Poll Ha'penny: Breandán

I wasn't familiar with this hornpipe prior to the blog, and to be honest there was something about it that made it a quare challenge for me.  This is my best shot so far, I hope I can improve on it between now and our session next year - as you can tell I made a Mulligan's mother of some bits of it!
Hats off to Brendan eile - I think his version is as good as any other that I've heard online while trying to search for inspiration for this.
Here's my attempt:

I must say that this concertina version that I found online from 'Concertinanette' is a very nice - I especially love the way he shakes the triplet run out of the little box! Also note a comment from Fear Feasóg which claims that the tune's title should be 'Halfpenny Paul', a reference to some poor aul beggar named Paul!

Blackbird (hornpipe): Brendan (eile)

Blackbird (hornpipe)

Sometimes known as the Old Blackbird or An Londubh (the Irish name of the bird), the Blackbird (in D major) shares its name with another hornpipe and an air (and indeed a well-known song by the Beatles).  

This particular hornpipe can be found on Kathleen Collins (fiddle) Traditional Music of Ireland (1976), Charlie Piggott (accordion) and Gerry Harrington (fiddle) The New Road (2000), Randal Bays Dig With It (2008) and Brian McGrath (banjo) Pure Banjo (2009). Here's the Randal Bays performing the Blackbird:

Here's my stuttering attempt (with dropped notes here and there): 

Sheet music HERE

Poll Ha'penny (hornpipe): Brendan (eile)

Poll Ha'penny (hornpipe)

I have to admit to having a soft spot for hornpipes and the Poll Ha'penny is a particular favourite. Apparently, the tune is a dance version of an air - Molly McAlpin - which was composed by one of the Connellan brothers, Sligo harpers who flourished in the late 17th century. The tunes also appears under a variety of names including Pol Ha'penny, Paul Halfpenny, Molly Ha'penny, Molly Halfpenny, Brian the Brave and Garden of Butterflies (and its Irish translation Garraí na Bfeileoig).

Here's the Galway-based harpist Emily Cullen performing Molly McAlpin.

And here's a version of the hornpipe by Dublin fiddler Tommy Potts.

 
And here I am. The triplets make it sound more complicated to play than it actually is ...

  
Two particularly nice banjo versions can be found on Angelina Carberry's An Tradisiún Beo (2005) and Seán O'Driscoll's So There You Go (2012). 

Sheet music and ABC notation can be found HERE and for those who prefer tablature click HERE 

 

Drowsy Maggie (reel): Brendan (eile)

Drowsy Maggie (reel)

 A common session tune and one that has been recorded at a variety of speeds from the slow (Matt Molloy, Heathery Breeze, 1985) to the breakneck (a 1919 recording of the Galway-born piper Patsy Touhey) with a lot in between (The Chieftains, The Chieftains 4, 1973 & De Danann, WonderWaltz, 2011). 

Here's my slower-than-slow version ... 

The plan is to bring this up to speed between now and next summer's session in Sligo. 

Here's a great version by the Donegal fiddler John Doherty; incidentally, my father could recall him playing (whilst dancing) in his home in Glenaboghill in the 1950s. 

De Danann's change of pace and 'Ringo' McDonagh's bodhrán intro (from 1m 56s) is also magical.

  

Sheet music and ABC notation can be found HERE on www.thesession.org and for those (ex-guitarists, like me) who prefer tablature click HERE for www.traditionalmusic.co.uk

Drowsy Maggie: Breandán

This is my first reel upload.  It's at mid-pace.  A lovely reel (when played properly)!  I was happy to get through this take without a whole pile of mistakes and hopefully I can pick up the pace in the next few months.  It's a lovely minor key reel, which sounds intimidatingly difficult to learn but is actually not that hard.  For some reason blogger has it on a restricted viewing, but if you click the link with the tune's name, you'll see me struggle through it on youtube:

Click here
Drowsy Maggie

Jim Ward's (jig): Brendan (eile)

Jim Ward's (jig)

Right, here's my go at Jim Ward's jig ... slow and with a few chords thrown into the mix.

AKA Jimmy Ward's / Ward's Favourite / The Clare Jig, the tune was composed by banjo player, flautist and lilter Jimmy Ward (1909-1987) from Co. Clare, who played with the renowned Kilfenora Céilí Band.  

Here's the man himself lilting the tune during the 1967 Fleadh Cheoil in Kilrush.

And finally, here's a nice version (with Sliabh Russell) on flute by Ballaghadereen-native Matt Molloy of The Chieftains fame.

If you want to give it a go you'll find sheet music / ABC notation HERE or tabulature HERE

Jim Ward's 1: Breandán

I made a hames of this but it's a start anyway!