Ashman]; Attwood O’Connor (b. 1923, Milltown Cross, South Kings County, Prince Edward Island) [Perlman]; the 1823-26 music mss of papermaker and musician Joshua Gibbons (1778-1871, of Tealby, near Market Rasen, Lincolnshire Wolds) [Sumner].

***

Print Souces: Adam, 1928; No. 3. Allan's Irish Fiddler, No. 14, pg. 4. American Veteran Fifer, 1902 & 1927; No. 11. Ashman (The Ironbridge Hornpipe), 1991; No. 1, pg. 1.  Bayard (Dance to the Fiddle), 1981; No. 446A‑M, pgs. 415‑419. Breathnach (CRÉ II), 1976; No. 19, pg. 12. Brody (Fiddler’s Fakebook), 1983; pg. 140. Bronner (Old-Time Music Makers of New York State), 1987; No. 9, pg. 55 and No. 19, pg. 89. Carlin (The Gow Collection), 1986; No. 336. Cazden (Dances from Woodland), 1945; pg. 12. Cazden, 1955; pg. 23. Cole (1000 Fiddle Tunes), 1940; pg. 57. Ford (Traditional Music in America), 1940; pg. 43. Gow (Third Collection of Niel Gow’s Reels), 3rd ed., 1792; pg. 31. Harding's All-Round, 1905‑1932; No. 201. Harding Collection (1915) and Harding's Original Collection, 1928; No. 187. Howe (Complete Preceptor for the Accordeon), 1843; pg. 38. Howe (Diamond School for the Violin), 1861; No. pgs. 44 & 62. Jarman, Old Time Fiddlin' Tunes; No. or pg. 8. S. Johnson (The Kitchen Musician No. 6: Jig), 1982 (revised 1989, 2001); pg. 1. S. Johnson (The Kitchen Musician, No. 8), 1988; pg. 5. Karpeles & Schofield (A Selection of 100 English Folk Dance Airs), 1951; pg. 10 (appears as "Circassian Cirle"). Kennedy (Fiddlers Tune Book), vol. 1, 1951; No. 94; pg. 46. Kerr (Merry Melodies), vol. 1; No. 8, pg. 36. Linscott (Folk Songs of Old New England), 1939; pg. 117. Mattson & Walz (Old Fort Snelling... Fife), 1974; pg. 68. O'Malley, 1919; pg. 3. O'Neill (O’Neill’s Irish Music), 1915/1987; No. 164, pg. 91 (appears as "The Irishwoman"). O'Neill (Dance Music of Ireland: 1001 Gems), 1986; No. 317, pg. 67. Perlman (The Fiddle Music of Prince Edward Island), 1996; pg. 129. Petrie (Collection of Strathspey Reels and Country Dances), 1790; pg. 7. Phillips (Fiddlecase Tunebook), 1989; pg. 30. Raven (English Country Dance Tunes), 1984; pg. 108. Reavy, 1979; No. 38. Reavy, No. 90, pg. 100 (an idiosyncratic version). Ruth (Pioneer Western Folk Tunes), 1948; No. 22, pg. 9. Ryan’s Mammoth Collection, 1883; pg. 87. Stewart-Robertson (The Athole Collection), 1884; pg. 139. Sumner (Lincolnshire Collections, vol. 1: The Joshua Gibbons Manuscript), 1997; pg. 67 (appears under the title “The Irish Quadrilles”). Sweet (Fifer’s Delight), 1964/1981; pg. 32. Thede (The Fiddle Book), 1967; pg. 118‑119. Trim (Thomas Hardy), 1990; No. 46. White's Excelsior Collection, 1907; pg. 73.

***

Recorded Sources: Flying Fish FF70610, Robin Huw Bowen – “Telyn Berseiniol fy Ngwlad/Welsh Music on the Welsh Triple Harp” (1996. Appears as “Yr Hen Olchyddes/The Washerwoman”). Folkways FA 2381, "The Hammered Dulcimer as played by Chet Parker (Michigan)" (1966). Fretless 122, Emile Boilard‑ "Old Time Fiddling 1976". North Star NS0038, "The Village Green: Dance Music of Old Sturbridge Village." RCA Victor LCP 1001, Ned Landry and His New Brunswick Lumberjacks ‑ "Bowing the Strings with Ned Landry." Supertone 9169 (78 RPM), Doc Roberts (Ky.). Topic TSCD607, Walter & Daisy Bulwer – “English Country Music” (2000. Originally recorded 1959). Victor 20537 (78 RPM), Mellie Dunham, 1926. Pibroch MacKenzie – “The Mull Fiddler” (1969). Bob Smith’s Ideal Band – “Better than an Orchestra” (1977). Edden Hammons Collection II, Disc 1.

See also listings at:

Alan Snyder’s Cape Breton Fiddle Recording Index

Jane Keefer’s Folk Music Index: An Index to Recorded Sources

Alan Ng’s Irishtune.info

X:1

T:Irish Washerwoman

M:6/8

L:1/8

R:Jig

B:Stewart-Robertson – The Athole Collection  (1884)

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:G Major

d/c/ | BGG DGG | BGB dcB | cAA EAA | cAc edc | BGG DGG | BGB dcB | cBc Adc | BGG G2 :|

|: d | gdg gdg | gdg bag | =fcf fcf | =fcf agf | egg dgg | cgg Bgg | cBc Adc | BGG G2 :|

X: 2

T:Irish Washerwoman, The

R:jig

C:Ed Reavy

M:6/8

L:1/8

Z:JoeReavy

N:The original setting of this all-too-familiar tune

N:has been thoroughly played out. Ed's

N:setting elevates the strains of the old tune and

N:gives it more dignified footing. There is no Kiss

N:Me, I'm Irish in Ed's version of this popular

N:St. Patrick's Day tune.

K:G

d/2c/2 | B<GB DGB | DGB dcB | cAG FGA | fef gdc | BGB DGB |

DGB dcB | cAG FGA | BGF G2 :||

f | gdB GFG | gfg bag | faf d^cd | fdf agf | efg dBd | gfe fdB |

cBc Adc | BGF G2 f || gdB GFG | gfg bag | faf d^cd | fdf agf |

g2 g efg | agf gdB |1 cBc def | gag fdc :|2 CBC Adc | BGF G2 ||

X:3

T:The Washer Woman

C:Trad

S:Petrie's Collection of Strathspey Reels and Country Dances &c., 1790

Z:Steve Wyrick <sjwyrick'at'astound'dot'net>, 3/5/04

N:Petrie's First Collection, page 7

L:1/8

M:6/8

R:Jig

K:F

c/B/ | AFF CFF | AFA cBA | BGG G,GG | BGB dcB | AFF CFF | AFA cBA |

TBAB GcB | AFF F2 :| c|fcc Acc | fcf agf | ecc Gcc | ece gfe | fcc Acc |

fag fcA |TBAB GcB |AFF F2c | fcc Acc | fcf agf | ecc Gcc | ece gfe |

dbb caa | Bgg Aff | TBAB GcB | AFF F2 |]

                       

IRISH WASHERWOMAN [2]. Old-Time, Breakdown. A Major. AEae tuning. AA’BB’. A duple-time, moderate-tempoed, albeit ‘crooked’, version of the well-known 6/8 melody, from the playing of Arkansas fiddler Absie Morrison (1876-1964). Source for notated version: Absie Morrison (Searcy County, Arkansas) [Beisswenger & McCann]. Beisswenger & McCann (Ozark Fiddle Music), 2008; pg. 103.

((()))  Absie Morrison. “Irish Washerwoman.”

 

IRISH WASHERWOMAN SCHOTTISHE. American, Schottishe. USA, Indiana C Major. Standard tuning. AA'BB'. Source for notated version: D Smalley (fiddler from northern Indiana, 1930's) [Bayard]. Bayard (Dance to the Fiddle), 1981; Appendix No. 27.

                       

IRISH WATERMAN, THE. AKA and see “Irish Washerwoman.”

           

IRISH WEDDING, THE. Scottish (?), Jig. C Major. Standard tuning. AAB. Carlin (The Gow Collection), 1986; No. 399. Gow (Complete Repository), Part 3, 1806; pgs. 20-21.

X:1

T:Irish Wedding, The

M:6/8

L:1/8

R:Jig

S:Gow – 3rd Repository  (1806)

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:C

(G/4A/4B/|c2G GEG|A2G GAB|c2c d2d|e2c cde|f2 z/f/ e2 z/e/|

d2 z/d/ BGB|cBA EFG|A2G G2:|e/f/|g2g e2e|g2g e2e|ggg eee|

f2d def|g2 z/e f2z/d|e2z/c d2z/B/|cBA EFG|A2G G2 e/f/|gc’g ece|

gc’g ece|gc’g ece|f2d def|{ef}g2e f2d e2c d2B|{b}c’2A GEG|A2c c2||

           

IRISH WHIM. AKA and see "Get Up Old Woman and Shake Yourself," "Captain Thornton's Delight," "Conor O'Sullivan's Vision," "Growling Old Woman," "Last Night Amid Dreams," "O'Tuomy's Drinking Song." Irish, Jig.

 

IRISH WHIM [2], THE.  English, Country Dance Tune (2/4 time). G Major. Standard tuning. AABB. There were several tunes named the “Irish Whim,” a generic title along the lines of “Irish Lilt” or “Irish Fancy.” This particular melody is unique to London publishers Charles and Samuel Thompson’s 1757 country dance collection. Thompson (Compleat Collection of 200 Favourite Country Dances, vol. 1), 1757; No. 58.

X:1

T:Irish Whim, The  [2]

M:2/4

L:1/8

B:Thompson’s Compleat Collection of 200 Favourite Country Dances, vol. 1 (London, 1757)

Z:Transcribed and edited by Flynn Titford-Mock, 2007

Z:abc’s:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:G

GG Bd|g2 B2|c/B/c/d/ cB|A/G/A/B/ AD|GG Bd|g2B2|c/B/c/d/ A/B/c/d/|BG G2:|

|:B/d/B/G/ B/d/B/G/|c/e/c/A/ c/e/c/A/|B/d/B/G/ B/d/B/G/|e/d/c/B/ {B}A2|

B/d/B/G/ B/d/B/G/|c/e/c/A/ c/e/c/A/|B/c/d/B/ f/g/a/f/|g/G/G/G/ G2:||

           

IRISH WHISKEY [1]. AKA and see "Green Grow the Rushes O," "Out with the Boys [2]." Irish, Double Jig. G Major ('A' part) & E Minor ('B' part). Standard tuning. AAB. Perhaps the earliest recording is from 1904 by violinist Charles D’Alamaine, born in 1871 in England, who died in 1943. D’Alamaine immigrated to the United States in 1888, and by 1890 had established himself as “instructor on violin” in Evanston, Illinois; by 1910 he had removed to Yonkers, and in 1920 was a chiropractor in New York City (info. from Paul Gifford). Kennedy (Jigs & Quicksteps, Trips & Humours), 1997; No. 72, pg. 18. Kerr (Merry Melodies), vol. 1; No. 30, pg. 38.

X:1

T:Irish Whiskey [1]

M:6/8

L:1/8

R:Jig

B:Kerr – Merry Melodies, vol. 1, No. 30, pg. 38 (c. 1880’s)

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:G

B|G3 g2e|dBG AFD|G3 g2e|dBG A2B|G3 g2e|

dBG GAB|cde dcB|cBA G3::B|eBe gbg|ebe gbg|

eBe g2a|bag agf|eBe gbg|eBe g2a|bag agf|e3d2:|

 

IRISH WHISKEY [2]. Old-Time, Breakdown. AEae tuning. From Norman Edmonds.

           

IRISH WIDOW’S LAMENT ON THE DEATH OF HER ONLY SON. Irish, Air (3/4 time). C Major. Standard tuning. ABC. O’Neill (1922) says of his source: “James Whiteside, the ‘Bard of Bray’, County Wicklow, was a genius—scholar, poet, musician, composer. Born in County Monaghan in 1844, he retired after 40 years service as a schoolteacher at Bray. His playing of the violin won two first honors at two Feiseanna. An interesting sketch of his life appears on pages 384-7, [O’Neill’s] Irish Minstrels and Musicians.” Source for notated version: the James Whiteside manuscript [O’Neill]. O’Neill (Waifs and Strays of Gaelic Melody), 1922.

X:1

T:Irish Widow's Lament on the Death of her Only Son

M:3/4

L:1/8

S:James Whiteside manuscript

Z:Paul Kinder

R:Air

K:C

"Andante"c4 d2|B4 c2|A2 AG ED|E4 z2|c4 d2|B4 c2|A3 B cd|e4 d2|!

c4 d2|B4 c2|A2 AG ED|E4 D2|C4 D2|B,4 C2|A,6-|A,4 z2||!

e4 d2|c6|d4 c2|B6|c3 B AG|A3 G ED|C4 D2|E6|!

e4 d2|c6|d4 c2|B6|c3 B AG|A3 G ED|E3 F GB|A6||!

e a2 g ed|e4 d2|c3 d Bc|A6|d g2 ^f ge|d4 c2|B3 A BA|G4 AB|!

c4 d2|B4 c2|A3 B cd|e a2 g ed|c4 d2|B4 c2|A6-|A6||!

           

IRISHMAN HE LOVES A LASS, THE. Irish, Reel. G Major. Standard tuning. AABB’. Howe (1,000 Jigs and Reels), c. 1867; pg. 22.

