[WARNING: Contents of this thread may cause skin irritation and watery eyes. Persons with list and wordiness allergies should avoid contact. May contain peanuts.]
Just for "fun," I decided to get a better handle on the most common, or widely played, reels at sessions I've been to lately (say, in the last year). Then I added reels I know to be common elsewhere (from other people telling me what's played at sessions they attend in Ireland, England, USA, and Australia).
So started the following list. About 342 reels, and counting. If this sort of thing doesn't make you groan or cringe, scan the list and post suggestions for reels to add.
Just reels, though, thanks.
Abbey Reel
Ah, Surely
Alice's Reel
All Around the Room
Anderson's
The Antrim Rose
Around the World for Sport
Ashmolean House
The Ashplant
The Aughacashel
The Bag of Potatoes (aka The Little Bag of Spuds)
Bag of Spuds
The Ballintore Fancy
Baltimore Salute
Bank of Ireland
The Banks of the Illen
The Banshee
The Bantry Lasses
Beare Island Reel
The Beauty Spot
The Bellharbour
Belles of Tipperary
Billy Brocker's
Bird in the Bush
The Blackberry Blossom
The Blackhaired Lass
The Blackthorne Stick
The Bloom of Youth
Boil the Breakfast Early
Boil the Kettle Early
Bonnie Kate
The Boy in the Boat
Boyne Hunt
Boys of Ballysodare
Boys of the Lough
Boys of Malin
The Boys of Portaferry
Brenda Stubbert's
Brendan McMahon's
The Broken Pledge
Bucks of Oranmore
The Bunch of Keys
Bunker Hill
The Burren (Michael Creamer's)
The Bush in Bloom
The Cameronian
Castle Kelly
The Chicago Reel
Christmas Eve
The Coachman’s Whip
The College Groves
The Collier’s Reel
Colonel Fraser
Come West Along the Road
The Concert Reel
Concertina Reel
The Congress Reel
The Convenience Reel (aka The Boys of Sligo)
Cooley's
The Corner House
Cottage in the Glen (Crosses of Annagh)
Cregg's Pipes
Crib of Perches
The Crooked Road to Dublin
Crowley’s No. 1
Crowley’s No. 2
The Culfadda Reel (aka Kilfodda)
The Cup of Tea
The Curlew
The Dairy Maid
Dan Breen's (The West Clare Reel)
The Dawn
Dick Gossip's
Dinky Dorian's
Dinny O’Brien's
Dispute at the Crossroads
Dogs Among the Bushes
The Donegal Reel
The Donegal Tinker
The Donegal Traveller
The Doon
Dowd’s No. 9
Down the Broom
Drag Her Round the Road
Dr. Gilbert's
Drowsy Maggie
Drunken Landlady
Dublin Reel
Duke of Leinster
Dunmore Lasses
The Earl's Chair
The Easy Club
Eddie Moloney's Favourite
Eel in the Sink
Eileen Curran
The Exile of Erin
Fair-Haired Molly
A Fair Wind
The Famous Ballymote
Far From Home
Farewell to Connaught
Farewell to Erin
Farewell to Milltown
Farrell O'Gara's
Father Kelly's (Rossmore Jetty)
Fermoy Lasses
The First House in Connaught
Fisherman’s Island
Fisherman's Lilt
Five Mile Chase
The Flax in Bloom
The Floating Crowbar
The Flogging Reel
Flower of the Flock
Flowers of Red Hill
For the Sake of Old Decency
The Four Courts
Foxhunter's
Frank's Reel
Galway Rambler (aka Wellington's)
The Galtee Ranger (aka Callaghan's)
Garret Barry's Reel
The Gatehouse Maid
George White's Favourite
The Girl Who Broke My Heart
The Glass of Beer
Glen of Aherlow
The Gneevgulia
The Golden Keyboard
Gorman's (aka Throw Away the Keys)
Good Morning to Your Nightcap
The Graf Spee
The Gravel Walks to Granie
The Green Gates
Green Groves of Erin
The Green Mountain
Greenfields of Glentown
Greenfields of Rossbeigh
Guns of the Magnificent Seven (aka Fintan McManus')
Hand Me Down the Tackle
The Hare's Paw
The Heathery Breeze
The Heathery Cruach
The High Reel
The High Road to Glin
The Holly Bush
Humours of Ballyconnell
Humours of Lissadell
The Humours of Loughrea
Humours of Scarrif
The Humours of Tulla
Humours of Westport
Hunter's House
Hunter's Purse
The Hut in the Bog
I Have No Money
In the Tap Room
The Ivy Leaf
Jackie Coleman's
the other Jackie Coleman's
Jenny's Chickens
Jenny Picking Cockles
Jenny's Wedding
Jenny's Welcome to Charlie
Johnny McIlJohn's
Johnny's Wedding
Jim Donoghue's
Jolly Tinker
Julia Delaney
The Kerryman's Daughter
The Killarney Boys of Pleasure
The Killavil Fancy
The Killavil Reel
Kiss the Maid Behind the Barrel
Kiss Me Kate
The Knocknagow Reel (aka Scots Mary)
The Knotted Cord
Lad O'Beirne's
Lads of Laoise
Lady Ann Montgomery
Lady of The House, The
The Lady on the Island
Lady's Pantalettes
Larry Redican's
Last Night's Fun
The Launching of the Boat
The Laurel Tree
Leddy From Cavan
Liadroma Reel (Ril Liadroma)
The Liffey Banks
Limerick Lasses
Limestone Rock
London Lasses
The Long Note
Longford Collector
The Longford Tinker
Lord Gordon's
Lord MacDonald's
Lucy Campbell's
Maid Behind the Bar
The Maid in the Cherry Tree
Maid of Feakle
Maid of Mount Cisco
The Maids in the Meadow
Maids of Mitchelstown
Man of Aran
Man of the House
The Maple Leaf
Martin Wynne's No. 1
Martin Wynne's No. 2
Martin Wynne's No. 3
Mason's Apron
Master Crowley's (Miss Patterson's Slippers)
Maud Millar
Maudabawn Chapel
Mayor Harrison's Fedora
McDonagh's
McFadden's
McFadden's Handsome Daughter
McGovern's Favourite
The Merry Blacksmith
The Merry Sisters of Fate
Miller of Droghan
Milliner's Daughter
Miss McLeod's
Miss Monahan's
The Morning Dew
Morning Star
The Mossy Banks
Mother's Delight
Mountain Road
The Mountain Top
The Moving Bog
The Moving Cloud
Mullingar Lea
Mullingar Races
Mulqueen's
Music in the Glen
The Musical Priest
My Love is in America
The New Copperplate
The New Mown Meadow
New Ships are Sailing
A Night in Ennis (aka the other Ashplant)
Nine Points of Roguery
The Noisy Curlew
O’Connell's Trip to Parliament (aka the Willow Tree)
The Old Bush
The Old Copperplate
Ormond Sound
O'Rourke's
The Otter's Holt
Over the Bog Road
Over the Moor to Maggie
Paddy Fahy's (several)
Paddy Ryan's Dream
Patsy Touhey's
Peeler's Jacket
Pigeon on the Gate
Pigtown Fling
Pinch of Snuff
The Piper's Despair
The Plough and the Stars
The Porthole of the Kelp
The Primrose Lasses
The Providence Reel
Punch in the Dark
The Rainy Day
