Key signature: Amajor
Submitted on October 8th 2002 by Trevor Jennings.
This tune has been added to 10 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