X:1

T:Irishman He Loves a Lass, The

M:C

L:1/8

R:Reel

S:Howe – 1000 Jigs and Reels  (c. 1867)

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:G

|: G2 .BG Bdde | fdgd fdcA | G2 BG Bdde | fdcA G2G2 :|

g2 dg g2 de | fdgd fdcd | g2 dg g2 de | fdcA AG G2 | g2 dg g2 de |

dgd fdcd | dgga b2 ag | fdcA G2G2 ||

                       

IRISHMAN'S BLACKTHORN, THE (Maide Draighin an Éireannaigh). AKA and see "The Eel in the Sink," "The Hills of Kesh." AKA – “The Blackthorn [2].” Irish, Reel. A Dorian. Standard tuning. AB. Ryan’s tune was untitled; Johnny Henry supplied Breathnach with the name. The first recorded appearance of the tune under this title (or any other titles, for that matter) was by melodeon player Peter J. Conlon, in 1921. See also the related “The Scotch Hunt [2].” Source for notated version: flute player Michael Ryan, 1966 (Ballymote, Co. Sligo, Ireland) [Breathnach]. Breathnach (CRÉ II), 1976; No. 244, pg. 126. Green Linnet SIF 3018, Matt Molloy, Tommy Peoples & Paul Brady (1978. Appears as “The Blackthorn”).

           

IRISHMAN'S BLACKTHORN STICK, THE. AKA and see "The Blackthorn Stick [4]," "Clear the Road," "Inch of Garth," "The Rising of the Sun."

           

IRISHMAN’S CHOICE, THE.  English, Slip Jig (9/8 time). D Minor. Standard tuning. AABBCC. The melody also appears in John Johnson’s 200 Favourite Country Dances, vol. 8 (London, 1756) and again in Charles and Samuel Thompson’s Complete Collection of 200 Favourite Country Dances, vol. 3 (London, 1773). Thompson (Compleat Collection of 200 Favourite Country Dances, vol. 1), 1757; No. 99.

X:1

T:Irish Man’s Choice, The

M:9/8

L:1/8

B:Thompson’s Compleat Collection of 200 Favourite Country Dances, vol. 1 (London, 1757)

Z:Transcribed and edited by Flynn Titford-Mock, 2007

Z:abc’s:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:Dmin

d|cAA AGA FGA|c2c cdc ccd|cAA AGA FGA|D2d de^c d2:|

|:d/c/|A2f fgf ffA|ccc cdc ccd|cAA AGA FEF|1 D2d de^c d2:||2

D2d de^c dcd||:A2A AGA F3|ABc ccc def|AGA AGA FEF|D2d de^c d3:||

 

IRISHMAN’S FANCY.  AKA and see “Sleepy Maggy/Maggie.”

 

IRISHMAN’S FAREWELL. AKA and see “Irishman’s Heart to the Ladies.”

           


IRISHMAN’S HEALTH TO THE LADIES. AKA and see “Irishman’s Heart to the Ladies.”

           

IRISHMAN'S HEART TO THE LADIES, AN. AKA- “Irishman’s Health to the Ladies.” AKA and see “Baron’s,” “Buttermilk Mary [3],” “Coleman’s Favourite,” “Fond of the Ladies” (‘A’ part only), “The Frolicksome Dame,” “Haley’s,” “A Health to the Ladies,” "The Irish Miller," “The Irish Rover,” “Irishman’s Love [1],” “The Móinín Jig,” “The Mountain Road [2],” “The Mountainy Boy,” “The Night of the Wedding,” “O’Mahony’s,” “Over the Callows,” “Paddy Clancy’s,” “Pat Beirne’s Favourite,” “The Queenstown Jig,” “The Runner,” "Saddle the Pony [2]" (Roche), “Sweet Biddy Daly,” “To the Ladies.” Irish, American, Canadian; Double Jig. USA; New England, New York, Pennsylvania. Canada; Ontario, Prince Edward Island. A Major. Standard tuning. AABB. Cited as having commonly been played for country dances in Orange County, New York in the 1930's (Lettie Osborn, New York Folklore Quarterly). O’Neill prints the tune as “Sweet Biddy Daly.” Sources for notated versions: Henry Yeager (fiddler from Centre County, Pa., 1930's) and Wilbur Neal (elderly fiddler from Jefferson County, Pa., 1948) [Bayard]; Stuart Williams and Wayne Holmes, and Ruthie Dornfeld [Phillips]; Eddy Arsenault (b. 1921, St. Chrysostom, East Prince County, Prince Edward Island) [Perlman]; George Penk (Portland, Oregon) [Songer]; “As played by Jimmy Norton, the Boss Jig Player” (Norton was a child prodigy and spent most of his life on the variety stage; in addition, he was a fiddler) [Howe]. Bayard (Dance to the Fiddle), 1981; No. 442, pg. 412; fiddler Dawson Girdwood (Perth, Ottawa Valley, Ontario) [Begin]. Begin (Fiddle Music from the Ottawa Valley: Dawson Girdwood), 1985; No. 40, pg. 51. Cole (1000 Fiddle Tunes), 1940; pg. 56. Cranford (Jerry Holland: The Second Collection), 2000; No. 221, pg. 82. DeVille, 1905; No. 38. Harding's Original Collection, 1928; No. 86. Howe (1000 Jigs and Reels), c. 1867; pg. 49. Jarman (Old Time Fiddlin' Tunes), 1951; No. or pg. 13. Miller & Perron (New England Fiddlers Repertoire), 1983; No. 13. Perlman (The Fiddle Music of Prince Edward Island), 1996; pg. 143. Phillips (Traditional American Fiddle Tunes), vol. 2, 1995; pg. 368 (two versions). Robbins, 1933; No. 57. Ryan’s Mammoth Collection, 1883; pg. 84. Songer (Portland Collection), 1997; pg. 107. Sweet (Fifer’s Delight), 1964/1981; pg. 36. Green Linnett 1052, Kevin Burke - “Up Close” (1984. Appears as “Health to the Ladies”). Odyssey ORCS 1051, Jerry Holland – “Fiddler’s Choice” (1998).

See also listings at:

Alan Snyder’s Cape Breton Fiddle Recording Index

Jane Keefer’s Folk Music Index: An Index to Recorded Sources

Alan Ng’s Irishtune.info

X:1

T:Irishman’s Heart to the Ladies

M:6/8

L:1/8

R:Jig

K:A

|:a|ecA BAF|AFE EFA|Bdc BAB|cBB Baf|ecA BAF|AFE EFA|Bdc BAB|cAA A2:|

|:B|c>ee dff|c>ee ec>A|cde eaf|ecA B2A|cee dff|cee ecA|B/c/dc BAB|cAA A2:|

           

IRISHMAN'S LOVE [1], AN. AKA and see “Buttermilk Mary [3],” “Coleman’s Favourite,” “Fond of the Ladies” (‘A’ part only), “The Frolicksome Dame,” “Haley’s,” “A Health to the Ladies,” "The Irish Miller," “The Irish Rover,” “Irishman’s Love [1],” “The Móinín Jig,” “The Mountain Road [2],” “The Mountainy Boy,” “The Night of the Wedding,” “O’Mahony’s,” “Over the Callows,” “Paddy Clancy’s,” “Pat Beirne’s Favourite,” “The Queenstown Jig,” “The Runner,” "Saddle the Pony [2]" (Roche), “Sweet Biddy Daly,” “To the Ladies.”

 

IRISHMAN'S LOVE [2], THE.  Irish, Reel. G Major. Standard tuning. AABB. Printed in Ryan's Mammoth Collection of 1050 Reels and Jigs (1883), but deleted when that volume metamorphasized into Cole's 1000 Fiddle Tunes in 1940. Paul de Grae finds this tune to be a setting of  O’Neill’s “Sweet Biddy of Ballyvourney,” also printed by Breathnach as “Tameen’s Reel, and known as "Ceol na gCeártan" ("The Music of the Forge") in The Dance Music of Willie Clancy. The Devils Box, vol. 21, No. 4, Winter 1987, pg. 48. Ryan’s Mammoth Collection, 1883; No. 49.

           

IRISHMAN'S RETURN FROM AMERICA. AKA and see "Rodney's Glory [1]," "My Name is Moll Mackey," "Praises of Limerick." Irish, Reel. A Dorian. Standard tuning. AABC. The tune is labelled as a reel in Kerr’s volume, although it is also directed to be played “slow”. The melody however, is a renaming of the Irish set dance “Rodney’s Glory,” which is usually played at a relaxed, stately pace. Kerr (Merry Melodies), vol. 1; No. 11, pg. 35.

X:1

T:Irishman’s Return from America

M:C

L:1/8

R:Reel (?)

B:Kerr – Merry Melodies, vol. 1, pg. 35  (c. 1880’s)

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:Amin

e>d|c>dB>c A2 e>d|c>dB>c A2 c>d|e>fe>d c>de>f|g>ed>c d2 e>d|c>dB>c A>cB>A|

G>ED>E G2 e>d|c2 B>A ^G>AB>G|A6:||({f}e>)^d|e2a4 g>a|b2 A4 e>^f|

{a}g>^fg>a g2 f>e|d>cB>A G2 ({f}e>)^d|e2 a4 g>a|b2 A4 e>d|c2 B>A ^G>AB>G|

A6||({f}e>)^d|e2a4 g>a|b2 A4 e>^f|g>^fg>a g2 f>e|d>cB>A G2 e>d|

c>dB>c A>cB>A|G>ED>E G2 e>d|c2 B>A ^G>AB>G|A6||

           


IRISHMAN'S SHANTY, THE. AKA and see "The Gallant Sixty‑Ninth," "The Gals of Sixty‑Nine," "The Old Tenth." American, Jig. USA, southwestern Pa. A Dorian. Standard tuning (fiddle). AB.

***

Oh say, have you been in an Irishman's shanty

Where the money was scarce and the whiskey was plenty...   (Bayard)

***

Bayard (1981) identifies this melody as one of the "Welcome Home" family of tunes. Source for notated version: Wilbur Neal (fiddler from Centre County, Pa., 1948) [Bayard]. Bayard (Dance to the Fiddle), 1981; No. 606C, p. 535‑536.

           

IRISHMAN'S TOAST, THE. AKA and see "Scotland the Brave." Irish, Reel. D Major. Standard tuning (fiddle). AB. The note for the tune in Darley & McCall says it was adapted to the Fenian ballad "General Burke's Dream." See also the related “O’Donnell Abu.” Source for notated version: from a MS of Mr. James Corrigan (Clara, Co. Kilkenny, Ireland) [Darley & McCall]. Darley & McCall (The Feis Ceóil Collection Collection of Traditional Irish Music), 1914; No. 42, p. 18.

           

IRISHTOWN (WALTZ).  English (?), Waltz. G Major. Standard tuning. AABBCC. Kennedy (Fiddler’s Tune-Book: Slip Jigs and Waltzes), 1999; No. 135, pg. 34.

 

IRISHWOMAN, THE (Bean Gaedealac). AKA and see "The Irish Washerwoman," "Jackson's Delight."

           

IRLANDAIS (JIG). AKA and see "Lillibulero."

           

IRMA WALTZ. American, Waltz. G Major. Standard tuning. AA'BB (Ford): AA'BB' (Matthiesen). Ford (Traditional American Fiddle Tunes), 1940; pg. 135. Matthiesen (Waltz Book II), 1995; pg. 26. Rodney Miller - "Airplang II."

X:1

T:Irma Waltz

M:3/4

L:1/8

R:Waltz

S:Ford – Traditional Music in America (1940)

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:G

(dc)|B2A2G2|B,2D2 (GF)|E4 C2|A,4 (A,B,)|C2D2F2|1 A2B2c2|

e4 (dc)|d4:|2 (c2B2)A2|G2 (GFG)A|G6||:(B4d2)|d6|(E4c2)|c6|

D2(B,2D2)|(c4B2)|A2 (AG)AB|G2B,2D2|(B4d2)|d6|

(E4c2)|e6|e2(c2A2)|(F4D2)|G2 (GF)GA|G6:|

           

IRON BRIDGE. American, Quickstep March (2/4 time). G Major (‘A’ part) & D Major (‘B’ part). Standard tuning. AABB’. Not Englishman John Moore’s “Ironbridge Hornpipe.” Bruce & Emmett’s Drummers’ and Fifers’ Guide, 1862; pg. 58.

X:1

T:Iron Bridge

M:2/4

L:1/8

R:Quickstep March

S:Bruce & Emmett’s Drummers’ & Fifers’ Guide  (1862)

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:G

D | G(3B/A/G/ F/A/D/F/ | G/B/d/B/ g/d/B/G/ | E/G/e/d/ c/B/A/G/ | A/G/F/E/ D/E/F/A/ |

G(3B/A/G/ F/A/D/F/ | G/B/d/B/ g/d/B/d/ | e/c/A/F/ D/G/F/A/ | GBG :|

K:D

F/G/ | A/d/c/e/ d/f/e/g/ | f/d/ (3e/f/g/ f/d/e/f/ | g/f/e/g/ f/e/d/f/ | (3e/f/e/ (3d/c/B/ AG/F/ |

G/B/d/g/ F/A/d/f/ | E/G/c/e/ d/A/F/A/ | B/g/f/e/ d/c/B/c/ |1 dfd :|2 d/c/d/e/ d/=c/B/A/ ||

                       

IRON GATE, THE. AKA and see "Delahanty's Hornpipe," “Delahunty’s Hornpipe,” "The Home Brew," “John Quinn’s [1]," "Wicklow Hornpipe.”

           

IRON LATCH, THE.  American, Reel. G Major. Standard tuning. AABB. Composed by Alstead, New Hampshire, fiddler Randy Miller. Miller (Fiddler’s Throne), 2004; No. 175, pg. 110. RM-1C, Randy Miller – “Lore of the Fingerboard” (1990).

 

IRON LEAGUE.  See “Iron Legs.”