Rakish Paddy
Rathlin Island
Ravelled Hank of Yarn
The Reconciliation Reel
The Red-Haired Boy
The Red-Haired Lass
The Reel of Mullinivat
The Road to Glountane
Road to Rio
Rolling in the Barrel
Rolling in the Ryegrass
The Roscommon Reel
Sailor on the Rock
Sailing into Walpole's Marsh
Sailor's Bonnet
Saint Anne's
The Salamanca
Sally Gardens
The Scholar
Sean Reid's
Sean Sa Cheo
Sergeant Early's Dream
The Shaskeen
Sheehan's
Shetland Fiddler
The Shoemaker's Daughter
Ships Are Sailing
Silver Spear
Silver Spire
Siobhan O'Donnell's
The Skylark
Sligo Maid
Sleepy Maggie
Solus Lillis' Reel
Speed the Plough
Spike Island Lasses
Splendid Isolation
Sporting Nell
Sporting Paddy
Star of Munster
The Steampacket
The Stoney Steps
The Swallow's Nest
The Swallowtail
Sweeney's Buttermilk
The Sweet Flowers of Milltown
Swinging on the Gate
Tam Lin
The Tarbolton
Tear the Calico (Rip the Calico)
The Templehouse Reel
Temperance Reel (Teetotaler's)
The Tempest
The Thrush in the Morning
Tinker's Daughter
Tom Ward's Downfall
Tommy Coen's
Tommy People's
Tommy People's (aka Brendan McMahon's)
The Torn Jacket
Toss the Feathers
The other Toss the Feathers
The Traveller
Trim the Velvet
Trip to Durrow
Tuttle’s (aka Mills are Grinding)
The Virginia Reel
The Wheels of the World
Wind that Shakes the Barley
Wise Maid
Within a Mile of Dublin
Woman of the House
The Yellow Tinker
Your Mother's Little Pet
I suppose it wouldn't hurt to do one each for slip jigs, slides, and hornpipes as well.
For me, the value of such a list is that it shows me where the holes are in my bag of tunes. I know hundreds and hundreds of reels, but some of them rarely get played at sessions. And there are plenty of great reels on the above list that I don't yet play.
Getting on in years, it makes sense to hunker down on more of the tunes "everyone else" knows that I just haven't gotten around to yet.
Crazy-fingers, I tend to lump Dr. Gilbert's and Dispute as one tune, or at least as north and south settings of the same tune. But some people object to that and point out that the versions don't overlap well. So I listed them separately.
LOL, Michael, no worries. This sort of thing doesn't matter when you're surrounded by well-steeped players and toonage. Here in the boondocks, however, it helps to raise awareness that there are more than just 50 reels....
Brown Creeper, thanks, I'll go look those tunes up. The Oak Tree I've heard before, just wasn't sure how widely it's played.
Ian, I'm surprised I didn't include Mouth of the Tobique. I was just teaching at the Montana State Fiddle Camp for a week, and when sitting in with the other instructors and it was my turn to suggest a tune, that's what I played. Great craic to play MotT with April Verch, Barbara Lamb, Kimber Ludiker, Isaaac and Emily Callender, and Buddy Spicher. A real fusion of styles.
Yep, fiddle camp was a hoot, though it's tough being the only Irish fiddler among all those swing hounds. They were very welcoming, though, and I had a terrific class (including the "Nyah Nyah Sisterhood" ). Plus it was cold and rained all week--perfect weather for teaching jigs and reels.
Rev is at ZoukFest this week--prolly having too much fun to check in here.
Great List - would the Chattering Magpie not make the top 300 Kasey Kasem? I love "The Old High Reel" but perhaps that one is a bit rare (although it's on nearly every John Whelan accordion album
You even alphabetized it for added fun - I like how "I have no money" reads right into "In the tap room" - a common problem for me - it seems I'm always skinned when it's my shout.
LOL, JNE, that reminds me of the game we play with fortune cookies, where everyone around the table has to read theirs outloud, followed by the line "...in bed." Might as well be "...in the tap room."
"You will soon receive a reward from an unexpected source...in the tap room."
"Now is a good time for arranging your financial affairs...in the tap room."
"You will soon take a trip across the great water...in the tap room."
By the way many thanks for putting in the effort. I'm trying to
build up a portable repertoire. And also, a Japanese student
played "Tobique" at our session a few times and a few people
here (in Canberra, Australia) knew it already. So it's a tune with
legs- not Irish though
Mouth of the Tobique is such a fun tune it's infected lots of different genres and it certainly gets played at erstwhile Irish sessions, so it fits the list.
I play the Chattering Magpie, only I learned it as The Mountain Lark. A friend locally plays it with me, she knew it long before I did. She's from Chicago originally, said she played it up there.
Hi Will - maybe the Oak Tree and Give the girl her 4p aren't played as commonly as your list demands - however I've heard them played a bit... Chattering Magpies would fit the same criteria I guess. Love the tune, deserves to be played more.
Here are some not on your list that get played in our session:
Andy McGann's
Boys On The Hilltop
Buttermilk Mary
Coalminer's
Connemara Stockings
Devanney's Goat
Green Fields of America
Jim Coleman's
John Brennan's
John Stenson#1
John Stenson#2
Lafferty's
Maids of Caslebar
Martin Sheehan's
Master McDermott's
McCarthy's
Miss Johnson
MonaghanTwig
Old Torn Petticoat
Return to Camden Town
Robertson's Reel
Sheila Coyle's
Taproom
Tom Dowd's Favourite
Interesting. I know about half of them. About a third actually evoked the tune in mind when I saw the title. Some of them I knew that I knew it but couldn't just recall it there and then. Still others I might know the tune but wouldn't be able to play - maybe a fiddler's tune. Yet a few others I knew but don't like, eg Tam Lin's, so I don't play and haven't bothered to acquire. The list prints out on 7 sheets of A4 paper on Times New Roman at Font Size 12.
It would be fun playing thm in sets of three or four alphabetically.......
