The Garden of Daisies
Here's a set dance or long dance. I'm afraid the daisies are a bit wilted here but hopefully someone out there will revive them.
Jul 21, 2007•2 min
Irish Flute Tunes
Traditional Irish Tunes Played on the Flute (iflute@googlemail.com)
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Episodes
Martin Mulhaire's Number 9
Here's one which I was sent a while ago (thanks Billy) and have only got around to posting now.
Jul 20, 2007•2 min
Rolling in The Barrel
I know about rolling out the barrel. Here another way to barrel roll. This tune is on a record of PJ Hayes and Paddy Canny.
Jul 20, 2007•1 min
Gillian's Apples (2)
Here is the four part 'D' version of the previous jig.
Jul 19, 2007•2 min
Gillian's Apples (1)
Here's a jig the title of which sometimes states the apples as being Gillan's and not Gillian's. As Gillan is just a Gillian with an eye missing then bad spllenig probably accounts for this. There are two main versions of this tune. Here's the two part one in G.
Jul 19, 2007•2 min
The Old Copperplate
This is the one some people call "The Copperplate" while calling the one I call "The Old Copperplate" "The Copperplate". If you search this site for "Copperplate" you'll find the one I call "The Copperplate" sandwiched between 2 other tunes which I neither call "The Copperplate" nor "The Old Copperplate". I hope that clears up any potential confusion.
Jul 18, 2007•2 min
The Plough in The Stars
Here's a reel written by Larry Redican. I could never really get all that constellation stuff (or anything to do with the universe for that matter). The nocturnal lanterns all just look like dots to me. I'd love to be able to look up and see "Ursa Minor" or "Pegasus" or "The Sturmey Archer 3 Seeed Hub" but all I get are dots. Nice Reel though. Thanks again, C. (The rest of the list is going to require a bit of head scratching - hard to do while playing a flute but nothing ventured ...)
Jul 18, 2007•2 min
The Hunter's House
This is another of Reavy's tunes. I had to check in a book of his tunes to see which one matched this name. I then had to check the order in which my fingers waggled in order to bring my version towards some sort of approximation of the way he had written it. Hopefully this version should be close enough to play with people with better powers of recall than mine. It is one of Reavy's most popular reels.
Jul 17, 2007•3 min
The Green Gates
The picture is just a blatant ploy to allow me to quote Sherlock Holmes when asked what had happened to the gates ... "Lemon entry, my dear Watson" (primary school, 1975). This is a very popular reel, again from my new list (thankyou). I hope all gates that should be, are now very verdant indeed.
Jul 17, 2007•2 min
The Cúil Aodha Jig
Here's another one from my new list. I hope it's the right one. I've already played it as "Amhrán an Tae" (The Tea Song) but as I used a different key and a different name, I'm claiming that it is a different tune. It's a good tune to exercise the G sharp key although the wee finger on my left hand seemed fairly reluctant to be party to procedure. I think I'm going to play tunes with no notes in them at all for the next while - sort of John Cage on the flute.
Jul 16, 2007•2 min
Jenny's Chickens
Here's a reel which I've recently been reminded of. It has been recorded by many people in the past, none of whom made it sound as foul or paultry has it does here.
Jul 16, 2007•2 min
The Jug of Punch
This is actually a picture of a jug of Tasmanian Iced Tea but it looks quite nice. The picture I first found of a punchbowl had something disgusting in it. Talking of things disgusting, I afraid the playing here isn't all that pretty but it might be OK as a raw material for someone else to make a tune from.
Jul 15, 2007•2 min
The Old Dundeen
Here's a tune about a Dundeen. It's the first reference to Dundeens I've heard today. I think the fiddle player Paddy Killoran recorded this when the Dundeen was not just quite as old as it is now.
Jul 15, 2007•2 min
The Broken Bridge Hornpipe
Here's a hornpipe from a new list of tunes I have. I first heard it in 'A' but my fingers refused to acknowledge this and I've played it here in 'G'.
Jul 14, 2007•2 min
The Fisherman's Island
Here's a Reavy tune which is often just known as "Reavy's". I don't know why.
