Details ABC Sheetmusic Comments

Joe Burke's

jig

Key signature: Dmajor

Submitted on November 14th 2002 by alastair wilson.

This tune has been added to 44 tunebooks.

Also known as Cronin's Favourite, Cronin’s Favorite, Darby The Driver.

Recordings of a tune by this name:

A Cape Breton Piper by Barry Shears
A Job Of Journeywork: A Tribute To Larry Redican And His Musical Friends by Various Artists
Cornerboys by Patrick Street
Four On The Floor by Natalie MacMaster
Hand-Me-Downs by Mary Rafferty
The Dangerous Reel by Mike And Mary Rafferty
The Kilmore Fancy by Catherine McEvoy And John McEvoy
The New Road by Charlie Piggot And Gerry Harrington
Traditional Music From Cape Breton by Various Artists
Warming Up by Martin Mulhaire, S�amus Connolly And Jack Coen

Details ABC Sheetmusic Comments

X: 1
T: Joe Burke's
M: 6/8
L: 1/8
R: jig
K: Dmaj
|:A/G/ | EAA ABd | ege dBA | GEG G2 B | dBA GED |
EAA ABd | ege def | g2 d edB | BAG A2 :||
|:d | eag e2 d | eaa age | gag d2 d | egg ged |
eag e2 d | e aa age | g2 d edB | BGG A2 :||

Details ABC Sheetmusic Comments

Details ABC Sheetmusic Comments

Popular session jig in Australia

# Posted on November 14th 2002 by alastair wilson

Roan Inish

I reckon that you can hear a beautiful sung version of this tune in the first track of the soundtrack to "The Secret of Roan Inish".
I don't know who the singer is, but I really like that version too.

# Posted on April 21st 2005 by Brown Creeper

Darby the Driver (jig)

That's the more common title for this lovely jig. A different version of the tune was already posted around 4 years ago, but Alastair's transcription is obviously much better. It seems known as "Cronin's Favourite" in Cape Breton. You can listen to Catherine and John McEvoy playing a great version of the tune: http://www.rte.ie/radio1/thelatesession/rams/22august.ram (starts around 34:40)

# Posted on July 11th 2005 by slainte

Correct myself

Hah - I think (thanks Ivor) that the first tune on Roan Inish is actually Mist covered the Mountain. There are some similarities between the two and they are both favourites of mine.

# Posted on July 27th 2005 by Brown Creeper

"Darby the Driver" ~ the earlier submission & another take on it:

http://www.thesession.org/tunes/display.php/127

# Posted on November 26th 2005 by ceolachan

Darby the Driver

Here's the simplified transcription of Catherine and John McEvoy's version:

# Posted on January 9th 2006 by slainte

Similar to John Naughton's Jig

John Naughton's Jig (#2393 in the tune archives) is very similar to this tune.
http://www.thesession.org/tunes/display/2393

Also, this tune (Joe Burke's) doesn't appear to be in D major, as written here, but in A. To my semi-illiterate ear the most likely key would be A dorian, assuming that any C notes in the tune (if there were any) would be natural rather than sharp. Any experts care to clarify?

# Posted on September 27th 2006 by GraemeO

I don't think the two tunes are particularly similar. Many Ador tunes sound similar with similar openings, you know.

# Posted on September 27th 2006 by slainte

You're probably right Slainte. The similarities caught my ear more than the differences at first.
And from your comment I take it that the key is Ador.

# Posted on September 27th 2006 by GraemeO

The reason for the popularity of this jig in Australia is that it appeared in the tunebook "Begged Borrowed and Stolen" which apparently became something of an Aussie session-goers "bible" after it was first published in 1979. The tune was printed under the title "Joe Burke's". See details of the contents of the tunebook here http://www.celt.com.au/contents_pages/contbbs.html. The book contains a mixture of tunes from different areas including Ireland, Scotland and even some Northumbrian ones too.

# Posted on March 12th 2008 by Dow