Abbey Reel The Congress Reel
Ah, Surely The Convenience Reel (aka The Boys of Sligo)
Alice's Reel Cooley's
All Around the Room The Corner House
Anderson's Cottage in the Glen (Crosses of Annagh)
The Antrim Rose Cregg's Pipes
Around the World for Sport Crib of Perches
Ashmolean House The Crooked Road to Dublin
The Ashplant Crowley's No. 1
The Aughacashel Crowley's No. 2
The Bag of Potatoes (aka The Little Bag of Spuds) The Culfadda Reel (aka Kilfodda)
Bag of Spuds The Cup of Tea
The Ballintore Fancy The Curlew
Baltimore Salute The Dairy Maid
Bank of Ireland Dan Breen's (The West Clare Reel)
The Banks of the Illen The Dawn
The Banshee Dick Gossip's
The Bantry Lasses Dinky Dorian's
Beare Island Reel Dinny O'Brien's
The Beauty Spot Dispute at the Crossroads
The Bellharbour Dogs Among the Bushes
Belles of Tipperary The Donegal Reel
Billy Brocker's The Donegal Tinker
Bird in the Bush The Donegal Traveller
The Blackberry Blossom The Doon
The Blackhaired Lass Dowd's No. 9
The Blackthorne Stick Down the Broom
The Bloom of Youth Drag Her Round the Road
Boil the Breakfast Early Dr. Gilbert's
Boil the Kettle Early Drowsy Maggie
Bonnie Kate Drunken Landlady
The Boy in the Boat Dublin Reel
Boyne Hunt Duke of Leinster
Boys of Ballysodare Dunmore Lasses
Boys of the Lough The Earl's Chair
Boys of Malin The Easy Club
The Boys of Portaferry Eddie Moloney's Favourite
Brenda Stubbert's Eel in the Sink
Brendan McMahon's Eileen Curran
The Broken Pledge The Exile of Erin
Bucks of Oranmore Fair-Haired Molly
The Bunch of Keys A Fair Wind
Bunker Hill The Famous Ballymote
The Burren (Michael Creamer's) Far From Home
The Bush in Bloom Farewell to Connaught
The Cameronian Farewell to Erin
Castle Kelly Farewell to Milltown
The Chicago Reel Farrell O'Gara's
Christmas Eve Father Kelly's (Rossmore Jetty)
The Coachman's Whip Fermoy Lasses
The College Groves The First House in Connaught
The Collier's Reel Fisherman's Island
Colonel Fraser Fisherman's Lilt
Come West Along the Road Five Mile Chase
The Concert Reel The Flax in Bloom
Concertina Reel The Floating Crowbar
The Flogging Reel Julia Delaney
Flower of the Flock The Kerryman's Daughter
Flowers of Red Hill The Killarney Boys of Pleasure
For the Sake of Old Decency The Killavil Fancy
The Four Courts The Killavil Reel
Foxhunter's Kiss the Maid Behind the Barrel
Frank's Reel Kiss Me Kate
Galway Rambler (aka Wellington's) The Knocknagow Reel (aka Scots Mary)
The Galtee Ranger (aka Callaghan's) The Knotted Cord
Garret Barry's Reel Lad O'Beirne's
The Gatehouse Maid Lads of Laoise
George White's Favourite Lady Ann Montgomery
The Girl Who Broke My Heart Lady of The House, The
The Glass of Beer The Lady on the Island
Glen of Aherlow Lady's Pantalettes
The Gneevgulia Larry Redican's
The Golden Keyboard Last Night's Fun
Gorman's (aka Throw Away the Keys) The Launching of the Boat
Good Morning to Your Nightcap The Laurel Tree
The Graf Spee Leddy From Cavan
The Gravel Walks to Granie Liadroma Reel (Ril Liadroma)
The Green Gates The Liffey Banks
Green Groves of Erin Limerick Lasses
The Green Mountain Limestone Rock
Greenfields of Glentown London Lasses
Greenfields of Rossbeigh The Long Note
Guns of the Magnificent Seven (aka Fintan McManus') Longford Collector
Hand Me Down the Tackle The Longford Tinker
The Hare's Paw Lord Gordon's
The Heathery Breeze Lord MacDonald's
The Heathery Cruach Lucy Campbell's
The High Reel Maid Behind the Bar
The High Road to Glin The Maid in the Cherry Tree
The Holly Bush Maid of Feakle
Humours of Ballyconnell Maid of Mount Cisco
Humours of Lissadell The Maids in the Meadow
The Humours of Loughrea Maids of Mitchelstown
Humours of Scarrif Man of Aran
The Humours of Tulla Man of the House
Humours of Westport The Maple Leaf
Hunter's House Martin Wynne's No. 1
Hunter's Purse Martin Wynne's No. 2
The Hut in the Bog Martin Wynne's No. 3
I Have No Money Mason's Apron
In the Tap Room Master Crowley's (Miss Patterson's Slippers)
The Ivy Leaf Maud Millar
Jackie Coleman's Maudabawn Chapel
the other Jackie Coleman's Mayor Harrison's Fedora
Jenny's Chickens McDonagh's
Jenny Picking Cockles McFadden's
Jenny's Wedding McFadden's Handsome Daughter
Jenny's Welcome to Charlie McGovern's Favourite
Johnny McIlJohn's The Merry Blacksmith
Johnny's Wedding The Merry Sisters of Fate
Jim Donoghue's Miller of Droghan
Jolly Tinker Milliner's Daughter
Miss McLeod's Sailor on the Rock
Miss Monahan's Sailing into Walpole's Marsh
The Morning Dew Sailor's Bonnet
Morning Star Saint Anne's
The Mossy Banks The Salamanca
Mother's Delight Sally Gardens
Mountain Road The Scholar
The Mountain Top Sean Reid's
The Moving Bog Sean Sa Cheo
The Moving Cloud Sergeant Early's Dream
Mullingar Lea The Shaskeen
Mullingar Races Sheehan's
Mulqueen's Shetland Fiddler
Music in the Glen The Shoemaker's Daughter
The Musical Priest Ships Are Sailing
My Love is in America Silver Spear
The New Copperplate Silver Spire
The New Mown Meadow Siobhan O'Donnell's
New Ships are Sailing The Skylark
A Night in Ennis (aka the other Ashplant) Sligo Maid
Nine Points of Roguery Sleepy Maggie
The Noisy Curlew Solus Lillis' Reel
O'Connell's Trip to Parliament (aka the Willow Tree) Speed the Plough
The Old Bush Spike Island Lasses
The Old Copperplate Splendid Isolation
Ormond Sound Sporting Nell
O'Rourke's Sporting Paddy
The Otter's Holt Star of Munster
Over the Bog Road The Steampacket
Over the Moor to Maggie The Stoney Steps
Paddy Fahy's (several) The Swallow's Nest
Paddy Ryan's Dream The Swallowtail
Patsy Touhey's Sweeney's Buttermilk
Peeler's Jacket The Sweet Flowers of Milltown
Pigeon on the Gate Swinging on the Gate
Pigtown Fling Tam Lin
Pinch of Snuff The Tarbolton
The Piper's Despair Tear the Calico (Rip the Calico)
The Plough and the Stars The Templehouse Reel
The Porthole of the Kelp Temperance Reel (Teetotaler's)
The Primrose Lasses The Tempest
The Providence Reel The Thrush in the Morning
Punch in the Dark Tinker's Daughter
The Rainy Day Tom Ward's Downfall
Rakish Paddy Tommy Coen's
Rathlin Island Tommy People's
Ravelled Hank of Yarn Tommy People's (aka Brendan McMahon's)
The Reconciliation Reel The Torn Jacket
The Red-Haired Boy Toss the Feathers
The Red-Haired Lass The other Toss the Feathers
The Reel of Mullinivat The Traveller
The Road to Glountane Trim the Velvet
Road to Rio Trip to Durrow
Rolling in the Barrel Tuttle's (aka Mills are Grinding)
Rolling in the Ryegrass The Virginia Reel
The Roscommon Reel The Wheels of the World
Wind that Shakes the Barley Woman of the House
Wise Maid The Yellow Tinker
Within a Mile of Dublin Your Mother's Little Pet
If Dionne is to be added (great tune) then so should Mouth of the Tobique, often played alongside it. I'd have expected to see these in a list of 300 -
Devanney's goat
Fairy dance
Morpeth rant
Soldiers joy
Staten island
Whiskey before breakfast
Flowers of Edinburgh
Bonnie Mulligan
Yes- some of these are maybe of Scottish origin but so are Mason's apron/High/Miss Macleod etc??
