The Session >> Tunes >> The Star Of Munster (reel)

Details ABC Sheetmusic Comments

The Star Of Munster

reel

Key signature: Adorian

Submitted on July 18th 2001 by Jeremy.

This tune has been added to 1063 tunebooks.

Also known as The Bright Star Of Munster, Munster, Munster's Stars, Realt Na Mumhain, Star O Munster, Star Of Munster, Stars Of Munster, The Stars Of Munster.

Recordings of a tune by this name:

Details ABC Sheetmusic Comments

X: 1
T: Star Of Munster, The
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
R: reel
K: Ador
|:ed|c2Ac B2GB|AGEF GEDG|EAAB cBcd|eaaf gfed|
|cBAc BAGB|AGEF GEDG|EAAB cded|cABG A2:|
|:de|eaab ageg|agbg agef|gfga gfef|gfaf gfdf|
|eaab ageg|agbg agef|g2ge a2ga|bgaf ge:|

Details ABC Sheetmusic Comments
The Star Of Munster sheetmusic
Details ABC Sheetmusic Comments

A lovely reel, this. I've shown it here with a little variation on how you might play that opening phrase.

The second part can be varied by lengthening those A and G notes, e.g. turning gfg into one long g.

# Posted on July 18th 2001 by Jeremy

Yes, a really pretty tune, with a lovely minor sound to it, reminds me of Greensleeves (for no special reason). I just discovered this not long ago in John Walsh's "Session Tunes" collection (it's written slightly different there).

I love to give just the slightest little bit of vibrato on the first c note, then doing a triplet (abc) instead of the Ac that follows. Because of the way you have to cross-finger the c on the flute, this sounds nice (imho).

# Posted on September 13th 2001 by glauber

Oops, i meant ABc, not abc (but you already knew that).

# Posted on September 13th 2001 by glauber

Cool!

What a great suggestion glauber!!

# Posted on December 29th 2002 by emily_bmore

Alternative Version

An alternative melody, key and ornamental version of the star of munster, which is similar to this Ador version, is in G minor, taught to me by a great Scottish fiddler, Mike Ward (formerly of the Tannahill Weevers and Alba), in his Dundee 'Vintage Strings' shop. He thinks he learnt the tune from the Glasgow session scene many years ago.

I recently discovered that his version is almost identical to Kevin Burke's on 'If the Cap Fits'. I'm unsure of the origin of this tune, but it may be a Tommy Potts rejig (?), which might explain why, when played in sessions, it can be almost unrecognisable from the original.

Here's the ABC:

K:Gmin
|:GA|((3Bcd B)G ((3ABc A)F|GFDG FDCF|(3DD(G {A}GF G)ABc|(3ddd {e}dd cAFA|
BG[BG]G [A3F3] G|D ~G3 FD[DC]F|(3DD(G {A}GF G)ABc|1((3dcB (3cBA B) ~G2 A:|2(3dd(B {d}BA) ~G3 =B:|
dgg^f gd (3ddd|gdad gdd(=e|=f2) =eg f ~c3|fgag fdcA|
dgg^f gd (3ddd|gdad gdd=e|({=fg}f=e fa) (f ~g3)|ga{b}ag fdcA:|

# Posted on May 19th 2003 by Jamie

G min Star of Munster

Mike Ward has since told me he remembers he actually learnt it directly off Kevin Burke while on tour with him all those years ago!

# Posted on July 9th 2003 by Jamie

tune before star of munster

can anyone recommend a tune to go before the start of Munster? I ve tried the recordings of other groups but I'd like someones elses ideas or preferences. I play the tune on a banjo in A minor. Hoping someone can give me a bit of inspriation.

# Posted on August 8th 2005 by mby4

Re: tune before star of munster

Try Ships are Sailing.

# Posted on August 8th 2005 by Will Harmon

Re: tune before star of munster

I do Star of Munster then Hunter's Purse, but try Hunter's Purse THEN Star of Munster =]

Cheers,
Armand

# Posted on August 8th 2005 by armandale

Re: tune before star of munster

We play it in a set consisting of
Jackie Coleman's/Bag of Spuds/Knotted Cord/Star of Munster

A really fun set. :-)

# Posted on August 8th 2005 by heike

Re: tune before star of munster

For me, Starving Monster is one of those useful tunes (like The Congress) that you can fall back on when you're stumped for a tune and need one that everyone knows and that you can end the set on a high note with.

# Posted on August 8th 2005 by Zina Lee

Re: tune before star of munster

Rakish Paddy before the Starving Monster *LOL Zina* makes for a seamless change.

# Posted on August 8th 2005 by snorre

Re: tune before star of munster

We usually do Mason's Apron before Star of Munster.