 

IRON LEGS. AKA – “Iron League.” English, Hornpipe or Reel. D Major. Standard tuning. AABB. The ‘A’ part is closely related to the melody “Petronella.” The source for the tune is Cumberland fiddler William Irwin (1822-1889), a cooper who worked for most of his life for the Elterwater Gunpowder Company. Irwin also had an active local career (he lived in Langdale) as a fiddler who played for decades in a church band, in numerous local pubs, and for various gatherings and parties such tea parties (“auld wives’ bakes,” said Irwin) and Christmas-time ‘Hunsups’ (Hunts-Up). Irwin himself noted in his ms. that “Iron Legs” was a hornpipe. The title of this tune is possibly a corruption of ‘Iron League’ (although that term is not explained, either), by which title the tune also appears in musician’s manuscript collections from the 19th century (e.g. James Winder {1789-1841}). Barry Callaghan (2007)  suggests that the famous stage performer, acrobat and clown, Guiseppe Grimaldi (1713-1788), known as ‘Iron Legs’ for his amazing leaps--the result of well-developed leg muscles—was honoured by the name of this tune. Grimaldi was a pantomimist and dancer, rising to Dancing Master at Sadlers Wells theatre in the 1780’s and was the father of Joseph Grimaldi, the ‘father of clowning’. The elder Grimaldi began his career performing at fairs in Italy and France, but then moved to England where he became “employed in the ballet at the King’s Theatre, Haymarket. In 1758 he began at Drury Lane Theatre an engagement which lasted for thirty years, during which he was seen as clown, harlequin, pantaloon, etc.  In the summer months up to 1767,he appeared in the pantomimes at Sadler’s Wells, to whose audiences he afterwards introduced his famous son Joseph” (William Davenport Adams, A Dictionary of the Drama, 1904).  Callaghan (Hardcore English), 2007; pg. 38. Knowles (A Northern Lass), 1995; pg. 39. Big Chain BC 103, Cooper & Bolton – “The Savage Hornpipe” (2006). Harbourtown Records HAR 047, The Boat Band – “A Trip to the Lakes” (2005). Plant Life Records PLR 077, Alan Lamb & Howard Salt – “English Fiddle Players” (1988).

X:1
T:Iron Legs
M:4/4
L:1/8
Q:1/4=90
S:Mobberley session
R:English reel
N:Posted to the woodenflute mailing list November 2001
Z:Steve Mansfield
K:D
AG | F2 AF E2 AG | FGEF D2 A2 | B2 c2 d2 ed | cdBc A3 G |
F2 AF E2 AG | FGEF D2 A2 | Bcde fedc | d2 d2 d2 :: g2 |
fgfg efef | fgfg efef | dede cdcd | dede cdcd |

BcBc ABAc |BcBc A3 A | Bcde fedc | d2 d2 d2 :|

           


IRON MAN, THE. Scottish (originally), Canadian; Strathspey. Canada; Cape Breton, Prince Edward Island. A Major. Standard tuning. AB (Hunter, Martin, Perlman, Shears): AABB (Brody, Cranford, Phillips). Composed by J. Scott Skinner (1843-1927) for his friend and benefactor William M.F. McHardy, the Laird of Drumblair, an engineer and railway builder who gave Skinner the use of a rent‑free cottage for several years. Hunter (1979) reports that McHardy could well have afforded this, for he had made a fortune of 100,000 pounds in engineering enterprises in South America before returning to live at Forgue near Huntly. Skinner also composed in his honor "The Laird o' Drumblair." The melody is sometimes mistakenly referred to as “The Shetland Fiddler,” although that is the name of another melody, albeit with a few similarities. Sources for notated versions: Joseph Cormier (Cape Breton/Boston) [Brody]; Winston Scotty Fitzgerald (Cape Breton) [Phillips]; Francis MacDonald (b. 1940, Morell Rear, North-East Kings County, Prince Edward Island) [Perlman]; Winston Fitzgerald (1914-1987, Cape Breton) [Cranford]. Brody (Fiddler’s Fakebook), 1983; pg. 141. Cranford (Winston Fitzgerald), 1997; No. 73, pg. 53. Hunter (Fiddle Music of Scotland), 1988; No. 128. Martin (Ceol na Fidhle), vol. 4, 1991; pg. 18. Martin (Traditional Scottish Fiddling), 2002; pg. 15. Perlman (The Fiddle Music of Prince Edward Island), 1996; pg. 195. Phillips (Fiddlecase Tune Book), 1989; pg. 31. Shears (Gathering of the Clans Collection, vol. 1), 1986; pg. 40 (pipe setting). Breton Books and Records BOC 1HO, Winston “Scotty” Fitzgerald - “Classic Cuts” (reissue of Celtic Records CX 17). CCF2, Cape Cod Fiddlers – “Concert Collection II” (1999). Celestial Entertainment CECS001, Brenda Stubbert (Cape Breton) - “In Jig Time!” (1995). Celtic 17, Winston Scotty Fitzgerald. Flying Fish FF‑250, The Battlefield Band ‑ "Home is Where the Van Is" (1981). Rounder 7001, Joseph Cormier‑ "Scottish Violin Music of Cape Breton" (1974). Topic 12T280, J. Scott Skinner‑ "The Strathspey King."

See also listings at:

Alan Snyder’s Cape Breton Fiddle Recording Index

Jane Keefer’s Folk Music Index: An Index to Recorded Sources

Alan Ng’s Irishtune.info

X:1

T:Iron Man, The

M:C|

L:1/8

R:Reel

C:J. Scott Skinner

K:A

A2 c>A B>G A<B|c2 e>c d>B c<e|f2 d<f e2 c<e|(3dcB (3cBA G<B B<c||

A2 c>A B>G A>B|c2 e>c d>B c<e|f2 d>f e<a c>A|(3Bcd (3dcB c<A A||

G||a>A g>a f>A e>A|(3cBA e>g a>e c>A|d>E c>E B>E c>E|(3dcB (3cBA (3Bcd (3efg|

a>A g>A f>A e>A|(3cBA e>g a>e c>A|d2 f>d (3eag (3fed|(3cBA (3GAB c<A A||

           

IRONBRIDGE HORNPIPE, THE. English, Hornpipe. England, Shropshire. B Flat Major. Standard tuning. AABB. Editor Gordon Ashman believes the hornpipe may be a locally composed Shropshire tune. There is an iron bridge in Colebrook Dale, Shropshire, begun in 1777 and the first bridge to be made of that metal in the world; the village that sprang up at the site of the work took its name from the structure. Source for notated version: a c. 1837-1840 MS by Shropshire musician John Moore [Ashman]. Ashman (The Ironbridge Hornpipe), 1991; No. 44a, pg. 16.         

..........................            

IRONTOWN. Old‑Time, Breakdown. D Major. Standard tuning. AABB. Ford (Traditional Music in America), 1940; pg. 43.

X:1

T:Irontown

M:2/4

L:1/8

R:Breakdown

B:Ford – Traditional Music in America (1940)

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:D

A>AAF|A/B/A/F/ E2|GB/A/ E/E/E/E/|G/A/B/A/ E2|A>AAF|

A/B/A/F/ EA|de f/g/f/e/|dd d2::e|ffed|A/B/A/F/ D2|GB/A/ E/E/E/E/|

G/A/B/A/ Ee|ffed|A/B/A/F/ DA|de f/g/f/e/|dddz:|

           

IROQUOIS GATHERING. Sparton Records SP 210, “Ward Allen Presents Maple Leaf Hoedown, vol. 2.”

                       

IRVAN STEAPLE. See "Irvine Steeple," "Irvin Stiple."

           

IRVIN STIPLE. See "Irvine Steeple."

           

IRVINE STEEPLE. Scottish, English; Reel. England, Northumberland. D Major/Mixolydian. Standard tuning. AAB (Stewart-Robertson), AABB’ (Cranford). John Glen (1891) finds the earliest printing of this ‘double-tonic’ tune in Robert Bremner's 1757 collection Scottish Reels or Country Dances, appearing under the title “Irvin Stiple.” As "Irvan Steaple," it is one of the "missing tunes" from William Vickers' 1770 Northumbrian dance tune manuscript. Paul Stewart Cranford (1995) remarks that this piece is closely related to another more popular tune, “Lady Muir MacKenzie,” composed by William Gow. Bremner (Scots Reels), c. 1757; pg. 36. Cranford (Jerry Holland’s), 1995; No. 81, pg. 24 (appears as “Irving Steeple”). Stewart-Robertson (The Athole Collection), 1884; pg. 126. Fiddlesticks cass., Jerry Holland - “A Session with Jerry Holland” (1990). Green Linnett, Jerry Holland - “The Fiddlesticks Collection” (1995).

X:1

T:Irvine Steeple

M:C|

L:1/8

R:Reel

B:Stewart-Roberson – The Athole Collection  (1884)

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:D

f|d/d/d d>A F>GA>=c|B>G=c>G E>CG>E|D<d d>A F>GA>g|f>de>c dDD:|

f|d>ef>g a>ba>f|g>e=c>g ecge|d>ef>g a>ba>g|f>de>c dDDf|

d>ef>g a>ba>f|ge =c>g e>cg>e|f>dg>e a>fb>g|f>de>c dDD||

           

IS ÁLAINN GO DEO MO GHRÁSA. AKA and see “My Love is Such a Fair One.”

           

IS BAINTREABHACH AGUS MAIGHDEAN ME. AKA and see "I Am a Widow and a Maid."

           

IS BRONAC MO CINEAMUIN. AKA and see "Sad is My Fate."

           

IS BUACAILL BOCT FANAC ME. AKA and see "I'm a Poor Rambling Boy."

           

IS BUACHAILLIN BEAG OG ME. AKA and see "I Am a Young Little Boy."


           

IS BUACHAILLIN GOIDHAISTEACH ME (I am a poor Rambling Boy). See "Rambling Boy."

           

IS CAILIN BEAG OG ME. AKA and see “I’m a Young Little Girl.”

           

IS CUMA LIOM. AKA and see "Ride(ing) A Mile [1]," "Virgin Queen," "I Don't Care," "Fairest Put On Awhile," "Cummilum."

           

IS FADA ANNSO ME (I am a long time here). AKA and see "Gentle Maiden."

           

IS FADA LIOM SIAR AN CRUACH. AKA and see "I Think Croagh Patrick Too Far Away From Me."

 

IS FEARR PAIDIR NÁ PORT (A Prayer is Better than a Tune). Irish, Jig. A Major. Standard tuning. AABB. Breathnach obtained O’Keeffe’s tablature manuscript from Jack Connell, nicknamed ‘Jack the Lighthouse’. It is played in County Clare in the key of ‘D’, he remarks, as a stand-alone jig or as two added parts to the “Kilfenora Jig [1],” the signature tune of the great ceili band of the same name. It is related to O’Neill’s “Chorus Jig [5].” Source for notated version: the tune is from the fiddle tablature manuscripts of itinerant Kerry fiddler Pádraig O’Keeffe. The title is from whistle player Micho Russell (Doolin, County Clare) [Breathnach]. Breathnach (CRÉ V), 1999; No. 2, pg. 3.

           

IS GALAR CRAIDHTE AN GRADH. AKA and see "Love is a Tormenting Pain."

           

IS IASCAIRE AR LOCH CEARA ME. Irish, Air. A variant appears in the Irish collector Edward Bunting's 1809 volume (pg. 48), entitled "Si casgaire ar loch" (The Fisherman).

           

IS IT SILK THAT'S IN YOUR BAG, MY BOY?  AKA ‑ "An Sioda Ata id' Bhalluit, a Bhuachaill?"  AKA and see “Silk in the Bag,” "The Silken Wallet," "The Brown Wallet." Irish, Jig. E Minor. Standard tuning. AAB. A variant of "Over the River to Charlie." Printed in O’Neill as “The Silken Wallet.” The title is a translation of the Irish “An Sioda Ata id' Bhalluit, a Bhuachaill?” JIFSS, No. 12, pg. 21. Kennedy (Traditional Dance Music of Britain and Ireland: Jigs & Quicksteps, Trips & Humours), 1997; No. 169, pg. 40 (appears as “Silk in the Bag”). Levey (Dance Music of Ireland, 2nd Collection), 1873; No. 2, pg. 1. O'Daly (The Poets and Poetry of Munster), 1849; pg. 222. O'Daly (The Poets and Poetry of Munster 2nd Ed.), 1850; pg. 122. O'Daly (The Poets and Poetry of Munster edited by James Meehan), c. 1885; pg. 270. O'Neill (Music of Ireland: 1850 Melodies), 1903/1979; No. 891, pg. 165 (appears as “The Silken Wallet”).

X:1

T:Is It Silk That’s In Your Bag

M:6/8

L:1/8

S:Levey – Dance Music of Ireland, 2nd Collection (1873)

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:Emin

c | BGE EFE | AFD DED | BGE EGB | c3 B2A | BGE EGE | AFD DED |

E2c BcA | G3 G2 :] D | GAG GBd | ege dBG | GAG GBd | e2f g3 |

GAG GBd | ege dBG | AGE EDE | c2B A2D | GAG GBd | ege dBG |

GAG GBd | e2f g3 | agf gfe | fed edB | cBA BAG | cdc cBA || 

           

IS IT THE PRIEST YOU WANT?  (Ne An T-Sagart Ta Uait?). Irish, Single Jig or Slide (12/8 time). E Minor. Standard tuning. AB (O'Sullivan/Bunting): AABB (Cole, Kerr, Moylan, O'Neill, Tubridy). A related tune is "A Dhonnchadh Na Bi Fogarthach" found in both Bunting's 1796 collection (No. 20, pg. 10) and his 1809 collection (pg. 41). Source for notated version: the Irish collector Edward Bunting noted the tune in Ballinrobe in 1792; learned from the influential Kerry musician Din Tarrant by accordion player Johnny O’Leary (Sliabh Luachra region, Kerry), recorded in recital at Na Píobairí Uilleann, February, 1981 [Moylan]. Cole (1000 Fiddle Tunes), 1940; pg. 76. Kerr (Merry Melodies), vol. 2; No. 230, pg. 26. Moylan (Johnny O’Leary), 1994; No. 46, pg. 28. Mulvihill (1st Collection), 1986; No 15 in slide section (appears as untitled tune). O'Neill (Music of Ireland: 1850 Melodies), 1903/1979; No. 873, pg. 162. O'Neill (Dance Music of Ireland: 1001 Gems), 1907/1986; No. 376, pg. 76. O'Sullivan/Bunting, 1983; No. 116, pg. 166. Ryan’s Mammoth Collection, 1883; pg. 108. Tubridy (Irish Traditional Music, vol. 1), 1999; pg. 27.