Geez, I leave for a festival for a couple of days, and look what trouble gets stirred up...
lilyot, remembering names of tunes isn't all that important, as long as you remember the tunes themselves. For my part, I have some sort of subconscious mnemonic device that attaches the name of the tune to the first phrase. But I'm lucky anymore to be able to remember whether I know a tune when somebody says the name.
Names of Tunes: I heard one famous (All Ireland) fiddler in these parts say that if you don't know the name, and cannot start it in a session, you don't know the tune. Another great one, Martin Hayes that is, supposedly has said that if you know all the names of the tunes you play then you don't know enough tunes.
Lurcherjohn and domnull, thanks for all the great suggestions. Taproom is probably the same tune as In the Taproom?
Staten Island, for me at least, is a hornpipe, and I've never heard it played as a reel in a session (whereas Flowers of Edinburgh does get reeled out).
So people actually play the Dionne Reel? I know it gets automatically attached to Mouth of the Tobique in some circles, but I more often hear MotT on its own.
Jack, the Tommy Peoples' reels I have in mind are the one in Bm that Altan plays (B3c dBAF) and the one in G on the first track of In Good Company (G2 BG cGBG|AFDE FGAF). The Larry Redican's I was thinking of is the one in C: http://www.thesession.org/tunes/display/233
Ah... Martin Rocheford’s. I see it has a name other than after a musician: Forget Me Not. Maybe I'll start calling it by that name. I call the other one Redican's Bow too.
Yep, both of those Tommy tunes have his name connected to them, and there are others as well. Someone told me they asked Tommy about those tunes and he had no idea how his name got connected. I think they said he didn't even know one of the many tunes that had his name.
Will-urrgggh!-another list of tunes that I feel like I don't know enough of. Thanks for putting it together. I'll hang onto it.
They play the Dionne Reel around here, anyway; it's one of my favorites, but then again I'm an old Rock 'n Roller. . .and we all know what THAT means...I think.
Thanks a million for taking the time to give me all of the mando advice.
Cheers, Tom
300 some-odd "essential" Irish session reels
300 some-odd "essential" Irish session reels
[WARNING: Contents of this thread may cause skin irritation and watery eyes. Persons with list and wordiness allergies should avoid contact. May contain peanuts.]
Just for "fun," I decided to get a better handle on the most common, or widely played, reels at sessions I've been to lately (say, in the last year). Then I added reels I know to be common elsewhere (from other people telling me what's played at sessions they attend in Ireland, England, USA, and Australia).
So started the following list. About 342 reels, and counting. If this sort of thing doesn't make you groan or cringe, scan the list and post suggestions for reels to add.
Just reels, though, thanks.
Abbey Reel
Ah, Surely
Alice's Reel
All Around the Room
Anderson's
The Antrim Rose
Around the World for Sport
Ashmolean House
The Ashplant
The Aughacashel
The Bag of Potatoes (aka The Little Bag of Spuds)
Bag of Spuds
The Ballintore Fancy
Baltimore Salute
Bank of Ireland
The Banks of the Illen
The Banshee
The Bantry Lasses
Beare Island Reel
The Beauty Spot
The Bellharbour
Belles of Tipperary
Billy Brocker's
Bird in the Bush
The Blackberry Blossom
The Blackhaired Lass
The Blackthorne Stick
The Bloom of Youth
Boil the Breakfast Early
Boil the Kettle Early
Bonnie Kate
The Boy in the Boat
Boyne Hunt
Boys of Ballysodare
Boys of the Lough
Boys of Malin
The Boys of Portaferry
Brenda Stubbert's
Brendan McMahon's
The Broken Pledge
Bucks of Oranmore
The Bunch of Keys
Bunker Hill
The Burren (Michael Creamer's)
The Bush in Bloom
The Cameronian
Castle Kelly
The Chicago Reel
Christmas Eve
The Coachman’s Whip
The College Groves
The Collier’s Reel
Colonel Fraser
Come West Along the Road
The Concert Reel
Concertina Reel
The Congress Reel
The Convenience Reel (aka The Boys of Sligo)
Cooley's
The Corner House
Cottage in the Glen (Crosses of Annagh)
Cregg's Pipes
Crib of Perches
The Crooked Road to Dublin
Crowley’s No. 1
Crowley’s No. 2
The Culfadda Reel (aka Kilfodda)
The Cup of Tea
The Curlew
The Dairy Maid
Dan Breen's (The West Clare Reel)
The Dawn
Dick Gossip's
Dinky Dorian's
Dinny O’Brien's
Dispute at the Crossroads
Dogs Among the Bushes
The Donegal Reel
The Donegal Tinker
The Donegal Traveller
The Doon
Dowd’s No. 9
Down the Broom
Drag Her Round the Road
Dr. Gilbert's
Drowsy Maggie
Drunken Landlady
Dublin Reel
Duke of Leinster
Dunmore Lasses
The Earl's Chair
The Easy Club
Eddie Moloney's Favourite
Eel in the Sink
Eileen Curran
The Exile of Erin
Fair-Haired Molly
A Fair Wind
The Famous Ballymote
Far From Home
Farewell to Connaught
Farewell to Erin
Farewell to Milltown
Farrell O'Gara's
Father Kelly's (Rossmore Jetty)
Fermoy Lasses
The First House in Connaught
Fisherman’s Island
Fisherman's Lilt
Five Mile Chase
The Flax in Bloom
The Floating Crowbar
The Flogging Reel
Flower of the Flock
Flowers of Red Hill
For the Sake of Old Decency
The Four Courts
Foxhunter's
Frank's Reel
Galway Rambler (aka Wellington's)
The Galtee Ranger (aka Callaghan's)
Garret Barry's Reel
The Gatehouse Maid
George White's Favourite
The Girl Who Broke My Heart
The Glass of Beer
Glen of Aherlow
The Gneevgulia
The Golden Keyboard
Gorman's (aka Throw Away the Keys)
Good Morning to Your Nightcap
The Graf Spee
The Gravel Walks to Granie
The Green Gates
Green Groves of Erin
The Green Mountain
Greenfields of Glentown
Greenfields of Rossbeigh
Guns of the Magnificent Seven (aka Fintan McManus')
