Swallow's Nest (reel): Brendan (eile)

Swallow's Nest (reel)

I first came across this beautiful reel, named as Paddy O'Brien's,  on The Cat That Ate The Candle (1994) by John Carty & Brian McGrath. It is credited to John Carty on www.irishtune.info but I've recently learned that is in fact a tune called The Swallow's Nest composed by Paddy O'Brien the elder from Tipperary. I've come across several versions of the tune but, for me at least, Carty's mid-paced banjo version is unbeatable. In truth, I find it tough enough to play and 'make a hames of it' more often than not, but I'll stick at it.

The Warbling Robin (barndance): Breandan (eile)

The Warbling Robin (barndance)

Another barndance! The Warbling Robin (or Ceiliúr na Spideoge, in Irish) was composed by the Connemara flautist Marcus Hernon and recorded The Grouse In The Heather / An Chearc Fhraoigh (2000). It has been recorded on banjo by John Carty on I Will If I Can (2005). Here's my go at Carty's version.

Far From Home (barndance): Brendan (eile)

Far From Home (barndance)

Given to me by Brian McGrath, Far From Home or Far Away from Home is a lively barndance that was, apparently, one of the last tunes recorded by Sligo fiddler Michael Coleman in 1944. He was in ill health at the time and died the following year.

The tunes has been recorded under a variety of names: as Michael Coleman's on Johnny Óg Connolly & Brian McGrath Dreaming up the Tunes (1998), as Far From Home on John Carty Yeah, That Is All (2001), as Johnny Gorman's on Matt Molloy & John Carty Pathway to the Well (2007) and as Paddy Shannon's on Mick Conneely & David Munnelly 'Tis What It Is (2012).

Here is John Carty on banjo and At The Racket performing the tune in Crocket's on the Quay, Ballina.

We had a new wooden floor laid this week so I'm taking advantage of the great acoustics in the empty room ...

 
 

Battering Ram (jig): Brendan (eile)

Battering Ram (jig)

Between 1968 and 1978, my grandparents - Martin & Ellen Ferguson from Attymass, Co. Mayo - ran a pub called the Regent Hotel on Regent Street in the heart of Leeds. Within a short space of time, the pub became a sort of mecca for Irish musicians living in the city (and for local students interested in folk music). Over the years many noted musicians played there; Kevin Burke (fiddle), Martin Byrnes (fiddle), P. J. Hernon (button accordion), Paddy Ryan (fiddle), and Sean McGuire (fiddle) to name but a few. Indeed, the Music from Ireland tune-books, compiled by Dave Bulmer and Neil Sharpley, published in four volumes in the 1970s contains many tunes transcribed from musicians playing at the Regent Hotel.

Anyway, I recently came across some amateur recordings done in the pub in the early 1970s. They are beautifully atmospheric, featuring the sound of the crowd and even the ringing till! And if you listen carefully you can hear a great mix of West of Ireland and West Yorkshire 'brogues'. Here is the Battering Ram, live from the Regent Hotel, with a selection of contemporary photographs:

I had a fair idea how to play a simple version of this three-part jig but Brian McGrath recently shared some ideas on ornamenting the tune with stops, chords, and cuts so here it is ...

The Morning Thrush (reel): Brendan (eile)

The Morning Thrush (reel)

I've been taking banjo lessons at Gannon's Music Shop, Spiddal, this past while with Fermanagh's Brian McGrath. A gentleman and all-round virtuoso, Brian takes his time with every tune, giving the background story, recommending recordings and suggesting various ornamentations. Last week we looked at the Morning Thrush, a three-part reel composed by the Dublin piper James 'Jimmy' Ennis (1885-1965), father of piper and music collector Séamas Ennis.  

Here is a detailed account of the multi-talented James Ennis, which appeared in the Irish-language paper An Claidheamh Soluis (‘The Sword of Light’) on the 18 January 1913: 

 

‘Native of the Nail in North County Dublin. Comes of a musical family. “The Ennises all play music”. Was a boy prodigy on the flute. Plays all sorts of whistles, piccolos and flutes with equal facility. Prizewinner in flute-playing, fiddling, war-piping and union-piping. The only two instruments he could never manage are the melodeon and the piano! Himself, his brother, and Eamonn Ceannt were the first war-pipers of the new dispensation to visit London. Did so in full war-paint many years ago. All members of Cumann na bPíobairí. Played at one of the big League concerts—Queen’s Hall, I think. Result, consternation and a horrible caricature by way of a drawing in the Sketch. . . Champion dancer. Can run a whole concert by himself. At Bristol, I think, Séamas provided 11 items and delighted all. Champion footballer, plays for Keatings. Played hurling for same team till they disbanded. Now plays for his native Naul, one of the best junior teams in Dublin. Cyclist, felt in bad health some years ago, so proceeded to ride between Naul and his office daily—Naul is only 19 miles from the GPO—till he recovered. Fine Irish speaker, spent at least two holidays of later years at Ros Muc. Still in the early twenties with his future all before him. Could teach half of the best of the pipers. If there’s another such all-round artist knocking about I haven’t met him’.

 

In 1913, James Ennis won first prize for the Morning Thrush at Feis Cheoil na hÉireann. Here, his son, Séamas, gives the background to the composition before playing the tune on the pipes:

 

 

I became interested in the tune after seeing footage of a young Brian McGrath playing the tune on the music series Come West Along the Road: 

 

 

Probably not a good idea posting my first attempt in such close proximity to Brian's masterful version but nonetheless here it is:

 

 

I'll keep at it over the next few weeks and hope to show some improvement this side of Christmas.  

Mayor Harrison’s Fedora (reel): Brendan (eile)

Mayor Harrison’s Fedora (reel):

Mayor Harrison’s Fedora, or simply The Fedora, appeared in Francis O’Neill’s Dance Music of Ireland (1907), a collection of jigs, reels, hornpipes and other dance tunes.

The tune is name after Mayor Harrison of Chicago and his trademark fedora (like the one Indiana Jones wore in Raiders of the Lost Ark). Carter Henry Harrison Junior served as Mayor of Chicago from 1897 to 1905 and again from 1911 to 1915. In fact, it was Mayor Harrison Jr. who appointed Francis O’Neill Chief of Police for Chicago in 1901.

 Carter Henry Harrison wearing his trademark fedora, 1924

Harrison Junior’s father – Carter Henry Harrison Senior – served as Mayor of Chicago between 1879 and 1887. Just months after his re-election to a fifth term in 1893, he was assassinated by a deranged Irishman named Patrick Eugene Prendergast.

  

Anyway, enough of the background history ... the three-part, sometimes two-part, reel has been widely recorded but perhaps the most influential version appears on The Banks of the Shannon (1973), a Comhaltas EP recording of Tipperary accordion player Paddy O’Brien with the Clare fiddler Séamus Connolly. There's a nice recording by Matt Molloy and Seán Keane from Contentment is Wealth (1985).

And a lovely banjo version (though in a different key) by Angelina Carberry on An Traidisiún Beo (2005).

Any here's my go at it ... hoping to pick up a bit of speed with a bit more practice. 

Bantry Bay - Breandán (Fiddle)

This is a lovely hornpipe.  I had heard it a song before - 'I met her in the Garden where the pratties grow', it's a Liam O'Hara staple.  However, this is the first time that I attempted to learn it as a tune and I decided to go at it on the fiddle first.  I will stick on a banjo version again soon.

First up - enjoy Count John McCormack's version of the song, 'I met her in the garden where the pratties grow'

And my version...