See also listings at:

Jane Keefer’s Folk Music Index: An Index to Recorded Sources 

Alan Ng’s Irishtune.info

X:1

T:Is it the Priest You Want?

M:6/8

L:1/8

K:Emin

g|edB d2B|d2B B2g|edB d2B|c2A A2g|edB d2B|BAB g3|BAB gfg|B2G G2:|

|:d|g3 faf|g2e e2d|e2a aga|b2e e2f|g3 faf|g2e e2d|BAB gfg|B2G G2:|

           


IS MAITH LE NORA CISTE (Nora Likes Cake). AKA and see "Nora with the cake," "Nora with the purse," "The Maid at the Spinning Wheel." Irish, Air (6/8 time) or Single Jig. D Major. Standard tuning. AB. O'Sullivan notes the alternate title "Nora with the purse" comes from the similarity in Gaelic of the words for 'cake' and 'purse' ('ciste'), which is spelled the same save for an accent mark. Source for notated version: Noted by the Irish collector Edward Bunting from Byrne the harper in 1802. Bulmer & Sharpley (Music from Ireland), 1974, vol. 2, No. 67. O'Sullivan/Bunting, 1983; No. 25, pgs. 40-41.

           

IS MISI AN BUACAILL LE NA MEALLAD. AKA and see "I'm the Boy for Bewitching Them."

           

IS NOT THIS PLEASANT?  (Nac Aoibinn e So?).  Irish, Air (6/8 time, "gaily"). G Major. Standard tuning. One part. O'Neill (Music of Ireland: 1850 Melodies), 1903/1979; No. 120, pg. 21.

X:1

T:Is Not this Pleasant?

M:6/8

L:1/8

R:Air

N:”Gaily”

S:O’Neill – Music of Ireland (1903), No. 120

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:G

G | B>cd c<Ad | B2G G2B | d>ef g<eg| f2d d2d | geg fdB |

c2e dBG | B>cd g2e | =f2d c>AF | GA>B c2d | {A/B/}A2 G G2 ||

           

IS OLC AN GHAOTH NACH SÉIDEANN DO DHUINE ÉIGIN. AKA and see “It is an Ill Wind that Blows Nobody Good.”

           

IS SAIDBREAS AN SASTACD. AKA and see "Contentment is Wealth."

           

IS SEANDUINE SAOB ME. AKA and see "I'm a Silly Old Man."

           

IS SULTMAR AN TEAGMAIL'S UAIGNEAC AN SCARAMAIN. AKA and see "Happy to Meet {and Sorry to Part}."

           

IS THE BIG MAN WITHIN? (bFUIL AN FEAR MOR ISTIG?)  AKA and see "The Far Mor," “How are you now, my maid?” "The Merry Tailor." Irish, Set Dance ‑ Slip and Double Jigs ('A' part in 9/8 time, 'B' part in 6/8 time). A Major (Williamson): D Major (O'Neill). Standard tuning. AABB. O'Neill (Dance Music of Ireland: 1001 Gems), 1907/1986; No. 965, pg. 166. Williamson (English, Welsh, Scottish and Irish Fiddle Tunes), 1976; pg. 73 (with two variations). Capelhouse Records, James Kelly – “Traditional Irish Music” (1996).

X:1

T:Is the Big Man Within?

M:9/8

L:1/8

R:Set Dance

S:O’Neill – Dance Music of Ireland: 1001 Gems (1907), No. 965

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:D

G|FDF G2E E2G|FDF A2D D2E|FDF G2E E2c|dcB A2D D2:|

M:6/8

|:G|F2A ABc|ded cBA|BcB AGF|B2E E2G|

F2A ABc|ded cBA|BcB BAF|A2D D2:|

           

IS THEN HIS FATE DECREED, SIR?  AKA and see "Of a noble race was Shenkin."  The air appears under this title in Gay's Beggar's Opera, 1729. Kison (1922) says that thought the tune has been claimed as Welsh, the music was either by Henry Purcell or John Eccles, as it appears in D'Urfey's play The Richmond Heiress to which they wrote the music in 1693. It also appears in D’Urfey’s Pills to Purge Melancholy, vols. II and IV.

           

IS TRUAGH MAR’ CHONAIRC ME AEN BHEAN A-RIAMH (‘Tis pity I e’er saw a woman). Irish, Air. A version of the English air “Happy Clown” or “One Evening Having Lost My Way.” Two bars in the Petrie sets correspond to one bar in the English sets. Stanford-Petrie (Complete Collection), 1905; Nos. 1397-1398.

           

IS TRUAS GAN OIDRE NAR BFARRAD. AKA and see "bRuac Na Carraige bAine" (2nd Setting).

           

IS TRUA GAN PEATA 'N MHAOIR AGAM [1]. AKA and see "Your Mother's Fair Pet," "Peata Beag mo Mháthar," "Peata Geal do Mháthar," "I'm ready now," "Our House at Home." Irish; Reel, Polka and Air. D Major/A Mixolydian. Standard tuning. AB. Paul de Grae translates the title as “a pity I don’t have the steward’s pet.” The name is from the chorus of a song (sung to the first part of the tune), from the playing of Doolin, County Clare, tin-whistle player Micho Russell (1915-1994) who called it “Peata Beag is a Mháthair” (Little pet and its mother). Breathnach finds versions in Joyce (Cnuasach ceoil a rinne Patrick Weston Joyce, pgs. 12-13) and Petrie (Ancient Music of Ireland, 1882, 42/43). He gives one of Russell’s verses:

***

I wish I had a bainbhín              bainbhín = young pig

A bainbhín, a bainbhín,

I wish I had a bainbhín

That would drink the pratie water.

***

Russell maintained that drinking the water after boiling potatoes (i.e. pratie water) was good for your feet and that young pigs liked it (Piggott, Blooming Meadows, 1998).

***

Source for notated version: Micko Russell, 1966 (Doolin, Co. Clare, Ireland) [Breathnach]. Breathnach (CRÉ II), 1976; No. 259, pg. 134. Tubridy (Irish Traditional Music, vol. 1), 1999; pg. 8 (appears as “Peata Beag Mo Mháthar”). Michael Tubridy: The Eagle's Whistle

X:1

T:Peata Beag Mo Mháthar

R:Polka

M:2/4

L:1/8

K:D

d2 cA|BG GB|AB cA|dfaf|d2 cA|BG GB|AB cA|d2 de||

|:fd de|fg a>a|bg af|gb a>g|fd de|fg a>a|bg af|g2 fe:|

X:2
T:Peata Beag mo Mháthar
R:reel
H:See also #129
D:Michael Tubridy: The Eagle's Whistle
Z:id:hn-reel-795

Z:transcribed by henrik.norbeck@mailbox.swipnet.se
M:C|
K:D
d2cA BG~G2|ABcd efaf|d2cA BG~G2|1 ABcA d2de:|2 ABcA d3e||
|:fdde fga2|bgaf gbag|fdde fga2|1 bgaf ~g3a:|2 bgaf g2fe||

 

IS TRUA GAN PEATA AN MHAIOR AGAM [2]. Irish, Slow Air (4/4 time). D Major. Standard tuning. One part. Ó Canainn (Traditional Slow Airs of Ireland), 1995; No. 27, pg. 29.

                       

IS YOUR GRAITH IN ORDER, OR THE WHIPMAN’S RANT. See “The Whipman’s Rant.”

                          

IS YOUR WALLET MADE OF SILK?  AKA and see “Sheehan’s.” AKA – “Is it silk that’s in your wallet?”  Irish, Slide (12/8 time). G Major. Standard tuning. ABA (Shields/Goodman): AABB (Breathnach). A traditional song air used as a slide, states editor Jackie Small (CRÉ V) in his note to the tune. Eoghan Rua Ó Súilleabháin wrote a song to the air, says Small, called “Cois Abhann I nDé, which appears in The Poets and Poetry of Munster (pgs. 270-271). The earliest appearance of the tune in print is in Church of Ireland cleric James Goodman’s mid-19th century music manuscripts. Goodman (1828-1896) was an uilleann piper, and an Irish speaker who collected locally in County Cork and elsewhere in Munster. He also obtained tunes from manuscripts and printed collections. See also the related slide “Cat in the Corner [3],“ and the double jig “Silken Wallet.” Source for notated version: Kerry fiddler and teacher Pádraig O’Keeffe, from a recording c. 1940 [Breathnach]. Breathnach (CRÉ V), 1999; No. 81, pg. 40. Shields/Goodman (Tunes of the Munster Pipers), 1998; No. 250, pg. 100 (appears as “An Síoda ‘thá ad Bhalluit?”).

X:1

T: An Síoda ‘thá ad Bhalluit?

T:Is it silk that’s in your wallet?

T:Is your wallet made of silk?

M:6/8

L:1/8

R:Jig

S:James Goodman manuscripts (mid-19th century)

B:Hugh Shields – Tunes of the Munster Pipers, No. 250  (1998)

K:G

G/A/|BGE EFE|AFD DED|BGE EFE|c3 B2A|BGE EFE|

AFD DED|GAB AFA|G2 G3||D|GAG GBd|edc BcA|

GAG GBd|e3g3|GAG GBd|edc BcA|BGE BcA|G2 G3||

              


ISABEL FALSEY (False Isabel). AKA – “Isbel Falsey.” Irish/English, Air (4/4 time). Ireland/England, Isle of Mann. E Flat Major. Standard tuning. One part. Samuel Bayard (in his article “A Miscellany of Tune Notes,” Studies in Folklore, pg. 170) finds this tune in diverse nationalities. It was collected by Karpeles and Sharp in America as “The Golden Glove” (English Folk Songs from the Southern Appalachians, I 377-78, 424 f.), and appears in John Thomas’ Cambrian Minstrel (1845, pg. 173, collected in Wales with the title “As I came home.” Moffat prints it in his Minstrelsy of Ireland (1897, 4th ed., pg. 351) as “Isabel Falsey” and Alexander Campbell gives it as “Wilzham Wallas’ March” in his Ediburgh-published Albyn’s Anthology (II, 1818, 72). Finally, Bayard finds two versions from the Continent in Van Duyse’s Oude Nederlandsche Leid (I, 1903, pgs. 185 and 187), one a Dutch song tune from a late 18th century manuscript and the other a Flemish version first published in 1879. Stanford/Petrie (Complete Collection), 1905; No. 718, pg. 180.

X:1

T:Isbel Falsey (False Isabel)

M:C

L:1/8

O:Isle of Mann

S:Stanford/Petrie (1905), No. 718

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:Eb

B>B | e2 d>e c2 d>e | (f>d) BB B2 B>A | G2 B>B c2 de | (f>d) B>B BB BB |

c>B cd e2 fg | B>c BA {A}G2 EG | Be ec B2 GB | B>G EE E<E ||

                       

ISABELLA BURKE (Isiabal Ni Buaircac). Irish, Slow Air or Planxty (3/4 time). D Minor (most versions): A Minor (J. Johnson): G Minor (Barnes). Standard tuning. One part (Johnson): AB (most versions): AAB (Barnes). Composed by blind Irish harper Turlough O'Carolan (1670-1738). The melody appears in Edward Bunting’s (1773-1843)  c. 1800 manuscript collection (held at Library of the Queen’s University, Belfast), and in his A General Collection of the Ancient Irish Music (London, 1796, pg. 30), although it was first published in John and William Neale’s Collection of the Most Celebrated Irish Tunes (Dublin, c. 1726). Bunting, however, did not attributed the melody to O’Carolan, although Pigot and Hardiman did. Donal O’Sullivan (1958) notes that Hardiman (who is considered reliable) believed “Isabella Burke,” “Thomas Burke,” and “Planxty Burke” were “composed for a respectable family of that name near Castlebar.” No record of the name Isabella appears in O’Carolan’s time in any of the genealogies of the major Burke families in the area, and it is not known who she might be. Barnes (English Country Dance Tunes, vol. 2), 2005; pg. 135 (appears as “Twelve for the Twelve Apostles”, the name of a 1994 country dance by Fried de Metz Herman, set to the tune). Complete Collection of Carolan's Irish Tunes, 1984; No. 12, pg. 31. S. Johnson (The Kitchen Musician No. 3: Carolan), 1983 (revised 1991, 2001); pg. 9. O'Neill (Krassen), 1976; pg. 233. O'Neill (Music of Ireland: 1850 Melodies), 1903/1979; No. 654, pg. 117. O’Sullivan (Carolan: The Life, Times and Music of an Irish Harper), 1958; No. 12.

X:1

T:Isabella Burke

M:3/4

L:1/8

R:Air

N:”Slow”

S:O’Neill – Music of Ireland (1903), No. 654

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:Dmin

d2d2 dc|d2g2 gf|d2 fd c>B|B4 FG|A2B2 AG|F2f2 d>c|B2A2 G>F|D4||

D>E |F2B2 AG|F4 F/G/A|B2d2 c>B|B4 FG|A2B2 AG|F2f2 d>c|B2A2 G>F|D4||

                       

ISABELLA'S HORNPIPE. English, Hornpipe. England, Shropshire. G Major. Standard tuning. AABB. The title was provided by editor Gordon Ashman, who took John Moore's untitled hornpipe and named it for his wife. Source for notated version: a c. 1837-1840 MS by Shropshire musician John Moore [Ashman]. Ashman (The Ironbridge Hornpipe), 1991; No. 116a, pg. 48.