Hand Me Down the Tackle
The Hare's Paw
The Heathery Breeze
The Heathery Cruach
The High Reel
The High Road to Glin
The Holly Bush
Humours of Ballyconnell
Humours of Lissadell
The Humours of Loughrea
Humours of Scarrif
The Humours of Tulla
Humours of Westport
Hunter's House
Hunter's Purse
The Hut in the Bog
I Have No Money
In the Tap Room
The Ivy Leaf
Jackie Coleman's
the other Jackie Coleman's
Jenny's Chickens
Jenny Picking Cockles
Jenny's Wedding
Jenny's Welcome to Charlie
Johnny McIlJohn's
Johnny's Wedding
Jim Donoghue's
Jolly Tinker
Julia Delaney
The Kerryman's Daughter
The Killarney Boys of Pleasure
The Killavil Fancy
The Killavil Reel
Kiss the Maid Behind the Barrel
Kiss Me Kate
The Knocknagow Reel (aka Scots Mary)
The Knotted Cord
Lad O'Beirne's
Lads of Laoise
Lady Ann Montgomery
Lady of The House, The
The Lady on the Island
Lady's Pantalettes
Larry Redican's
Last Night's Fun
The Launching of the Boat
The Laurel Tree
Leddy From Cavan
Liadroma Reel (Ril Liadroma)
The Liffey Banks
Limerick Lasses
Limestone Rock
London Lasses
The Long Note
Longford Collector
The Longford Tinker
Lord Gordon's
Lord MacDonald's
Lucy Campbell's
Maid Behind the Bar
The Maid in the Cherry Tree
Maid of Feakle
Maid of Mount Cisco
The Maids in the Meadow
Maids of Mitchelstown
Man of Aran
Man of the House
The Maple Leaf
Martin Wynne's No. 1
Martin Wynne's No. 2
Martin Wynne's No. 3
Mason's Apron
Master Crowley's (Miss Patterson's Slippers)
Maud Millar
Maudabawn Chapel
Mayor Harrison's Fedora
McDonagh's
McFadden's
McFadden's Handsome Daughter
McGovern's Favourite
The Merry Blacksmith
The Merry Sisters of Fate
Miller of Droghan
Milliner's Daughter
Miss McLeod's
Miss Monahan's
The Morning Dew
Morning Star
The Mossy Banks
Mother's Delight
Mountain Road
The Mountain Top
The Moving Bog
The Moving Cloud
Mullingar Lea
Mullingar Races
Mulqueen's
Music in the Glen
The Musical Priest
My Love is in America
The New Copperplate
The New Mown Meadow
New Ships are Sailing
A Night in Ennis (aka the other Ashplant)
Nine Points of Roguery
The Noisy Curlew
O’Connell's Trip to Parliament (aka the Willow Tree)
The Old Bush
The Old Copperplate
Ormond Sound
O'Rourke's
The Otter's Holt
Over the Bog Road
Over the Moor to Maggie
Paddy Fahy's (several)
Paddy Ryan's Dream
Patsy Touhey's
Peeler's Jacket
Pigeon on the Gate
Pigtown Fling
Pinch of Snuff
The Piper's Despair
The Plough and the Stars
The Porthole of the Kelp
The Primrose Lasses
The Providence Reel
Punch in the Dark
The Rainy Day
Rakish Paddy
Rathlin Island
Ravelled Hank of Yarn
The Reconciliation Reel
The Red-Haired Boy
The Red-Haired Lass
The Reel of Mullinivat
The Road to Glountane
Road to Rio
Rolling in the Barrel
Rolling in the Ryegrass
The Roscommon Reel
Sailor on the Rock
Sailing into Walpole's Marsh
Sailor's Bonnet
Saint Anne's
The Salamanca
Sally Gardens
The Scholar
Sean Reid's
Sean Sa Cheo
Sergeant Early's Dream
The Shaskeen
Sheehan's
Shetland Fiddler
The Shoemaker's Daughter
Ships Are Sailing
Silver Spear
Silver Spire
Siobhan O'Donnell's
The Skylark
Sligo Maid
Sleepy Maggie
Solus Lillis' Reel
Speed the Plough
Spike Island Lasses
Splendid Isolation
Sporting Nell
Sporting Paddy
Star of Munster
The Steampacket
The Stoney Steps
The Swallow's Nest
The Swallowtail
Sweeney's Buttermilk
The Sweet Flowers of Milltown
Swinging on the Gate
Tam Lin
The Tarbolton
Tear the Calico (Rip the Calico)
The Templehouse Reel
Temperance Reel (Teetotaler's)
The Tempest
The Thrush in the Morning
Tinker's Daughter
Tom Ward's Downfall
Tommy Coen's
Tommy People's
Tommy People's (aka Brendan McMahon's)
The Torn Jacket
Toss the Feathers
The other Toss the Feathers
The Traveller
Trim the Velvet
Trip to Durrow
Tuttle’s (aka Mills are Grinding)
The Virginia Reel
The Wheels of the World
Wind that Shakes the Barley
Wise Maid
Within a Mile of Dublin
Woman of the House
The Yellow Tinker
Your Mother's Little Pet
# Posted on June 10th 2008 by Will CPT
Re: 300 some-odd "essential" Irish session reels
Um...wow.
# Posted on June 10th 2008 by jasonb
Re: 300 some-odd "essential" Irish session reels
Thanks Will. I enjoy these kinds of lists. Are you up for compiling some lists for other tune types?
# Posted on June 10th 2008 by crazy_fingerz
Re: 300 some-odd "essential" Irish session reels
Bloody hell Will. I'm sure I'd find it more interesting if I knew the names of more tunes I play. As it is, I only recognise about half of them.
# Posted on June 10th 2008 by llig leahcim
Re: 300 some-odd "essential" Irish session reels
Will -- Isn't "Dispute at the Crossroads" the same tunes as "Dr. Gilbert"?
# Posted on June 10th 2008 by crazy_fingerz
Re: 300 some-odd "essential" Irish session reels
The Oak Tree
Give the Girl her fourpence
# Posted on June 10th 2008 by Brown Creeper
Re: 300 some-odd "essential" Irish session reels
Yep, I'll probably do one up for jigs next.
I suppose it wouldn't hurt to do one each for slip jigs, slides, and hornpipes as well.
For me, the value of such a list is that it shows me where the holes are in my bag of tunes. I know hundreds and hundreds of reels, but some of them rarely get played at sessions. And there are plenty of great reels on the above list that I don't yet play.
Getting on in years, it makes sense to hunker down on more of the tunes "everyone else" knows that I just haven't gotten around to yet.
# Posted on June 10th 2008 by Will CPT
Re: 300 some-odd "essential" Irish session reels
Hey Will, good idea here, even if it's making my eyes cross. Forgive me if I missed these:
The Old Blackthorn
The Mouth of the Tobique
# Posted on June 10th 2008 by SWFL Fiddler
Re: 300 some-odd "essential" Irish session reels
...and wow, Amen to your last line there on the post above.
