Key signature: Amajor
Submitted on October 8th 2002 by Trevor Jennings.
This tune has been added to 9 tunebooks.
Also known as Farrel O'Gara, Farrel O'Gara's, Farrel O'Gara's Highland Fling, Killarney Wonder, The Killarney Wonder Schottische, The Killarney Wonder, The Macroom Lasses.
Recordings of a tune by this name:
X: 1
T: Farrel O'Gara's Schottise
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
R: hornpipe
K: Amaj
|:AF|E2 Ac {Bc}B2 (3agf|(3 edc (3dcB cA FA|E2 Ac {Bc}B2 af|ec Bd cA FA|
[A2E2] Ac {Bc}B2 (3agf|(3 edc (3dcB cA FA|[A2E2] Ac {Bc}B2 af|ec Bc A2:|
|:e2|ae fa ea ce|dB cA BF F2|ae fa ea c'a|ba bc' a2 ab|
c'a fa {ef}e2 ce|dB cA BA FA|[A2E2] Ac {Bc}B2 af|ec Bc A2:||
Farrel O'Gara's Schottise
This tune should be played as a hornpipe - "Schottis" isn't (yet) available on the list of rhythms on this site - for that is essentially what it is. I think it has been recorded by Michael Coleman
The tune is unusual in Irish trad fiddle music because in the 3-5 bars of the second part you will find a high C# on the E string. One way to play this is, when you have played the second open E in bar 3 of the 2nd part, to shift your hand so that your first finger is on the A on the E string. The high B and C# will then lie comfortably under your 2nd and 3rd fingers respectively, the 1st finger remaining on that A.
In bar 5 (of the 2nd part), I suggest you play the high F# with your 3rd finger across on the A string. When you have played the F# on the A string play the high A on the E string and immediately shift your hand back to the first position so that you can play the mordent on the open E and continue on for the remainder of the tune in the first position.
Alternatively, when you have played that high F# on the A string try playing the following high A as the harmonic on the A string. This will also give you time to get back to the first position.
As another way of doing it, you could drop back from the A to play that F# in the first postion on the E string. This is a matter of preference I suppose, for you might hear a slide as you drop from the A to the F# with your first finger. I haven't heard Michael Coleman's recording so I don't know how he did it.
Note the good strong A-E chords in the 5th and 7th bars of the first part and the 7th bar of the second part.
# Posted on October 8th 2002 by Trevor Jennings
Jacky Daly and Seamus Creagh play this tune as a reel (The Macroom Lasses), without the descending triplets in bars 1 & 2, something like this:
EAAc B2gf | eccB cAFA ....
However, this is a lovely setting too.
# Posted on October 9th 2002 by CreadurMawnOrganig
I would play this as a Highland Fling -
16 bars, no repeat as given here in the A part, and with the classic 4-bar second ending for the second part. Highlands have typically become single reels, or even double reels. The tight repetition in the first part, bars 1-4 with bars 5-8 as written here, are kind of a giveaway... However you play it, it is a nice melody...
# Posted on August 8th 2004 by ceolachan
"The Macroom Lasses'" slant on it ~
Key signature: A Major
Submitted on October 14th 2002 by spoon.
http://www.thesession.org/tunes/display/1042
# Posted on March 5th 2006 by ceolachan
The Killarney Wonder (Highland!)
Key signature: A Major
Submitted on March 25th 2004 by Mad Baloney
http://www.thesession.org/tunes/display/2709
# Posted on March 6th 2006 by slainte
"Farrel O'Gara" ~ G Major
16 bar highland fling as given here or double the parts to AABB for 32 bars...
K: G Major
G>E |:
D2 G>B A2 (3gfe | (3dcB (3cBA B>GE>G | D2 G>B (3ABA g>e |1 d>BA>c B>GE>G :|2 d>BA>B G3 d ||
g>de>g d>gB>d | c>AB>G A>E (3EEE | g>de>g d>gb>g | a>^ga>b =g3 a |
b>g (3efg d2 (3Bcd | c2 (3BAG A>GE>G | D2 G>B A2 g>e | d>B (3ABc B>G ||
# Posted on February 8th 2007 by ceolachan