                       

ISABELLE BLACKLEY. Scottish, Pipe Jig. Composed by Captain Ian C. Cameron, a native of Islay who served with the 7th Battalion The Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders in WWII.  The Gordon Highlanders Pipe Music Collection, vol. 2. Mathieson, Book 1 (Marking Time). Wildcat Records WILDCD 101, Ronan Martin – “Ronan Martin” (2008).

 

ISAKAS-KARL-HINDRIKAS VALS. Scandinavian, Waltz. D Major. Standard tuning. AA'BB'. A bit ‘crooked’ in the second part (nine measures instead of the usual eight). Private collection, A. Kuntz.

X:1

T:Isakas-Karl-Hindrikas Vals

M:3/4

L:1/8

N:Arr. J. Broman

R:Waltz

K:D

AG|:F2A2 AF|D2F2 Ad|B2G2F2|E4 ed|c2e2 ec|A2c2 eg|f2d2d2|1 d4 AG:|2 d4 df||

|:a2a2a2|a2 ba gf|(ed) ef g2|g4 g2|(ga) gf ed|c2e2 ec|A2c2 eg|f2d2d2|1 d4 df:|2 d4||

“2nd violin”

FE|:D2F2 FD |A,2D2 DF|G2B2B2|G4 AB|A2c2 cA|E2A2 ce|dsF2F2|1 F4 FE:|2 F4 Ad||

|:f2f2f2|F2 GF ED|(cA) Bc d2|B4 B2|(dB) GB AB|A2c2 Ac|E2A2 cA|d2F2F2|1 F4 Ad:|2 F4||

                       

ISBEL FALSEY. See “Isabel Falsey.”

                       

ISLA REEL, THE. AKA and see "The Mason's Apron.”  Scottish, Reel. A Major. Standard tuning. AB (Alburger): ABCD (McGlashan). Appears in Alexander McGlashan's (173?‑1797) second book of fiddle tunes. McGlashan's name does not appear on the tunes in the book, only on the title page, however, Alburger (1983) speculates he may be the author. Alburger (Scottish Fiddlers and Their Music), 1983; Ex. 44, pgs. 66‑67. McGlashan (A Collection of Reels), c. 1786; pg. 33.

X:1

T:Isla Reel, The

L:1/8

M:C|

S:McGlashan – Reels

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:A

e|cA A/A/A ABAF|EFAB c2 BA|cB B/B/B BABc|Bcde f2 ed|cA A/A/A ABAF|

EFAB c2 BA|Bcde fefa|A/A/A cB (A2 A)||e|cAeA fAeA|cAeA fedc|

dBfB aBfB|dBfg f2 ed|cAeA fAeA|cAeA fedc|Bcde fefa|A/A/A cB A2 Ae||

cA A/A/A A>BAF|EFAB c2 BA|cB B/B/B B>cBA|Bcde f2 ed|c>eAc A>BAF|

E>FAB c2 BA|Bcde fefa|A/A/A cB A2 Ae|cAeA fAeA|cAeA fedc|dBfB ABfB|

dBfB gfed|cAeA fAeA|EFAB c2 BA|Bcde fefa|A/A/A cB A2 A||

                       

ISLA SIDE LASSES. Scottish, Reel. B Minor. Standard tuning. AAB. Composed by Alexander Walker. Walker (A Collection of Strathspeys, Reels, Marches, &c.), 1866; No. 59, pg. 21.

                       

ISLAND, THE. American, Reel. F Major. Standard tuning. AABB. The melody appears in George P. Knauff’s Virginia Reels, volume II (Baltimore, 1839).

X:1

T:Island, The

M:2/4

L:1/8

R:reel

B:George P. Knauff – Virginia Reels, vol. II (Baltimore, 1839)

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:F

c|(f/c/A/c/) (f/c/A/c/)|(g/c/=B/c/) (g/c/B/c/)|(a/f/b/g/) (c’/a/d’/c’/)|(b/a/g/f/) (f/e/d/c/)|f/c/A/c/ f/c/A/c/|

g/c/=B/c/ g/c/B/c/|(a/f/b/g/) (a/g/f/e/)|f[Af][Af]::a/b/|(c’/=b/c’/a/) (f/c’/d’/c’/)|(b/a/g/f/) (e/f/g/a/)|

b/a/b/g/ f/a/c’/b/|a/g/f/e/ fg|{b}a/g/a/b/ c’/a/c’/a/|{c’}b/a/b/c’/ d’/b/d’/b/|a/c’/a/f/ g/b/g/e/|f[Af][Af]:||

                       

ISLAND BOY. AKA and see “Larry O’Gaff Reel.” Canadian, Reel. Canada, Prince Edward Island. D Major/Mixolydian. Standard tuning. AABB. Perlman identifies the tune as a variant of the Irish jig “Larry O’Gaff,” adapted to reel time. Source for notated version: Ervan Sonier {1920-1994} & Toussaint Arsenault {b. 1916} (Summerside, East Prince County, PEI) [Perlman]. Perlman (The Fiddle Music of Prince Edward Island), 1996; pg. 69. Rounder CD 7014, Denis Pitre – “Fiddlers of Western Prince Edward Island” (1997. “The cut shows the quintessential Western P.E.I. fiddle style—fast tempo, singing fiddle, infectious rhythm, and quite a bit of syncopation”).

                       

ISLAND FERRY. Canadian, Hornpipe. Canada, New Brunswick. Composed by New Brunswick fiddler Jerry Robichaud. Great Meadow Music GMM 2002, Rodney Miller & David Surette – “New Leaf” (2000).

                       

ISLAND OF JAVA. Scottish, Reel. C Major. Standard tuning. AAB. Stewart-Robertson (The Athole Collection), 1884; pg. 79.

X:1

T:Island of Java

M:C|

L:1/8

R:Reel

B:Stewart-Robertson – The Athole Collection (1884)

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:C

~c2 ec Gcec|FcEc DG,B,G,|~c2 ec Gcec|fage c/c/c ~c2:|

~E2 Gc EcGc|~F2Ac FcAc|G2Bd GdBd|fdec cBAG|

~E2Gc EcGc|~F2Ac FcAc|fagf edec|GcBd c/c/c ~c2||

                       

ISLAND OF MULL, THE. AKA and see “Mrs. MacDonald [1]." Scottish, Jig. A Major. Standard tuning. AABB. “…by the Earl of Eglintoun” (Gow, 1817). Gow (Complete Repository), Part 4, 1817; pg. 10.

X:1

T:Island of Mull, The

L:1/8

M:6/8

S:Gow – 4th Repository

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:A

A/B/|{AB}c>BA AFE|(EC)E (EC)E|c>BA (A<e)c|cBB B2 A/B/|{AB}c>BA AFE|

(EC)E (EC)E|(Ae)c B>AB|cAA A2::E/D/|(CEA) AcA|(EGB) BdB|

(Ace) edc|cBB B2 c/d/|ecA (Ac)A|BGE E2D|(CE)A B>AB|(cA)A A2:|

 

ISLAY BALL (THE).  AKA and see “MacPhedron’s Strathspey.” Scottish, Strathspey. ABCD.

                       

ISLAY CHARMS. Scottish, Pipe Tune. Green Linnet GLCD SIF 1176, The Tannahill Weavers – “Leaving St. Kilda” (appears as second tune of “Islay Charms Set”).

           

ISLAY HOUSE. Scottish, Jig. A Major. Standard. AABB.

X:1
T:Islay House
D:Jim Johnstone, Sound of
Z:Nigel Gatherer
L:1/8
M:6/8
K:A
E | A>BA AGF | E>FE ECE | A2A  BAB | cAF F2
G | A>BA AGF | E>FE ECE | AcA  BdB | cAA A2 :|
c/d/ | ecA  AGA | FDD  Dde | f^dB BcA | G2E EFG |
A>BA AGF | E>FE ECE | AcA  BdB | cAA A2 :|

           

ISLAY JIG, AN. Scottish, Jig. A Mixolydian. Standard tuning. AABB'. Neil (The Scots Fiddle), 1991; No. 141, pg. 180.

                       

ISLAY RANTERS, THE. Scottish. Composed by Charlie McKerron. Tartan Tapes CDTT1004, Amy Geddes – “Heat the Hoose” (1998). SUR 014, Capercaille – “The Blood is Strong.”

           

ISLE IN THE SKY.  American, Reel. D Major. Standard tuning. AAB. Randy Miller believes Taggart’s title refers to Scotland’s Isle of Skye. Source for notated version: the 1938 typewritten manuscript of New Hampshire musician John Taggart (“Recollections of a Busy Life”, in the possession of the New Hampshire Historical Society, Concord, N.H.) [Miller]. Miller (Fiddler’s Throne), 2004; No. 176, pg. 110.

 

ISLE OF AIGAS (Eilean Aigeis). Scottish, Air (3/4 time). C Minor. Standard tuning. AB. This tune "was communicated by Alexander Leslie, Esq., formerly mentioned; on the copy he gave the editor the name was not written, but he knows it to be either the Isle or Fall of Aigas, which lie adjacent, and beautifully situated in the bosom of the river Beanly, in Inverness‑shire" (Fraser). Fraser (The Airs and Melodies Peculiar to the Highlands of Scotland and the Isles), 1872; pg. 88.

X:1

T:Isle of Aigas, The

T:Eilean Aigeis

M:3/4

L:1/8

R:Air

S:Fraser Collection   (1874)

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:Cmin

c>d|e2c2G2|G3z G>F|E2G2 [=B,2D2]|C3z B,>B,|[C4F4] [F2A2]|

[=E6G6]|[E2c2] z2 c>d|e2c2G2|G3z E>F|G3c2e2|[=B3d3]z e>d|

c2G2E2|[C4F4]E2|[=B,6D6]|C2 z2||G>G|c2d2e2|[=B3d3] z c>c|

g2f2 [=B2d2]|c3z G>G|c2d2e2|[=B4d4] c2|(G6|c2) z2 C>D|

E2F2G2|G3z G>G|c2d2e2|[=B3d3]z e>d|c2G2E2|[C4F4] E2|[=B,6D6]|C2 z2||

           

ISLE OF HARRIS POLKA. Scottish? Polka. D Major. Standard tuning. AABB. Miller & Perron (101 Polkas), 1978; No. 49.

           

ISLE OF MAY, THE. English, Jig. England, Northumberland. B Flat Major. Standard tuning. AABB. Source for notated version: the 1770 music manuscript collection of Northumbrian musician William Vickers, about whom little is known [Seattle]. Seattle (William Vickers), 1987, Part 2; No. 342.

X:1

T:Isle of May, The

M:6/8

L:1/8

R:Jig

S:William Vickers’ music manuscript (Northumberland, 1770)

K:Bb

f3 b3|fgf fed|cde dcB|(A/B/c)A F3|f3 b3|fgf fed|cde dcB|cFA B3:|
|:Bdf Bdf|Acf Acf|Bdf Bdf|A/B/cA F3|Bdf Bdf|Acf Acf|Bdf Bdf|FBA B2:||

           

ISLE OF SKYE [1]. Scottish, Reel. B Flat Major (most versions): G Major (Kennedy). Standard tuning. AB (McGlashan, Surenne): AAB (most versions): AABB (Bremner). Bremner (A Collection of Scots Reels), 1757; pg. 7. Gow (Complete Repository), Part 1, 1799; pg. 32. Honeyman (Strathspey, Reel and Hornpipe Tutor), 1898; pg. 27. Kennedy (Traditional Dance Music of Britain and Ireland: Reels and Rants), 1997; No. 73, pg. 19. MacDonald (The Skye Collection), 1887; pg. 122. McGlashan (A Collection of Reels), c. 1786; pg. 30. Petrie (2nd Collection of Strathspey Reels and Country Dances), 1796; pg. 23. Stewart-Robertson (The Athole Collection), 1884; pg. 279. Surenne (Dance Music of Scotland), 1852; pg. 14.

X:1

T:Isle of Skye [1]

M:C|

L:1/8

R:Reel

B:Stewart-Robertson - The Athole Collection  (1884)

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:Bb

d|BFDF BFDF|ECC=B cGGA|BFDF BFDF|ECFD DB,B,:|

F|Bdfb fdBd|cBcd cBGc|Bdfb fdBd|cBcd B/B/B B>b|gfgb fdBd|

cBcd cBGg|fBgB aBbB|cBcd B/B/B ~B||

X:2

T:Isle of Sky

S:Petrie's Second Collection of Strathspey Reels and Country Dances &c.

Z:Steve Wyrick <sjwyrick'at'astound'dot'net>, 6/11/04

N:Petrie's Second Collection, page 23

% Gore's Index shows several citations for this tune, all published around the same time

L:1/8

M:C

R:Reel

K:Bb

A|BFDF BFDF|ECC=B cG(GA|B)FDF BFDG|ECF>E DB,B,:|

A|Bdfb fdBd|(TcBc)d cBGA|Bdfb  fdBd|(TcBc)d B/B/B B2|

Bdfb fdBd|(TcBc)d cGGg|fBBg  aBbB|(TcBcd) B/B/B B|]

 


ISLE OF SKYE [2]. AKA and see "Planxty George Brabazon [2]."  Scottish, Scottish Measure. D Major (Carlin, Gow, O’Farrell): G Major (Hardings). Standard tuning. AAB (Carlin, Gow): AABB (Hardings, O’Farrell). "Isle of Skye" is the Scottish name for the Irish planxty called “George Brabazon,” composed by the blind harper Turlough O'Carloan (1670-1734). John Glen (1891) finds the earliest printing of a tune by this title in Robert Bremner's 1757 collection (pg. 7). O’Farrell (c. 1806), obviously not aware of the O’Carolan connection, lists the tune as “Scotch.” The melody appears in the Gillespie Manuscript of Perth (1768). A tune by this name (which may or may not be this one) appears in Rutherford’s Compleat Collection of 200 Country Dances, vol. 2, 1760 (pg. 84), in the Frobisher Manuscript (1793, pg. 35), and in Aird (Selection of Scotch, English, Irish and Foreign Tunes, vol. IV), 1782; pg. 60. Carlin (The Gow Collection), 1986; No. 76. Gow (Complete Repository), Part 2, 1802; pg. 10. Hardings All Round Collection, 1905; No. 91, pg. 29. Kerr (Merry Melodies), vol. 3; pg. 45. O’Farrell (Pocket Companion, vol. II), c. 1806; pg. 125. Rounder 7002, Graham Townsend‑‑"Le Violin/The Fiddle."