# Posted on June 10th 2008 by SWFL Fiddler
Re: 300 some-odd "essential" Irish session reels
Crazy-fingers, I tend to lump Dr. Gilbert's and Dispute as one tune, or at least as north and south settings of the same tune. But some people object to that and point out that the versions don't overlap well. So I listed them separately.
LOL, Michael, no worries. This sort of thing doesn't matter when you're surrounded by well-steeped players and toonage. Here in the boondocks, however, it helps to raise awareness that there are more than just 50 reels....
Brown Creeper, thanks, I'll go look those tunes up. The Oak Tree I've heard before, just wasn't sure how widely it's played.
# Posted on June 10th 2008 by Will CPT
Re: 300 some-odd "essential" Irish session reels
Ian, I'm surprised I didn't include Mouth of the Tobique. I was just teaching at the Montana State Fiddle Camp for a week, and when sitting in with the other instructors and it was my turn to suggest a tune, that's what I played. Great craic to play MotT with April Verch, Barbara Lamb, Kimber Ludiker, Isaaac and Emily Callender, and Buddy Spicher. A real fusion of styles.
# Posted on June 10th 2008 by Will CPT
Re: 300 some-odd "essential" Irish session reels
It's a great tune, so much fun. They play it at the Tampa session every time I'm up there. I'm trying to infect more folks down my way with it.
A certain Reverend tipped us off to your whereabouts. Sounds like a blast, you lucky dawg!
# Posted on June 10th 2008 by SWFL Fiddler
Re: 300 some-odd "essential" Irish session reels
Yep, fiddle camp was a hoot, though it's tough being the only Irish fiddler among all those swing hounds. They were very welcoming, though, and I had a terrific class (including the "Nyah Nyah Sisterhood"
). Plus it was cold and rained all week--perfect weather for teaching jigs and reels.
Rev is at ZoukFest this week--prolly having too much fun to check in here.
# Posted on June 10th 2008 by Will CPT
Re: 300 some-odd "essential" Irish session reels
Great List - would the Chattering Magpie not make the top 300 Kasey Kasem? I love "The Old High Reel" but perhaps that one is a bit rare (although it's on nearly every John Whelan accordion album
You even alphabetized it for added fun - I like how "I have no money" reads right into "In the tap room" - a common problem for me - it seems I'm always skinned when it's my shout.
# Posted on June 10th 2008 by Jusa Nutter Eejit
Re: 300 some-odd "essential" Irish session reels
LOL, JNE, that reminds me of the game we play with fortune cookies, where everyone around the table has to read theirs outloud, followed by the line "...in bed." Might as well be "...in the tap room."
"You will soon receive a reward from an unexpected source...in the tap room."
"Now is a good time for arranging your financial affairs...in the tap room."
"You will soon take a trip across the great water...in the tap room."
# Posted on June 10th 2008 by Will CPT
Re: 300 some-odd "essential" Irish session reels
Yes, let's add Chatterping Magpie to the list--how many of the rest of you play it at sessions?
# Posted on June 10th 2008 by Will CPT
Re: 300 some-odd "essential" Irish session reels
We play the same fortune cookie game - but use the vulgar tag line "...in the loo"
Example:
"great wisdom will come to those with patience ... in the loo."
If I think of more reels I'll chime in. Looking forward to your jig list.
# Posted on June 10th 2008 by Jusa Nutter Eejit
Re: 300 some-odd "essential" Irish session reels
This looks like the extension of your list from the "whoosis"
era. I have heard that Dow is also extending his list.
# Posted on June 10th 2008 by Hup
Re: 300 some-odd "essential" Irish session reels
By the way many thanks for putting in the effort. I'm trying to
build up a portable repertoire. And also, a Japanese student
played "Tobique" at our session a few times and a few people
here (in Canberra, Australia) knew it already. So it's a tune with
legs- not Irish though
# Posted on June 10th 2008 by Hup
Re: 300 some-odd "essential" Irish session reels
Fred Finn's! Surely, that should be on the list, yes?
# Posted on June 10th 2008 by Jusa Nutter Eejit
Re: 300 some-odd "essential" Irish session reels
Mouth of the Tobique is such a fun tune it's infected lots of different genres and it certainly gets played at erstwhile Irish sessions, so it fits the list.
Fred Finn's is a good one--thanks JNE.
# Posted on June 10th 2008 by Will CPT
Re: 300 some-odd "essential" Irish session reels
I play the Chattering Magpie, only I learned it as The Mountain Lark. A friend locally plays it with me, she knew it long before I did. She's from Chicago originally, said she played it up there.
# Posted on June 10th 2008 by SWFL Fiddler
Re: 300 some-odd "essential" Irish session reels
Another one I missed that should be here is The Jug of Punch.
# Posted on June 10th 2008 by Will CPT
Re: 300 some-odd "essential" Irish session reels
Hi Will - maybe the Oak Tree and Give the girl her 4p aren't played as commonly as your list demands - however I've heard them played a bit... Chattering Magpies would fit the same criteria I guess. Love the tune, deserves to be played more.
# Posted on June 10th 2008 by Brown Creeper
Re: 300 some-odd "essential" Irish session reels
Maybe we need a second list of "less familiar reels that deserve to be played more."
Things like:
Poor But Happy at 53
Hughie's Cap
In Memory of Coleman
Tom McElvogue's No. 3
....
But then that would be a different thread.
# Posted on June 10th 2008 by Will CPT
Re: 300 some-odd "essential" Irish session reels
I have a couple of questions. What tunes are the following?
Larry Redican's
Tommy People's
# Posted on June 10th 2008 by Phantom Button
Re: 300 some-odd "essential" Irish session reels
Here are some not on your list that get played in our session:
Andy McGann's
Boys On The Hilltop
Buttermilk Mary
Coalminer's
Connemara Stockings
Devanney's Goat
Green Fields of America
Jim Coleman's
John Brennan's
John Stenson#1
John Stenson#2
Lafferty's
Maids of Caslebar
Martin Sheehan's
Master McDermott's
McCarthy's
Miss Johnson
MonaghanTwig
Old Torn Petticoat
Return to Camden Town
Robertson's Reel
Sheila Coyle's
Taproom
Tom Dowd's Favourite
# Posted on June 10th 2008 by Lurcherjohn
Re: 300 some-odd "essential" Irish session reels
Interesting. I know about half of them. About a third actually evoked the tune in mind when I saw the title. Some of them I knew that I knew it but couldn't just recall it there and then. Still others I might know the tune but wouldn't be able to play - maybe a fiddler's tune. Yet a few others I knew but don't like, eg Tam Lin's, so I don't play and haven't bothered to acquire. The list prints out on 7 sheets of A4 paper on Times New Roman at Font Size 12.
It would be fun playing thm in sets of three or four alphabetically.......
# Posted on June 10th 2008 by Key Maniac Lad
Re: 300 some-odd "essential" Irish session reels
blimey, it's one thing making the list list in the first place, but printing it out? SAVE THE TREES
# Posted on June 10th 2008 by llig leahcim
Re: 300 some-odd "essential" Irish session reels
I intend to use it actually.