# Posted on August 9th 2005 by Fiddlekit

Tune before star of munster

We usually do Father's Kelly Reel before Star of Munster. Works well.

# Posted on August 10th 2005 by jdteehan

T:The Star of Munster
M:4/4
L:1/8
S:Mike & Mary rafferty . thge old fireside music
R:reel
Z:gian marco pietrasanta
K:ADor
AB|c3A BAGE|A2BA GEDG|EAAB c2B/c/d|eaae gedB|
c3A BAGE|A2BA GEDG|EAAB c2B/c/d|egdB A2AB||
c3A BAGE|A2BA GEDG|EAAB c2B/c/d|eaae gedB|
cA~A2 BG~G2|AE~E2 GEDG|EAAB c2B/c/d|egdB A2Bd||:
eaab agea|~a2ba gede|~g3a gede|geae gedg|
eaab agea|~a2ba gede|~g3e ~a3g|1abba gedg:|~b3a gedB||

# Posted on March 12th 2006 by gian marco

T:The Star of Munster
M:4/4
L:1/8
S:Tommy Peoples - trad. irish music played on thr fiddle
R:reel
Z:gian marco pietrasanta
K:ADor
~c3A BAGB|AdBA GEDG|EA~A2 cBcd|eaae gedB|
~c3A BAGB|AdBA GEDG|EA~A2 cBcd|eddB A3B:|:
ea~a2 ageg|a2ba agef|g2fa gd~d2|gaba gedg|
ea~a2 ageg|a2ba agef|~g3e a2ga|1bgaf gedg:|2bgaf gedg|

# Posted on March 12th 2006 by gian marco

liam and anthony bradley play belgian reel before this one.. comes out pretty cool

# Posted on January 14th 2007 by agoeb

Other tunes to play before this

We (my band) play "Temperance Reel" (aka "Teetotaller") (G/e), then "Silver Spear" (D) and finally "Star of Munster)!
Great change of chords from A to a! Sounds awesome!

# Posted on March 19th 2007 by JigsawGreg

I've been playing a set of "Hand Me Down the Tackling / Matt People's / Star of Munster" works nicely.

# Posted on June 21st 2007 by matan_fiddler

The Star of Munster

At the moment, you can listen to Gerry O'Connor's tasteful rendition of this well-known reel on his MySpace page: http://www.myspace.com/gerryfiddleoconnor

# Posted on July 6th 2008 by slainte

G major version

found this lovely version in G major on youtube, anybody can post abc's to it? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oGxqLjic0p4

# Posted on July 15th 2008 by chansherly212

Star of munster for TWO fiddles

I've a recording of two violins using this as a duet - they turn it into more of an air and it turns out really nice. Do people use it generally as more of an actual full-speed reel?

# Posted on September 21st 2008 by Celtic.ceilidh

The star of Munster (jig version)

I found a jig version of "The star of Munster" in "The best of Irish jigs and reels, vol.1" by Various Artists, track 5, tune 2. It's played by Stockton's Wing and they title all the set of 4 jigs as "Lasagne".

X:1
T:The star of Munster
M:6/8
L:1/8
R:jig
K:Am
cBA c/B/AG|AEF GED|EAA ABd|eaa ged|
cBA c/B/AG|AEF GED|EAA ABd|edB AAA:|
eaa age|a/a/aa age|g/g/gg ged|bag a/g/ed|
eaa age|a/a/aa age|g/g/gg g/a/aa|aba ged|
eaa aee|c'ba aee|g/g/gg ged|bag {a}ged|
eaa aee|c'ba aee|g/g/gg g/a/aa|aba ged||

# Posted on May 19th 2009 by OsvaldoLaviosa

What key is it in on "if the cap fits"?
everywhere i look its different...

# Posted on January 19th 2010 by steve...r

Burke's key...

G minor, as I recall.

# Posted on January 19th 2010 by Kenny

you may use this transposer to get that Gm version, steve...r:
Transpose: http://www.8ung.at/abctransposer/

# Posted on April 2nd 2010 by birlibirdie

Slight Variation (Mandolin/Fiddle)

X:2
T:The Star of Munster
Z:Edgar Bolton
R:Reel
M:4/4
L:1/8
K:ADor
ed |: c2 Ac B2 GB | AGEF GEDD | EAAB cBcd |eaaf gedB |
cBAc BAGB | AGEF GEDG | EAAB cded |1 cABG A2 ed :|2 cABG A2 Bd ||
|: eaab ageg | agbg agef | [g2B2] ga gedg |geaf gedg |
eaab ageg | agbg agef | [g2B2] gg [a2A2] aa | b3 a gedB :|

# Posted on February 13th 2011 by Eachann mac Bodach

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