X:1

T:Isle of Sky (sic) [2]

M:C

L:1/8

R:Scottish Measures=

S:Gow – 2nd Repository (1802)

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:D

dB|A2D2 (GF)ED|A2D2 (GF)ED|B2E2 (EF)GA|B2E2 (EF)GA|A2 GF d2 cB|

{B}A2 GF E2 DE|FEDB, (A,B,)DE|F2D2D2:|

ag|f2d2 (fg)ag|f2d2 (fg)af|g2e2 (ef)ga|b2e2e2 ag|f2d2 fgag|f2d2 fgag|(fg)ab afeg|

f2(d2d2) de|f2 df {f}e2Be|d2Ad B2FA|(BE)(dE) (EF)(GA)|(BE)(dE) E(cde)|

f2df e2Be|d2Ad B2FB|A2A,2 (A,B,)DE|{DE}F2D2D2||

 

ISLE OF SKYE [3]. AKA and see "Planxty George Brabazon [2]." Scottish, Reel. D Major. Standard tuning. AABB. 'A' part is as in version #2, however 'B' parts differ greatly. Hardings All Round Collection, 1905; No. 150, pg. 47.

X:1

T:Isle of Skye [3]

M:2/4

L:1/8

R:Reel

S:Harding’s All Round Collection (1905)

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:D

d/B/|AD G/F/E/D/|AD G/F/E/D/|BE E/F/G/A/|BE EF/G/|A>B A/G/F/E/|

d/c/d/e/ fe|dB AF|ADD::z|.f.d.d.f|(e/d/).c/.B/ ^Ac|.d.BBd|

(c/B/)^.A/G/ F2|BGGB|(A/G/).F/E/ DF/G/|AB A/G/F/E/|ADD:|

           

ISLE OF THE AIGAS, THE. AKA ‑ "Eilean Aigeis," "Fall of Aigas." Scottish, Slow Air (3/4 time). C Minor. Standard tuning. AB. This tune "was communicated by Alexander Leslie, Esq., formerly mentioned; on the copy he gave the editor the name was not written, but he knows it to be either the Isle or Fall of Aigas, which lie adjacent, and beautifully situated in the bosom of the river Beanly, in Inverness‑shire" (Fraser). Fraser (The Airs and Melodies Peculiar to the Highlands of Scotland and the Isles), 1874; No. 214, pg. 88.

X:1

T:Isle of Aigas, The

T:Eilean Aigeis

M:3/4

L:1/8

R:Slow Air

S:Fraser Collection  (1874)

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:Cmin

c>d|e2c2G2|G3z G>F|E2G2 [=B,2D2]|C3z B,>B,|[C4F4] [F2A2]|

[=E6G6]|[E2c2] z2 c>d|e2c2G2|G3z E>F|G3c2e2|[=B3d3]z e>d|

c2G2E2|[C4F4]E2|[=B,6D6]|C2 z2||G>G|c2d2e2|[=B3d3] z c>c|

g2f2 [=B2d2]|c3z G>G|c2d2e2|[=B4d4] c2|(G6|c2) z2 C>D|

E2F2G2|G3z G>G|c2d2e2|[=B3d3]z e>d|c2G2E2|[C4F4] E2| [=B,6D6]|C2 z2||

                       

ISLINGTON ASSEMBLY.  English, Country Dance Tune (2/4 time). D Major. Standard tuning. AABB. The tune first appeared in John Hinton’s Universal Magazine of Knowledge and Pleasure in the early 1750’s. Subsequently it appeared in John Johnson’s 200 Favourite Country Dances, vol. 7 (London, 1756), and Charles and Samuel Thompson’s 1757 country dance collection. Thompson (Compleat Collection of 200 Favourite Country Dances, vol. 1), 1757; No. 78.

X:78

T:Islington Assembly

M:2/4

L:1/8

B:Thompson’s Compleat Collection of 200 Favourite Country Dances, vol. 1 (London, 1757)

Z:Transcribed and edited by Flynn Titford-Mock, 2007

Z:abc’s:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:D

d|Dd “tr”d2|fd “tr”d2|gfed|cBAG|FEDd|cBAf|edcB|A3:|

|:a|Aa “tr”a2|Bg “tr”g2|gfed|cBAG|FAdf|GBeg|fd Ac|d3:||

 

ISOM WALTZ. Old-Time, Waltz. USA, North Carolina. Rounder 0024, “Hollow Rock String Band” (1974. Learned from John Lewis of Walnut Cove, North Carolina).

 

ISSODUN.  See “Reel d’Issodun.”

                       

IT AIN’T THE HEAT, IT’S THE HUMIDITY. American, Reel. A Major. Standard tuning. AABBAACD. Composed by Erik Sessions of St. Paul, Minnesota, on a sticky Minnesota summer afternoon, notes Susan Songer (Portland Collection). Songer (Portland Collection), 1997; pg. 108. Pig’s Eye Landing - “Drunken Billy Goat” (1994).

                       

IT DON'T MAKE NO DIFFERENCE. Old‑Time. The title appears in a list of traditional Ozark Mountain fiddle tunes compiled by musicologist/folklorist Vance Randolph, published in 1954.

           

IT GOES AS FOLLIES (Áirítear mar Dhíth Céille É). Irish, Reel. G Major. Standard tuning. AB. Source for notated version: flute, whistle and concertina player Michael Tubridy (Ireland) [Breathnach]. Breathnach (CRÉ III), 1985; No. 124, pg. 60.

           

IT GRIEVES ME MUCH TO PITY THEE.  English, Country Dance Tune (whole time). D Major. Standard tuning. AABB. The melody was originally published by Charles and Samuel Thompson in their Compleat Collection, vol. 3 (London, 1773). As with numerous tunes from the Thompson’s 1773 collection, it was entered into the 1788 music copybook of fiddlers John and William Pitt Turner (Norwich, Conn.). Thompson (Compleat Collection of 200 Favourite Country Dances, vol. 3), 1773; No. 175.

X:1

T:It grieves me much to Pitty [sic] thee

M:C

L:1/8

B:Thompson’s Compleat Collection of 200 Favourite Country Dances, vol. 3 (London, 1773)

Z:Transcribed and edited by Flynn Titford-Mock, 2007

Z:abc’s:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:D

d>ed<A F<DDd|eEE>F G>A B2|d>ed<A FDDd|fdd<A B>c d2:|
|:e>fed c<Aec|dBfd c^A F2|B>cBF d>edB|f>gfd B>cd2|

d>ed<A F<DDd|eEE>F G>A B2|d>ed<A FDDd|fdd<A B>c d2:||

 

IT IS AN ILL WIND THAT BLOWS NOBODY GOOD (Is Olc an Bhaoth nach Séideann do Dhuine Éigin). Irish, Double Jig. G Major. Standard tuning. AB. Source for notated version: fiddler and uilleann piper Stephen Grier (Farnaght, Co. Leitrim), who wrote his manuscripts in the 1880's [Breathnach]. Breathnach (CRÉ IV), 1996; No. 14, pg. 9.

           

IT IS DAY. AKA and see “Paddy Will You Now?” “Ta na la,” "Tow Row Row, Johnny Will You Now."  See also “Thaunalaw.”

           


IT IS LONELY YOU HAVE LEFT ME (Se mir me go h-eagneac). Irish. An air appearing in Luke Wadding's (The Bishop of Ferns) A Pious Garland of Godly Songs for the Solace of his Friends and Neighbors in their Afflictions, 1680.

           

IT IS MY DEEP SORROW. AKA and see "Gentle Maiden."

           

IT IS NOT DAY, NO, NOR MORNING. AKA and see "The Mad Buckgoat" ("Poc Buille" or "Poc Air Buille"). Irish, Air (2/4 time). G Major. Standard tuning. AB. “An Poc ar Buille” is one of the most readily recognized songs in Irish tradition today, says Paul de Grae, if only because the chorus is popularly reworded as “I’ll fuckin’ kill ye…”Joyce calls this a drinking song, and obtained it from the Pigot Collection. "This is a better setting than the one I have given in Ancient Irish Music, p. 57" (Joyce). Joyce (Old Irish Folk Music and Song), 1909; No. 693, pg. 348.

X:1

T:It is Not Day, No, Nor Morning

M:2/4
L:1/8

N:”Spirited”

S:Joyce – Old Irish Folk Music and Songs (1909), No. 693

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:G

dd/e/ fe/d/ | ggdB | dded | egag | bagd | =ffed | g/e/d/B/ AG | AG/F/ GD ||

“Chorus”

.E.G G2 | .A.A A2 | G/E/G G2 | B/A/G/E/ GD | .E.G G2 | .A.G A>g | g/e/d/B/ dB | AG/A/ BG ||

           

IT IS NOT DAY YET. AKA and see “Nil se ina La.”

           

IT IS NOT TIME TO GO, BOYS. Irish, Air (4/4 time). A Minor. Standard tuning. One part. Source for notated version: Hugh O'Beirne, professional fiddler from Ballinamore, Co. Leitrim, 1846. Joyce (Old Irish Folk Music and Song), 1909; No. 568, pg. 300.

X:1

T:It is not time to go, boys

M:C

L:1/8

R:Air

N:”Spirited”

S:Joyce – Old Irish Folk Music and Songs (1909)

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:Amin

cd | e2 cA c2 Ac | A4 G2A2 | c2 cd e2 cA | {A}c2d2 c3A |
A2g2a2 eg | e2d2c2 de | f2 ec d2c2 | A2A2A2 ||

           

IT IS SICKLY I AM (Is Temneasac A Taim). Irish, Slow Air (4/4 time). G Mixolydian. Standard tuning. AB. O'Neill (Music of Ireland; 1850 Melodies), 1903/1979; No. 568, pg. 100.

X:1

T:It is Sickly I Am

M:C

L:1/8

R”Air

N:”Slow”

S:O’Neill – Music of Ireland (1903), No. 568

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:G

de|=f>e fg fedc|B2 {B}A>G G2 de|=f>efg fedB|d2 eg g3g|=f2 fg {f}e2 dB|

B2 AG G2 GA/B/|c2 =f2 e2 dB|A2 GG G2||d>c|B2 A2 G2 G>A|B2 {B}AG G2 GA|

B2 =fe d2 cB|c2 de =f2 dc|BB AA G2 GA|B2 de/f/ g2 d>c|B3 G A3 G|G4 G2||

           

IT IS SWEET TO THINK. See "'Tis Sweet to Think."

           

IT IS TO FAIR ENGLAND I’M WILLING TO GO. Irish, Air (3/4 time). B Flat Major. Standard tuning. One part (Petrie): AB (Joyce). Source for notated version: “From (the Irish collector) Mr. Joyce” [Stanford/Petrie]; noted in 1854 from the whistling of Joseph Martin, county Limerick [Joyce]. Joyce (Ancient Irish Music), 1890; No. 83, pg. 85. Stanford/Petrie (Complete Collection), 1905; No. 814, pg. 203.

X:1

T:It is to fair England I’m willing to go
M:3/4

L:1/8

R:Air

N:”Andante”

S:Stanford/Petrie (1905), No. 814

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:G

FG/A/ | B2 Bc d2 | F2F2G2 | _A2 BA FE | F4 FG/A/ | B2 Bc d2 | F2F2G2 |

_A2 BA FE | F4 de | f2 de fd | e>g f>e dc | B2 AF Ac/d/ | e4 de | f2B2 ed |

c2 F>E DF | B2d2 cB/A/ | B4 ||

           

IT THUNDERED IN THE EAST. American, Reel. USA, southwestern Pa. G Major. Standard tuning. AB. The tune is similar to minstrel Dan Emmett's "Jordan Is a Hard Road to Travel" ("Kingdom Coming", "Year of Jubilo"); Bayard (1981) thinks it likely they may both have been derived from some common ancestor.

The ditty below was recited by Bayard's source:

***

It thundered in the East, 

And it thundered in the West,

And it thundered in the Allegheny Mountains. (Bayard)

***

Source for notated version: Thomas Patterson (Elizabeth, Pa., 1930's) [Bayard]. Bayard (Dance to the Fiddle), 1981; No. 89, pg. 54.

           

IT WAS A LOVER AND HIS LASS. English, Air (4/4 time). G Mixolydian (Chappell): D Major (Kines). Standard tuning. One part. The air, a duet composed by Thomas Morley, appears in his First Book of Ayres or Little Short Songs; to sing and play to the Lute, with the Base Viola (1600). The song can be found in Shakespeare's As You Like It (act V, scene 3), where it is sung by two pages. Chappell (Popular Music of the Olden Time), vol. 1, 1859; pgs. 114‑115. Kines (Songs From Shakespeare's Plays and Popular Songs of Shakespeare's Time), 1964; pgs. 46‑47.

           


IT WAS AN OLD BEGGERMAN. Irish, Air (6/8 time). Ireland, Donegal. B Flat Major. Standard tuning. One part.

***

It was an old Beggarman weary and wet

And down by the fireside he sat

He threw down his bags and his broken staff

And merrily he did sing.

***

My dear, said he, if I were as free

As when I first came to this countrie,

I’d dress you up, all beggarly,

And away with me you should gang-oh.

***

Chorus:

With his pipe in his jaw

And his jaw full of smoke,

And the dribbles hang down

To the breast of his cloak;

His bag on his back

And his staff in his hand,

He’s a jolly old Beggarman-oh.