# Posted on June 10th 2008 by Key Maniac Lad
Re: 300 some-odd "essential" Irish session reels
The Wedding Reel
Donald Blue
Ornette's Trip to Belfast (at least i didn't see them)
come up fairly often here.
# Posted on June 10th 2008 by TMB
Re: 300 some-odd "essential" Irish session reels
Too much time on his hands......actually a comment about the list - but what a great name for a tune !!!
# Posted on June 10th 2008 by SeanMc
Re: 300 some-odd "essential" Irish session reels
Abbey Reel The Congress Reel
Ah, Surely The Convenience Reel (aka The Boys of Sligo)
Alice's Reel Cooley's
All Around the Room The Corner House
Anderson's Cottage in the Glen (Crosses of Annagh)
The Antrim Rose Cregg's Pipes
Around the World for Sport Crib of Perches
Ashmolean House The Crooked Road to Dublin
The Ashplant Crowley's No. 1
The Aughacashel Crowley's No. 2
The Bag of Potatoes (aka The Little Bag of Spuds) The Culfadda Reel (aka Kilfodda)
Bag of Spuds The Cup of Tea
The Ballintore Fancy The Curlew
Baltimore Salute The Dairy Maid
Bank of Ireland Dan Breen's (The West Clare Reel)
The Banks of the Illen The Dawn
The Banshee Dick Gossip's
The Bantry Lasses Dinky Dorian's
Beare Island Reel Dinny O'Brien's
The Beauty Spot Dispute at the Crossroads
The Bellharbour Dogs Among the Bushes
Belles of Tipperary The Donegal Reel
Billy Brocker's The Donegal Tinker
Bird in the Bush The Donegal Traveller
The Blackberry Blossom The Doon
The Blackhaired Lass Dowd's No. 9
The Blackthorne Stick Down the Broom
The Bloom of Youth Drag Her Round the Road
Boil the Breakfast Early Dr. Gilbert's
Boil the Kettle Early Drowsy Maggie
Bonnie Kate Drunken Landlady
The Boy in the Boat Dublin Reel
Boyne Hunt Duke of Leinster
Boys of Ballysodare Dunmore Lasses
Boys of the Lough The Earl's Chair
Boys of Malin The Easy Club
The Boys of Portaferry Eddie Moloney's Favourite
Brenda Stubbert's Eel in the Sink
Brendan McMahon's Eileen Curran
The Broken Pledge The Exile of Erin
Bucks of Oranmore Fair-Haired Molly
The Bunch of Keys A Fair Wind
Bunker Hill The Famous Ballymote
The Burren (Michael Creamer's) Far From Home
The Bush in Bloom Farewell to Connaught
The Cameronian Farewell to Erin
Castle Kelly Farewell to Milltown
The Chicago Reel Farrell O'Gara's
Christmas Eve Father Kelly's (Rossmore Jetty)
The Coachman's Whip Fermoy Lasses
The College Groves The First House in Connaught
The Collier's Reel Fisherman's Island
Colonel Fraser Fisherman's Lilt
Come West Along the Road Five Mile Chase
The Concert Reel The Flax in Bloom
Concertina Reel The Floating Crowbar
The Flogging Reel Julia Delaney
Flower of the Flock The Kerryman's Daughter
Flowers of Red Hill The Killarney Boys of Pleasure
For the Sake of Old Decency The Killavil Fancy
The Four Courts The Killavil Reel
Foxhunter's Kiss the Maid Behind the Barrel
Frank's Reel Kiss Me Kate
Galway Rambler (aka Wellington's) The Knocknagow Reel (aka Scots Mary)
The Galtee Ranger (aka Callaghan's) The Knotted Cord
Garret Barry's Reel Lad O'Beirne's
The Gatehouse Maid Lads of Laoise
George White's Favourite Lady Ann Montgomery
The Girl Who Broke My Heart Lady of The House, The
The Glass of Beer The Lady on the Island
Glen of Aherlow Lady's Pantalettes
The Gneevgulia Larry Redican's
The Golden Keyboard Last Night's Fun
Gorman's (aka Throw Away the Keys) The Launching of the Boat
Good Morning to Your Nightcap The Laurel Tree
The Graf Spee Leddy From Cavan
The Gravel Walks to Granie Liadroma Reel (Ril Liadroma)
The Green Gates The Liffey Banks
Green Groves of Erin Limerick Lasses
The Green Mountain Limestone Rock
Greenfields of Glentown London Lasses
Greenfields of Rossbeigh The Long Note
Guns of the Magnificent Seven (aka Fintan McManus') Longford Collector
Hand Me Down the Tackle The Longford Tinker
The Hare's Paw Lord Gordon's
The Heathery Breeze Lord MacDonald's
The Heathery Cruach Lucy Campbell's
The High Reel Maid Behind the Bar
The High Road to Glin The Maid in the Cherry Tree
The Holly Bush Maid of Feakle
Humours of Ballyconnell Maid of Mount Cisco
Humours of Lissadell The Maids in the Meadow
The Humours of Loughrea Maids of Mitchelstown
Humours of Scarrif Man of Aran
The Humours of Tulla Man of the House
Humours of Westport The Maple Leaf
Hunter's House Martin Wynne's No. 1
Hunter's Purse Martin Wynne's No. 2
The Hut in the Bog Martin Wynne's No. 3
I Have No Money Mason's Apron
In the Tap Room Master Crowley's (Miss Patterson's Slippers)
The Ivy Leaf Maud Millar
Jackie Coleman's Maudabawn Chapel
the other Jackie Coleman's Mayor Harrison's Fedora
Jenny's Chickens McDonagh's
Jenny Picking Cockles McFadden's
Jenny's Wedding McFadden's Handsome Daughter
Jenny's Welcome to Charlie McGovern's Favourite
Johnny McIlJohn's The Merry Blacksmith
Johnny's Wedding The Merry Sisters of Fate
Jim Donoghue's Miller of Droghan
Jolly Tinker Milliner's Daughter
Miss McLeod's Sailor on the Rock
Miss Monahan's Sailing into Walpole's Marsh
The Morning Dew Sailor's Bonnet
Morning Star Saint Anne's
The Mossy Banks The Salamanca
Mother's Delight Sally Gardens
Mountain Road The Scholar
The Mountain Top Sean Reid's
The Moving Bog Sean Sa Cheo
The Moving Cloud Sergeant Early's Dream
Mullingar Lea The Shaskeen
Mullingar Races Sheehan's
Mulqueen's Shetland Fiddler
Music in the Glen The Shoemaker's Daughter
The Musical Priest Ships Are Sailing
My Love is in America Silver Spear
The New Copperplate Silver Spire
The New Mown Meadow Siobhan O'Donnell's
New Ships are Sailing The Skylark
A Night in Ennis (aka the other Ashplant) Sligo Maid
Nine Points of Roguery Sleepy Maggie
The Noisy Curlew Solus Lillis' Reel
O'Connell's Trip to Parliament (aka the Willow Tree) Speed the Plough
The Old Bush Spike Island Lasses
The Old Copperplate Splendid Isolation
Ormond Sound Sporting Nell
O'Rourke's Sporting Paddy
The Otter's Holt Star of Munster
Over the Bog Road The Steampacket
Over the Moor to Maggie The Stoney Steps
Paddy Fahy's (several) The Swallow's Nest
Paddy Ryan's Dream The Swallowtail
Patsy Touhey's Sweeney's Buttermilk
Peeler's Jacket The Sweet Flowers of Milltown
Pigeon on the Gate Swinging on the Gate
Pigtown Fling Tam Lin
Pinch of Snuff The Tarbolton
The Piper's Despair Tear the Calico (Rip the Calico)
The Plough and the Stars The Templehouse Reel
The Porthole of the Kelp Temperance Reel (Teetotaler's)
The Primrose Lasses The Tempest
The Providence Reel The Thrush in the Morning
Punch in the Dark Tinker's Daughter
The Rainy Day Tom Ward's Downfall
Rakish Paddy Tommy Coen's
Rathlin Island Tommy People's
Ravelled Hank of Yarn Tommy People's (aka Brendan McMahon's)
The Reconciliation Reel The Torn Jacket
The Red-Haired Boy Toss the Feathers
The Red-Haired Lass The other Toss the Feathers
The Reel of Mullinivat The Traveller
The Road to Glountane Trim the Velvet
Road to Rio Trip to Durrow
Rolling in the Barrel Tuttle's (aka Mills are Grinding)
Rolling in the Ryegrass The Virginia Reel
The Roscommon Reel The Wheels of the World
Wind that Shakes the Barley Woman of the House
Wise Maid The Yellow Tinker
Within a Mile of Dublin Your Mother's Little Pet
# Posted on June 10th 2008 by Ramiro
Re: 300 some-odd "essential" Irish session reels
Oops! Tried to post it in 2 columns for the sake of tree saving and failed miserably!