Jul 14, 2007•2 min
Molloy's Favourite
Here's a good tune. It's particularly good at being the one after the one before it. Paddy Killoran made a good job of it on a record about 70 years ago.
Jul 13, 2007•2 min
Buckley's Fancy
A nice reel which is nice to play. All very nice indeed.
Jul 13, 2007•2 min
O'Rourke's Reel
Here's a very popular reel. I'm surprised I hadn't put it on the site before now. It suits most instruments which people use for playing Irish traditional music. The ones it doesn't suit are probably just too hard to please, or to be pleased with.
Jul 12, 2007•2 min
The Wedding Reel
Here's a tune I was asked to put on. I wasn't aware of knowing a "Wedding Reel" so I just made a stab at this version: http://www.thesession.org/tunes/display/518 . It's more a "Reading Reel" here and in order to expunge some of my most dodgy notes it may have to be a "Weeding Reel". I've played the second part as plainly as possible here. I suspect some people (especially a few in the list on thesession.org of those who have recorded it) might put a bit of syncopation into this part but I'm aro...
Jul 12, 2007•2 min
Paddy Clancy's Jig
Here's a nice jig which I stole from the same place as the previous two tunes.
Jul 11, 2007•2 min
The Tar Road to Sligo
Another bit of Bothy Band booty. A Tar dis to Sligo would be handy. The roads are better now than they were but it's hard to find them under all the cars.
Jul 11, 2007•2 min
Patsy Geary's Jig
Here's the first of today's "sure he's just nicking tunes of Bothy Band records now" tunes. I stole it from a Bothy Band record. Ir's a sort of slide / jig but I'll keep it in the jig section as I'm too far north for sliding.
Jul 11, 2007•2 min
The Road to Lisdoonvarna
Not much to say about this tune ... common as muck but feels better in the ear than muck. As with most common tunes it's common because it's a good tune and so people like it. It's also a good reel for learning on the flute, without too many "funny bits".
Jul 09, 2007•1 min
An Charraigín Rua
Here's a Micko (or is it Micho?) Russell reel. It sounds a bit like something else - don't they all? I'm never sure about the Micko / Micho thing. A badly written "k" can have a fair bit of "h"iness about it so maybe they're the same thing. I'm sure there are plenty of people who know the answer to this crucial question.
Jul 09, 2007•3 min
The Boys of Tandragee
I think this jig is from a song : "The Roll-ick-ing Boys of Tan-der-a-gee". All I know of Tandragee is that the Northern version of Tayto crisps are made there. Whatever about other questions of nationality, surely the two Tayto communities in Ireland could come together.
Jul 08, 2007•2 min
The Humours of Lissadell
Here's a great reel for flute, fiddles or flugelhorns. I'm working of the layout for an irish fluglehorn tunes site but it's not ready for air yet.
Jul 08, 2007•2 min
Seán sa Cheo
Here's a reel to get misty-eyed about while you travel out on the high Cs. If you know any fiddle players who haven't quite got round to playing elevated notes it can be a fairly passable recreation to watch their various ways of playing the second part of this reel.
Jul 07, 2007•2 min
Miss Monaghan
If someone could clone Clones then there would be no need to miss Monaghan ever again. Sorry for trotting out the same puny pun as before. I have no imagination. This reel is a good stalwart of sessions and recordings wherever Irish traditional music is played. I hope this version is OK.
Jul 06, 2007•3 min
Miss McDonald's (2)
Someone else misses it too. Here's another pelt peeling for poor felix. I've not played this tune for years as there used to be someone living here who played it all the time. The only thing more annoying than that was almost any other tune he played. My immune system is just beginning to allow the tune back into my head now.
Jul 06, 2007•3 min
Miss McDonald's
Like ways to skin a cat, there is more than one set of notes to make a Miss McDonald's Reel. This is a nice light sort of a one. I've been mostly dining on stout, gin, water and nervously nibbled nails over the last while - not a burger in site. I can't say that I miss McDonald's at all. In fact I'd be happy if the one in the centre of Belfast wasn't there. It makes the surrounding area smell of stale fat which isn't very nice for the tourists who are waiting across the road for their rain soake...
Jul 06, 2007•2 min
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