***

Source for notated version: “From Mr. Allingham” [Stanford/Petrie]. According to Caoimhin Mac Aoidh (1994), Petrie’s source was William Allingham, a fiddler and customs officer of Donegal Town, Donegal, who collected this local tune in the Ballyshannon area. Allingham died in 1889. Stanford/Petrie (Complete Collection), 1905; No. 678, pg. 170.

X:1

T:It was an old Beggarman

M:6/8
L:1/8

N:”As sung in Donegal”

S:Stanford/Petrie (1905), No. 678

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:Bb

B | FGF F<FG | _ABA A2c | BAG FG=A | B2B B2c | d2d def | fed c2 d/>e/ |

f2f edc | B3 ||

“Chorus”

c2A | F>GF F2G | _A2A A2c | BAG FGA | B2c d2 B/c/ | d2d d2f | e2d c2d/e/ |

f2f edc | B3 B2 ||

           

IT WAS IN DUBLIN CITY. Irish, Air (6/8 time). E Flat Major. Standard tuning. One part.

***

It was in Dublin city, a city of great fame,

Where first my darling Irish boy, a-courting to me came.

***

Stanford/Petrie (Complete Collection), 1905; No. 755, pg. 189.

X:1

T:It was in Dublin city

M:6/8

L:1/8

S:Stanford/Petrie (1905), No. 755

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:Eb

G/F/ | E2G B2e | c2A G2E | F2G E2E | (E3 E2) G/F/ | E2G B2 c/d/ | e3c2e |

d2B c2B | (B3B2) G/F/ | E2G B2 c/d/ | e3 e2c | B2G E2 F/G/ | A3 G2F |

E2G B2e | c2A G2E | F2G E2E | (E3 E2) ||

           

IT WAS ON A FAIR CALM MORNING. Irish, Air (4/4 time). G Dorian. Standard tuning. AB. "Compare‑‑both name and tune‑‑with No. 12 of my Ancient Irish Music" (Joyce). Source for notated version: "Paddy Conneely, the Galway fiddler," via Forde (Joyce). Joyce (Old Irish Folk Music and Song), 1909; No. 475, pgs. 263‑264.

X:1

T:It was on a fair calm morning

M:C

L:1/8

R:Air

S:Joyce – Old Irish Folk Music and Songs (1909)

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:Gdor

GA | B2 AF GAcd | f3g a2 gf | d2 cA FGAF | G3F D2 GA | B2 AF GAcd | f3g a2 gf |

d2 cA G2G2 | G6 || fg | abag fgab | g3f d2 gf | d2 cA FGAB | G3F D2 GA |

B2 AF GAcd | f3g a2 gf | d2 cA G2G2 | G4 ||

           

IT WAS ON A FRIDAY MORNING. Irish, Air (4/4 time). E Dorian. Standard tuning. One part. Source for notated version: Mr. J. MacKenzie of Newtownards (Joyce). Joyce (Old Irish Folk Music and Song), 1909; No. 333, pg. 154.

X:1

T:It was on a Friday morning

M:C

L:1/8

R:Air

S:Joyce – Old Irish Folk Music and Songs  (1909)

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:Edor

(3FGA|B2 B>A F2 DE|F2 E>E E3A|B2 B>B e2 e>c|dcBA d3A|

B2BB e2 ec|dB AF D2 (3FGA|B2 B>A F2 D>E|F2 E>E E2||

           

IT WINNA DO. Scottish, Reel. D Minor. Standard tuning. AAB. The melody appears in Daniel M'Laren's 1794 collection. Glen (The Glen Collection of Scottish Music), vol. 2, 1895; pg. 41.

X:1

T:It Winna Do

M:C|

L:1/8

R:Reel

S:Glen Collection, vol. 2  (1895)

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:Dmin

A,|(D/E/F) (E>D) (d/e/f) (ed)|cAGF ECCE|(D/E/F) (E>D) (d/e/f) e>d|c>AGE ADD:|

E|f>ede fagf|egcg ecge|f>ede fage|fdB^c dDDe|f>ede fagf|egcg ecge|f<ae<g decd|AcEG ADD||

           

IT WOULD NOT DO AT ALL (Ni Deunfaid Se Air Bit). Irish, Air (4/4 time, "lively"). A Major. Standard tuning. AB. O'Neill (Music of Ireland: 1850 Melodies), 1903/1979; No. 465, pg. 81.

X:1

T:It would not do at all

M:C

L:1/8

R:Air

N:”Lively”

S:O’Neill – Music of Ireland (1903), No. 465

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:A

c>d|efge fded|cABG E3D|CDEF GABG|ABcd e3 c/>d/|efge aged|cedB A2 BG|

EFGA BGED|EAAA A2||E2|ABcd e3f|gedc B2 ed|cBAc BAGA|BGEE E3E|

ABcd e^def|gfge a2 ef|gedB cedB|cAAA A2||

           

ITALIAN DISAPPOINTMENT, THE.   English, Jig. D Major. Standard tuning. AABB. The melody appears in John and William Neal’s Choice Collection of Country Dances (Dublin, c. 1726). The title perhaps refers to a failed opera. Barnes (English Country Dance Tunes, vol. 2), 2005; pg. 64.

 

ITALIAN JOB, THE.  English. Rogue Records FMSL2004, The English Country Blues Band – “Home and Deranged” (1983). Topic TSCD 752, The English Country Blues Band – “Stepping Up” (2004. Compilation CD).

 

ITALIAN MONFRINA. Scottish, Country Dance Tune (6/8 time). G Major. Standard tuning. AB. Kidson (Grove) writes that the Monferrina is “a kind of country dance, originating in the Piedmont. The tunes used in Italy and Malta became fashionable in England in the early years of the 19th century, and were employed for country dances. In this country the name stood as ‘Monfrina, Monfreda or Manfredina’.” Similar Monferrina tunes appear in the early 19th century music manuscript copybooks of John Clare (Northants) and John Moore (Tyneside, Northuberland). Kerr (Merry Melodies), vol. 1; pg. 27. Wheatstone’s Country Dances for 1810. Wilson (Treasures of Terpsichore, The Supplement), 1811; pg. 12. Wilson (Companion to the Ballroom), 1816; pg. 83.

X:1

T:Italian Monfrina

M:6/8

L:1/8

R:Jig

S:Kerr – Merry Melodies, vol. 1 (c. 1880’s)

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:G

G|G2B B2A|AGG G2d|d2F F2A|AGG G2D|GAB BcA|

AGG G2d|d2F FGA|BGG G2||d|gfg a2d|cBc def|

Gfg afd|cBc def|g2g gfg|e2e efg|ded cBA|G2z g2||

           

ITALIAN RANT, AN.  English, Italian; Reel. A Minor. Standard tuning. AABB. The melody appears in the 1657 edition of Playford’s English Dancing Master. However, it was earlier the vehicle for a 17th century Italian song called “La Montovana,” but was first published as ‘Ballo di Mantua’ in Gasparo Zanetti’s book Il Scolaro (1645). It was wide-spread in Europe and became an international melody, employed in the Spanish hymn “Virgen de la Cueva” (Virgin of the Cave), the Yiddish folk song “Pod Krakowem,” and as the Ukranian “Kateryna Kucheryava.” The melody was adapted by Samuel Cohen in 1888 for his song “Hatikvah, “ which eventually became the Israeli national anthem. Johnson (The Kitchen Musician No. 14: Songs, Airs and Dances of the 18th Century), 1997; pg. 9.

X:1

T:Italian Rant, An

M:4/4

L:1/8

K:Amin

ABcd e2e2|f2 ed e2e2|d2 de c2 cd|BABc A2A2::a2 aa g2gg|

fefg e2e2|e^fge =f3e|d3e c2c2|cdec d2B2|BcdB c2A2|

ABcd e2e2|f2 ed e2e2|d2 de c2 cd|BABc A2A2:|

 

‘ITALIAN’ WALTZ. AKA and see “Step Waltz,” “Waltzing Over the Water.” English, Waltz. G Major. Standard tuning. One part. Source for notated version: melodeon player Oscar Woods (Benhall, East Suffolk), from a 1973 recording by Tony Engle [Callaghan]. Callaghan (Hardcore English), 2007; pg. 84. Topic Records, Oscar Woods – “Voice of the People 09: Rig-a-Jig-Jig” (1999). Topic 12TS229, Oscar Woods (et al) – “English Country Music from East Anglia” (1973).

 

ITCHY FINGERS.

X:1

T:Itchy Fingers

M:2/4

L:1/8

K:D

FG|A2AB ADFA|BDGB A2FG|A2AB ADFA|FDGF E2FG|

A2AB ADFA|BDGB A2FG|GFFE EBAE|F2D2 D2 :|

FA|d2Dd FdAd|BdGB A2FA|d2Dd FdAd|FDGF E2FA|

d2Dd FdAd|BdGB A2FA|GFFE EBAG|F2D2 D2 :|

           

IT'S A HARD ROAD TO TRAVEL. AKA and see "Rocks of Cashel [1]," "Carrigaline," “The Milestone [2],” "Steeplechase [2]." Irish, Reel. C Major. The title comes from Bronx-born fiddler Andy McGann.

           


IT'S A PITY I CAN'T SEE MY LOVE (Is Truag Nac Feucaim Mo Muirnin). Irish, Air (9/8 time). G Major. Standard tuning. AAB. O'Neill (Music of Ireland: 1850 Melodies), 1903/1979; No. 119, pg. 21.

X:1

T:It’s a Pity I Can’t See My Love

M:9/8

L:1/8

R:Air

N:”Moderate”

S:O’Neill – Music of Ireland (1903), No. 119

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:G

G/A/ | B2B {B}AGA E2F | G2G GBd e2e | d2B ABG E2G | D2B A2G G2 :|

|| E/F/ | G2G GBd e2f | gfe B2^d e2e | d2B ABG EFG | D2B A2G G2G |

G2G GBd e2f | gfe B2f e2e | d2B ABG EFG | DGB A2G G2 ||

           

IT'S A PITY THE OFFICER'S SON IS NOT WITH US. AKA and see "I Wish You Were My Darling," "Teig Moira's Daughter," "I Wish the Shepherd's Pet Was Mine."

           

IT'S ALL THE SAME TO ME. AKA and see "Petite ou Grosse."

           

IT'S DOWN IN YON VALLEY WHERE VIOLETS GREW. Irish, Air (3/4 time). G Major. Standard tuning. One part. Roche Collection, 1983, vol. 3; No. 26, pg. 8.

           

IT'S GOOD FOR YOUR KNOCKERS. Old‑Time. The title appears in a list of traditional Ozark Mountain fiddle tunes compiled by musicologist/folklorist, published in 1954.

                       

IT'S NO USE FOR YOU TO CRY. AKA and see "C'est Pas la Peine Tu Brailles."

           

IT'S LITTLE PROTECTION MY BROTHER WILL GET (Is Beag an Tarrtháil Gheóbhfus mo Dhratháirín). Irish, Air (3/4 time). G Mixolydian. Standard tuning. AB. Source for notated version: R.J. O'Mulrenin of Dublin, the well‑known Irish scholar, a native of Limerick" (Joyce). Joyce (Old Irish Folk Music and Songs), 1909; No. 195, pgs. 96‑97.

X:1

T:It’s little protection my brother will get

T:Is Beag an Tarrtháil Gheóbhfus mo Dhratháirín

M:3/4

L:1/8

R:Air

S:Joyce – Old Irish Folk Music and Songs  (1909)

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:G

c|BA G>B Ae|dB =f2 eg|=fe d>e dB|GB A3e|dB G>B Ae|ed d2 Bd|=fg g>e dB|AG G3||

d|ef g>f ed|ed B>A GF|EG Bd gf|ed d3d|gf e>d Be|dB A2 Bd|=fg g>e dB|AG G3||

           

IT'S NAE FOR WANT O' HEALTH O?  Scottish, Reel. D Major. Standard tuning. AAB. MacDonald (Skye Collection), 1887; pg. 21.

X:1

T:It’s nae ay for want o’ health o?

M:C|

L:1/8

R:Reel

S:MacDonald – Skye Collection  (1887)

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:D

B|a>A A/A/A B>AGB|A/A/A f>e dBBg|(a>A) A/A/A B>AGB|A/A/A (f>e) d2d:|

e|fdfa fdfa|edef dBBg|fdfa fdfa|edef d/d/d (de)|

fdfa fdfa|edef dBBg|a>A A/A/A (BAGB)|A/A/A f>e d2d||

           

IT’S THREE O’CLOCK WE’LL HAVE T’OTHER DANCE.  English, Country Dance Tune (cut time). G Major. Standard tuning. AABB. The melody first appeared in John Johnson’s Two Hundred Favourite Country Dances, vol. 7 (1756) as “It’s Three O’Clock and We all have another Dance.” Thompson (Compleat Collection of 200 Favourite Country Dances, vol. 1), 1757; No. 66.

X:1

T:It’s three o’Clock We’ll have t’other Dance

M:C|

L:1/8

B:Thompson’s Compleat Collection of 200 Favourite Country Dances, vol. 1 (London, 1757)

Z:Transcribed and edited by Flynn Titford-Mock, 2007

Z:abc’s:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:G

G2 Bd g>agB|AGAB (A/G/A/B/) AD|G2 Bd g>agB|AGAB GG/G/ G2:|

|:g>agd (g/f/g/a/) gd|g>agB (A/G/A/B/) AD|g>agd (g/f/g/a/) gd|(e/f/g)dB G/G/G G2:||

 

IT’S TWO O’CLOCK.  See “Two O’Clock.”

 

IT’S WELL IT’S NO WORSE.  English, Country Dance Tune (2/4 time). G Major. Standard tuning. AABB. The melody is unique to Charles and Samuel Thompson’s third country dance collection (London, 1773). Thompson (Compleat Collection of 200 Favourite Country Dances, vol. 3), 1773; No. 13.