# Posted on June 10th 2008 by Ramiro
Re: 300 some-odd "essential" Irish session reels
I've put it here:
http://www.telefonica.net/web2/deb/2c
# Posted on June 10th 2008 by Ramiro
Re: 300 some-odd "essential" Irish session reels
I never remember names! but after a few notes, I know tune, any tips on remembering names, cause I can never write a repotoire!
# Posted on June 10th 2008 by lilyot
Re: 300 some-odd "essential" Irish session reels
Nice work Ramiro - that fits onto 3 sheets now - with plenty of room for other people's later additions
# Posted on June 10th 2008 by Key Maniac Lad
Re: 300 some-odd "essential" Irish session reels
If The Mouth of the Tobique is to be included, how about the Trip to Windsor ? It's a Cape breton tune that has gained wide acceptance.
# Posted on June 10th 2008 by pennhorse
Re: 300 some-odd "essential" Irish session reels
If Dionne is to be added (great tune) then so should Mouth of the Tobique, often played alongside it. I'd have expected to see these in a list of 300 -
Devanney's goat
Fairy dance
Morpeth rant
Soldiers joy
Staten island
Whiskey before breakfast
Flowers of Edinburgh
Bonnie Mulligan
Yes- some of these are maybe of Scottish origin but so are Mason's apron/High/Miss Macleod etc??
# Posted on June 10th 2008 by domnull
Re: 300 some-odd "essential" Irish session reels
Geez, I leave for a festival for a couple of days, and look what trouble gets stirred up...
lilyot, remembering names of tunes isn't all that important, as long as you remember the tunes themselves. For my part, I have some sort of subconscious mnemonic device that attaches the name of the tune to the first phrase. But I'm lucky anymore to be able to remember whether I know a tune when somebody says the name.
# Posted on June 10th 2008 by Reverend
Re: 300 some-odd "essential" Irish session reels
Names of Tunes: I heard one famous (All Ireland) fiddler in these parts say that if you don't know the name, and cannot start it in a session, you don't know the tune. Another great one, Martin Hayes that is, supposedly has said that if you know all the names of the tunes you play then you don't know enough tunes.
"Professor"
# Posted on June 10th 2008 by wmmorse
Re: 300 some-odd "essential" Irish session reels
Lurcherjohn and domnull, thanks for all the great suggestions. Taproom is probably the same tune as In the Taproom?
Staten Island, for me at least, is a hornpipe, and I've never heard it played as a reel in a session (whereas Flowers of Edinburgh does get reeled out).
So people actually play the Dionne Reel? I know it gets automatically attached to Mouth of the Tobique in some circles, but I more often hear MotT on its own.
Jack, the Tommy Peoples' reels I have in mind are the one in Bm that Altan plays (B3c dBAF) and the one in G on the first track of In Good Company (G2 BG cGBG|AFDE FGAF). The Larry Redican's I was thinking of is the one in C: http://www.thesession.org/tunes/display/233
But I suppose Larry Redican's Bow (http://www.thesession.org/tunes/display/4707) might even be more common and should go on the list.
# Posted on June 10th 2008 by Will CPT
Re: 300 some-odd "essential" Irish session reels
Ah... Martin Rocheford’s. I see it has a name other than after a musician: Forget Me Not. Maybe I'll start calling it by that name. I call the other one Redican's Bow too.
Yep, both of those Tommy tunes have his name connected to them, and there are others as well. Someone told me they asked Tommy about those tunes and he had no idea how his name got connected. I think they said he didn't even know one of the many tunes that had his name.
# Posted on June 10th 2008 by Phantom Button
Re: 300 some-odd "essential" Irish session reels
Will-urrgggh!-another list of tunes that I feel like I don't know enough of. Thanks for putting it together. I'll hang onto it.
They play the Dionne Reel around here, anyway; it's one of my favorites, but then again I'm an old Rock 'n Roller. . .and we all know what THAT means...I think.
Thanks a million for taking the time to give me all of the mando advice.
Cheers, Tom
# Posted on June 10th 2008 by tomw
Re: 300 some-odd "essential" Irish session reels
Great list - keep up the work Will.
I would like a to add a reel played in Oslo - and Schotland - and probably at your session:
Liz Carroll's, Wisahicken Drive.
Surely you know that?
BR Hal
# Posted on June 10th 2008 by MrGanAinm
Re: 300 some-odd "essential" Irish session reels
I suppose the Tobique and Dionne pairing has something to do with KB and Celtic Fiddle Festival. They certainly they do them justice!
# Posted on June 10th 2008 by domnull
Re: 300 some-odd "essential" Irish session reels
Jack, yep, I know it as Martin Rochford's too.
Poor Mr. Peoples has even been blamed for Bang Your Frog on the Sofa....
# Posted on June 10th 2008 by Will CPT
Re: 300 some-odd "essential" Irish session reels
See, now Wissahickon Drive is a great tune, but I rarely hear it at sessions. Maybe I just go to the wrong sessions.
# Posted on June 10th 2008 by Will CPT