The Session >> Tunes >> The Boys Of Ballisodare (slip jig)

Details ABC Sheetmusic Comments

The Boys Of Ballisodare

slip jig

Key signature: Gmajor

Submitted on January 16th 2003 by Will Harmon.

This tune has been added to 223 tunebooks.

Also known as The Boys Of Balisadare, The Boys Of Ballisadare, Boys Of Ballyosadare, The Boys Of Ballysadare, The Boys Of Ballysidare, The Boys Of Ballysodare, Liam Farrell's, Liam Farrell's (Boys Of Ballisodare), My Father Loves Nikita Khrushchev.

Recordings of a tune by this name:

Details ABC Sheetmusic Comments

X: 1
T: Boys Of Ballisodare, The
M: 9/8
L: 1/8
R: slip jig
K: Gmaj
D2 G G2 A B2 d | ege d2 e g3 | D2 G G2 B d2 B | AGA B2 G E2 G |
D2 G G2 A B2 d | ege d2 e g2 a | b2 a g2 e d2 B | AGA B2 G E2 G:||
B2 d d2 B d2 B | dBd e2 f g3 | B2 d d2 B d2 B | AGA B2 G E2 G |
B2 d d2 B d2 B | dBd e2 f g2 a | b2 a g2 e d2 B | AGA B2 G E2 G:||

Details ABC Sheetmusic Comments
The Boys Of Ballisodare sheetmusic
Details ABC Sheetmusic Comments

Boys of Ballisodare

This is a widely played slip jig, but I really like this setting, lifted from Martin Mullvihill (fiddle), Bill McComiskey (box), and Zan McLeod (guitar) on their cd One More Time, which Zina says was put out by the Culkin School of Traditional Dance in Washington DC. It's just a few notes different from my old version, but to my ear those notes make a big difference.

This tune works great on fiddle, whistle, and flute, at slow tempos or bumped up a few notches on the metronome. I tend to keep it slow, and essentially unornamented. The important thing is to treat the last eighth note in each bar as a pick-up note to the following down beat, rather than the final note of that bar. That'll give you the right amount of lift, and the dancers will appreciate you for that. As danceable as this slip jig is, I really enjoy its lyrical quality--leaves me in the mood for a picnic or a walk in the hills.

Ballisodare is just south of the town of Sligo, near the mouth of the Moy. There's also a hornpipe by the same name. And I've seen Ballisodare spelled many different ways, including Ballysodare, Ballisadare, and Ballysidare. I'm sticking with what's on my map of Ireland from Bord Failte, the Irish Tourist Board.

# Posted on January 16th 2003 by Will Harmon

Boys of ballisodare

Don't know about a hornpipe, Will, but there's certainly a very well-known 3-part reel with the same name. John Carty has this tune on his "Yeah, That's All There Is" CD, where he plays your slip-jig, followed by a reel version of the same slip-jig. Works very well ,too. I have a photo of myself and Sean White , a flute player from Limerick leaning over of the road sign as you enter Ballisodare. (spelt as such). We took it after the 1978 Ballisodare Folk Festival, and had decided that we were "The Boys Of Ballisodare". Those were the days!

# Posted on January 16th 2003 by Kenny

Boys of Ballysodare

in portland, we often follow 'boys of ballysodare' with 'the butterfly.'

sarah

# Posted on January 17th 2003 by sarahc

This is one of those slip jigs that wants to be played fairly fast (I don't do b.p.m.). I often find it difficult playing cetain slip jig together as some seem to me to demand a faster tempo than others. When going from a slip jig (such as this one) which is dominated by crotchet-quaver groupings, into a slip jig that is dominated by 3-quaver groupings, the impulse is always to slow down (rather like playing a single jig and a double jig together). As Sarah (eleyne) says above, The Butterfly is a good pairing for this tune. The Rocky Road to Dublin, The Dusty Miller and The Snowy Path are a few that might work.

# Posted on January 17th 2003 by CreadurMawnOrganig

Maybe there's a case for calling them "slip slides"!....

# Posted on January 19th 2003 by Dr. Dow

David, on One More Time, the lads play it very slowly, and it's really gorgeous. Try it, you'll like it. :)

# Posted on February 10th 2004 by Zina Lee

Slow is good

I've heard Kevin Burke play a nice slow/medium version of this somewhere many years back - I think with the Butterfly after. It's got potential to be really dreamy and lyrical. That's the version I always have in mind when I play it. Can anybody remember if he recorded it?

# Posted on April 15th 2004 by kris

This is a hop jig.

# Posted on May 25th 2006 by Dr. Dow

Have you been eating locusts? (grasshoppers)

# Posted on May 25th 2006 by ceolachan

Martin Mulvihill

It wasn't he, but his son Brendan.

# Posted on April 13th 2007 by Kheelch

Boys of Ballysodare - Accompaniment

My internet searches for the chords to accompany this tune have been unsuccessful. Can anyone recommend a site?

# Posted on July 29th 2007 by majorum

Boys of Ballysodare (slip jig)

My internet searches have failed to turn up chords for accompaniment for this tune. Can anyone recommend a site?

# Posted on August 13th 2007 by majorum

Trivia

Used in the soundtrack for the movie "High Spirits".

# Posted on May 24th 2008 by marob

What's in a Name - Boys Of Ballisodare?

Does anyone know what lies behind the name of the slip-jig Boys Of Ballisodare? Who were/are they and why do they have a jig named in their honour?

Thanks,
Charlie

# Posted on June 12th 2008 by charlie_butterworth

AABB = 32 or 16 measures

It has and can be played without the repeats... For this transcription that would be simply AB...

# Posted on July 3rd 2008 by ceolachan

This is the tune from Lunasa's cd: "Lunasa". It is the only one missing and is noted as "Gan Ainm" on it. But this is the missing tune from that album page. I would change it, but I don't know how to.

# Posted on April 9th 2010 by pipersgrip

Help!

What is the name of this tune if you play it as a reel/fling, in minor?

# Posted on April 22nd 2010 by birlibirdie

Boys of Ballysodare - Accompaniment

This may be a bit late, but these are the chords we use - beautiful tune, played fast or slow!
W

X: 1
T: Boys Of Ballisodare, The
M: 9/8
L: 1/8
R: slip jig
Z: TS
K: Gmaj
"G" D2 G G2 A B2 d | "C" ege d2 e g3 | "G" D2 G G2 B d2 B | "Am"AGA B2 G "D"E2 G |
"G" D2 G G2 A B2 d | "C" ege d2 e "D"g2 a | "Em"b2 a g2 e d2 B | "Am"AGA B2 G E2 G :||
"C" B2 d d2 B d2 B | "D" dBd e2 f "G"g3 | "C" B2 d d2 B d2 B | "Am"AGA B2 G E2 G |
"Am"B2 d d2 B d2 B | "Bm"dBd e2 f g2 a | "C" b2 a g2 e d2 B | "D" AGA B2 G E2 G :||


# Posted on September 8th 2010 by FumblinFingersWayne

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