X:1

T:It’s Well it’s no Worse

M:2/4

L:1/8

B:Thompson’s Compleat Collection of 200 Favourite Country Dances, vol. 3 (London, 1773)

Z:Transcribed and edited by Flynn Titford-Mock, 2007

Z:abc’s:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:G

c|BG|{B}AG/F/|G D2 c|B g2 d/B/|A/c/A/F/ Dc|BG {B}AG/F/|G D2 c|BdGB|{B}A3:|

|:c|B g2 d/B/|A c2 B/A/|GBGB|A/G/F/E/ Dc|B g2 d/B/|A c2 B/A/|FADF|G3:||

 

I’VE A HOUSE OF MY OWN AND A CHIMNEY UP ON TOP OF IT. Irish, Slip Jig. Ireland, County Clare. Composed by Clare fiddler Junior Crehan. The title comes from a song ditty he liked, according to his neice.

           

I'VE GOT A GAL NAMED SUSIE. Old‑Time. Gennett 6635 (78 RPM), Doc Roberts (Ky.).

                       

I'VE GOT A GRANDPA. Old-Time, Breakdown. USA, Kentucky. A Dorian. AEae tuning. AB. Jeff Titon (2001) describes this tune as a variant of “Barlow Knife [1].” These lyrics were sometimes sung to the tune, according to Mark Wilson:

***

I’ve got a grandpa, bless his old soul;

All he wants is a peter in the hole.

***

Source for notated version: Alva Greene (Sandy Hook, Elliot County, Ky., 1973) [Titon]. Titon (Old-Time Kentucky Fiddle Tunes), 2001; No. 71, pg. 101. Rounder 0376, Alva Greene (et al) – “Traditional Fiddle Music of Kentucky, vol. 1: Up the Ohio and Licking Rivers” (1997).

                       

I'VE GOT A WIFE OF MY OWN. See "I Have a Wife of My Own." Scottish, Reel. The melody appears with this title in the Gillespie Manuscript of Perth (1768).

           

I'VE GOT ONE DAUGHTER TO MARRY. AKA and see "I'm a Silly Old Man."

           

I’VE HEARD OF LILTING. AKA and see “Flowers of the Forest [2].”

 

I’VE LOST MY BULL. English, Hornpipe. D Major. Standard tuning. AABB. Composed by teacher, musician, composer, dancing master and fiddler Robert Whinham (1814-1893), originally from Morpeth. Source for notated version: an un-attributed late 19th manuscript in the Beamish Museum [Dixon]. Dixon (Remember Me), 1995; pg. 20.

 

I'VE LOST MY LOVE IN LIDDLESDALE. English. England, Northumberland. Title appears in Henry Robson's list of popular Northumbrian song and dance tunes ("The Northern Minstrel's Budget"), which he published c. 1800.

           

IVER JOHNSTAD'S HOPPWALTZ. Norwegian‑American, Dance Tune (2/4 time). USA, Wisconsin. 1A Major ('A' part) & E Major ('B' part). Standard tuning. AA'BB'. Source for notated version: Mark Blom via his father LeRoy Blom (Wisconsin) [Sing Out]. Sing Out, 198‑; pg. 34.

           


IVORY FLUTE, THE (An Fhliúit Eabhair). Irish, Double Jig. G Major. Standard tuning. AABB. Composed by the late County Fermanagh flute player James McMahon (born circa 1900). Harry Bradley says that McMahon actually owned flute made out of solid ivory of which he was exceedingly proud, however, those who have heard it say the tone was not great. There is a photograph of McMahon in Hammy Hamilton's The Irish Flute Players Handbook playing the very Ivory flute in question. Caoimhín Mac Aoidh observes that McMahon routinely composed tunes that go to the bottom note of the flute’s range, and suggests he did so because he routinely played with fiddlers and that he “was exploring the melodic possibilities in the wider range open to them” (Miller & Perron, Irish Traditional Fiddle Music, notes, pg. 164). See note for “McMahon’s Reel” for more on James McMahon. Source for notated version: Liam Donnelly (County Tyrone) [Breathnach]. Breathnach (CRÉ IV), 1996; No. 25, pg. 13.

X:2
T:The Ivory Flute
C:James McMahon, Fermanagh
B:Ceol Rince na hE/ireann 4, Breathnach/Small, no. 25
R:double jig
M:6/8
L:1/8

Z:Transcribed by Paul de Grae
K:G
B|ded ~G3|edB dBA|~G3 edB|dBA A2 B|
ded ~G3|edB deg|~G3 edB|dBA A2:|:B|
deg ~a2 b|age deg|~G3 ~G3|edB dBA|
deg ~a2 b|age deg|~G3 edB|dBA A2:|

           

IVY HOUSE. Scottish, Jig. G Major. Standard. AABB. Kerr (Merry Melodies), vol. 4; No. 258, pg. 28.

X:1

T:Ivy House

M:6/8

L:1/8

R:Jig

S:Kerr – Merry Melodies, vol. 4, No. 258  (c. 1880’s)

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:G

dBd dBd|g3 gfe|dBd dcB|AFD D2d|dBd dBd|g3 gfe|dBd cBA|(G3 G2)B:|

|:BAB GAB|cde d2c|BAB GAB|AFD D2d|dBd dBd|efg gfe|dBd cBA|(G3 G2)B:|

           

IVY LEAF HORNPIPE. AKA and see "Jim Clark's Hornpipe" (Cole), "Clark's Hornpipe [1]" (O'Neill), "Morpeth Hornpipe" (Cole). Old‑Time, Breakdown. USA, Nebraska. D Major. Standard tuning. AABB. Source for notated version: Bob Walters (Burt County, Nebraska) [Christeson]. R.P. Christeson (Old Time Fiddlers Repertory, vol. 2), 1984; pg. 55.

           

IVY LEAF REEL [1]. AKA and see “Johnson’s Reel [3],” “The Smoky Chimney.” American, Reel or Clog. D Major. Standard tuning. AABB. Composition among the several credited to Zeke Backus in Ryan’s/Cole's 1000—he was perhaps a New England bandleader. There was a Charles Backus who was a blackface minstrel performer in the mid-1800’s, who performed for some time in San Francisco. Zeke is sometimes identified with him, but whether they are the same man, or related, is unknown. George C. Coe’s Album of Jigs and Reels, published in the United States in the 1880’s contained the tune under the title “Johnson’s Reel”, at about the same time Boston published Elias Howe issued his Ryan’s Mammoth Collection (1883), where the tune is called “Ivy Leaf.” The melody is in O’Neill as the hornpipe “Smoky Chimney.” See also the related “Seán sa Ceo/Cheo.” Source for notated version: Winston Fitzgerald (1914-1987, Cape Breton) [Cranford]. Cole (1000 Fiddle Tunes), 1940; pg. 45. Cranford (Winston Fitzgerald), 1997; No. 32, pg. 12. Ryan’s Mammoth Collection, 1883; pg. 73.

See also listings at:

Alan Snyder’s Cape Breton Fiddle Recording Index

Jane Keefer’s Folk Music Index: An Index to Recorded Sources 

X:1

T:Ivy Leaf Reel [1]

M:2/4

L:1/8

R:Reel

S:Ryan’s Mammoth Collection (1883)

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:D

(3A/B/c/ | d/c/d/e/ f/d/A/F/ | G/F/G/A/ B/G/E | e/f/g/e/ c/d/e/c/ | d/e/f/d/ .A(3A/B/c/ |

d/c/d/e/ f/d/A/F/ | G/F/G/A/ B/G/E | e/f/g/e/ c/d/e/d/ | c/A/B/c/ d :|

|: e | ({g}f/)e/f/g/ a/f/d | ({a}g/)f/g/a/ b/g/e | f/g/a/f/ d/e/f/d/ | c/a/B/e/ A(g/f/) |

({g}f/e/f/g/ a/f/d | ({a}g/)f/g/a/ b/g/(3e/f/g/ | a/f/g/e/ f/d/e/c/ | A/g/f/e/ d :|



IVY LEAF [2], THE (Duille An T-Aignean). AKA and see "Mind My Border," "Mind My Brother," “The New Ivy Leaf,” “New Steamboat,” “The New Steampacket.” Irish, Reel. A Dorian (Mitchell) or A Mixolydian (Flaherty, O'Neill/1001): E Dorian (Taylor). Standard tuning. AAB (O'Neill/1001, Taylor): AA'B (Flaherty, O'Neill/1915 & 1850): AABB' (Alewine, O'Neill/Krassen): ABCD (Mitchell). The title appears in a list of tunes in his repertoire brought by Philip Goodman, the last professional and traditional piper in Farney, Louth, to the Feis Ceoil in Belfast in 1898 (Breathnach, 1997). Interestingly, the ivy leaf can, and is, played in Ireland in the same way that many of us learned to ‘play’ a blade of grass i.e. by securing it tightly between the palm and thumbs, then blowing on the back of the thumbs to make it vibrate. Tom Munnelly remembers a young man in the 1960’s won a round of the television talent show “Opportunity Knocks” playing the ivy leaf. Munnelly says, “Much play was made of the fact that because he had to stay on in London for the next heat the following week he needed fresh ivy leafs and English leaves would not do.  A man had to be sent over to the Phoenix Park in Dublin to gather some ivy and flown back in time for the next show.  For some indication on how to play the ivy leaf go to Richard Henebry's A Handbook of Irish Music, p. 51.” (posted to Irtrad-L) Sources for notated versions: tenor banjo player Tommy Finn (b. 1964, Marlow, Ballymote, Co. Sligo) [Flaherty]; piper Willie Clancy (1918-1973, Miltown Malbay, west Clare) [Mitchell]; set dance music recorded at Na Píobairí Uilleann, in the 1980’s [Taylor]; fiddler Simon Doherty (County Donegal) [Feldman & O’Doherty]. Alewine (Maid that Cut Off the Chicken’s Lips), 1987; pg. 21. Feldman & O’Doherty (The Northern Fiddler), 1979; pg. 103. Flaherty (Trip to Sligo), 1990; pg. 54. Mitchell (Dance Music of Willie Clancy), 1993; No. 96, pg. 84. Mulvihill (1st Collection), 1986; No. 136, pg. 36 (appears as untitled reel). O'Neill (Krassen), 1976; pg. 127. O'Neill (O’Neill’s Irish Music), 1915/1987; No. 278, pg. 141. O'Neill (Music of Ireland: 1850 Melodies), 1903/1979; Nos. 1370 & 1371, pg. 255. O'Neill (Dance Music of Ireland: 1001 Gems), 1907/1986; No. 622, pg. 112. Taylor (Music for the Sets: Yellow Book), 1995; pg. 15. Coleman Center CD CC004, Gregory Daly & Ted McGowan – “The Mountain Road: A compilation of tunes popular in South Sligo” (1999. Various artists). Shanachie 79095, Arcady - “Many Happy Returns” (1995). Topic TSCD 602, The Flanagan Brothers – “Irish Dance Music” (1995. A reissue of the 1925 original).

See also listings at:

Jane Keefer’s Folk Music Index: An Index to Recorded Sources

Alan Ng’s Irishtune.info

X:1

T:Ivy Leaf, The [2]

M:C|

L:1/8

R:Reel

S:Mulvihill - 1st Collection (1986) No. 136

K:Ador

A2 Ae cAec|ABce dBGB|A2 Ae cAec|BGEF G2 fg|ae (3efe ce (3efe|

Aece dBGB|AGAB cAec|BGEF GABd||ea {b}(3aga ea{b}af|g2 ge dBGB|

A2 ag edBA|BGEF GABd|ea {b}(3aga ea{b}af|g2 ge dBGB|A2 AB {d}cBcd|eaaf gedB||

 

IVY LEAF [3], THE. Irish, Slow Air (3/4 time). D Dorian. Standard tuning. AAB. Source for notated version: 1884 from 1"Mr. Francis Hogan of South Lodge, Brenormore, near Carrik‑on‑Suir, a good musician and a great enthusiast in Irish music and songs. He must have been well over seventy years of age" (Joyce). Joyce (Old Irish Folk Music and Song), 1909; No. 252, pg. 122.

X:1

T:Ivy Leaf, The [3]

M:3/4

L:1/8

R:Air

N:”Rather Slow”

S:Joyce – Old Irish Folk Music and Songs  (1909)

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion
K:Ddor

D/E/F/G/|A2D2D2|E2D2D2|A2D2D2|E3D CA,|A2D2D2|A3B AG|E2D2D2|D4:|

D/E/F/G/A/B/c/|d6|e6|f2e2d2|c2A2G2|d2 dc d2|e2 ed e2|f2e2dc|

d4 eg|f3ed2|e2d2c2|d3cA2|d2f2 ed|c2A2G2|A3BAG|E2D2D2|D4||

 

IVY LEAF [4], THE.  AKA and see “Autumn Leaves,” "The Day I Met Tom Moylan,” “Ginley’s Fancy,” “Handsome Sally [1],” “The Man of the House,” “The Merry Thatcher,” “Miss Kelly’s Favorite,” “The New Potatoes,” “Old Tom,” “Paddy Carthy’s Reel [2],” "Sally Grant," “Through the Heather." Irish, Reel. E Dorian. Standard tuning. AB.

X:1

T:Ivy Leaf [2]

R:Reel

D:Milltown Session

Z:Adrian Scahill

M:4/4

L:1/8

K:Edor

E3B GEBG|EBGB AFDF|E3B GEBE|EDB,C D3B|\ EBB2 GBB2|

eBGB AFDF|E3B GEBG|EDB,C DEFA||\

Beed BABc|d3B AFDA|Beed BAFE|FDB,C DEFA|\

Beed BABc|dcdB AFDF|E3F =G3A|(3Bcd ef dBAF||

 

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