The Cat That Ate The Candle

jig

Key signature: Gmajor

Submitted on February 11th 2003 by milesnagopaleen.

This tune has been added to 59 tunebooks.

Also known as The Cow That Ate The Blanket, Kenny Gardens, Kinnegad, The Kinnegad, Kitty Come Over, Sarsfield's.

Recordings of a tune by this name:

• Altan by Altan
• Altan's Finest by Altan
• As We Got Them: Traditional Flute And Fiddle Music From County Sligo by Various Artists
• Ballroom by De Danann
• Dark Of The Moon by Grey Larsen And Paddy League
• Doorways And Windowsills by Antoin Mac Gabhann And Mick O'Connor
• Double-Barrelled by Kieran O'Hare And John Skelton
• Like The Wind (Ar Nos Na Gaoithe) by John Wynne
• Past Masters Of Irish Dance Music by Various Artists
• The Cat That Ate The Candle by John Carty And Brian McGrath
• The Eagle's Whistle by Michael Tubridy
• The First Month Of Spring by John Vesey And Paul Brady
• The First Ten Years: 1986 - 1995 by Altan
• The Flags Of Dublin by Paddy Glackin, Mick O'Brien And Mick Gavin
• The Lonely Stranded Band by Charlie Piggott, Miriam Collins And Joe Corcoran
• The Stone In The Field by Tommy Reck
• The Trip To Cullenstown by Phil, John And Pip Murphy
• Traditional Irish Music From Boston by The Magic Square
• Wooden Flute Obsession Disk 2 by Various Artists

X: 1
T: Cat That Ate The Candle, The
M: 6/8
L: 1/8
R: jig
K: Gmaj
A|B2G AGE|GAG GBd|e/2f/2ge dBG|ABA ABc|
B2G AGE|GAG GBd|ege dBG|1 AGF G2 :|2 AGF GBd|
|:g3 efg|fag fed|g3 edB|BAG ABc|
B2G AGE|GAG GBd|ege dBG|1 AGF GBd :|2 AGF G2||

I learned this tune about ten years ago from John Carty and Marcus Hernon when they used to play a session at the Fiddler's Elbow in Kentish Town. John didn't have a name for it at the time but has subsequently recorded it on his album with Brian McGrath under the above title. The album is mainly banjo but will appeal to all. I can't recommend it enough

# Posted on February 11th 2003 by milesnagopaleen

Variations

Here's some ways you can vary the opening phrase:
~B2G AGE|GAG G
BcA BGE|GAF G
B/2c/2dB AGE|~G3 G
B/2c/2BB BGE|~G3 G
~B3 AGE|GAG G
BAG AGE|GAG G
etc. etc.

# Posted on February 11th 2003 by milesnagopaleen

Nice jig from a great album.

Incidentally, the tune on the Altan cd that shows up under this name is an unrelated reel.

# Posted on February 12th 2003 by Miss Lonelyhearts

I'm sure I came across this tune many years ago as "The Cow That Ate The Blanket" (strange animals!!) - the melody is also fairly similar to Willie Colemans jig.

# Posted on February 14th 2003 by Bannerman

Variation on first part

I've heard older generation Clare players (and indeed most players I come across) play the opening bars thus:

B2A BGD| GAG GBd...

# Posted on May 14th 2003 by pchaffee

The Cow that Ate the Blanket

This is the tune called 'Kitty Come Over' on the Magic Square album. It also seems to be the same as tune #1994, also called The Cow That Ate The Blanket.

# Posted on July 9th 2004 by Lia Zito

The Cow that Ate the Candle

Actually, three slightly different versions of the tune exist on this site: another as "The Cow that Ate the Blanket" and the other as "Sarsfield's Jig." I've recently posted a reel setting of the tune as "The Holloway Road Fling": http://thesession.org/tunes/display.php/3240

Here in Leeds, West Yorkshire, this tune is a very well-known beginners' tune for any instrument, being affectionately called "Kinnegad Jig." The Leeds version is the same as the Clare version Pchaffee mentioned above.

Many musicians in the city are not so willing to play this fine, old-fashioned tune in the session, but I sometimes include it in a set. I'm not a native of the city anyway and so don't care if it's been traditionally recognised as a tune for kids.

# Posted on July 9th 2004 by slainte

Oops....

Sorry, it's not the cow but the cat that ate the candle.

# Posted on July 9th 2004 by slainte

Sarsfield's Cat & Cow Diet ~ in triplicate, at least:

"Sarsfield's Jig"
Key signature: G Major
Submitted on July 5th 2003 by nobu.
http://www.thesession.org/tunes/display.php/1801

"The Cow That Ate The Blanket"
Key signature: G <ajor
Submitted on September 19th 2003 by daithic.
http://thesession.org/tunes/display.php/1994

Reel / Fling (16-bar) setting:
"The Holloway Road Fling"
Key signature: G Major
Submitted on July 2nd 2004 by slainte.
http://www.thesession.org/tunes/display.php/3240

# Posted on December 8th 2005 by ceolachan

Name of the tune

"The Cat that Ate the Candle" is a reel composed by Frankie Kennedy (RIP). I suspect a confusion with the names...

http://www.thesession.org/tunes/display/355

# Posted on November 14th 2009 by Emmanuel Delahaye

The Cat that Ate the Candle

The Reel "The Cat that Ate the Candle" isn't Frankie Kennedy's composition. The notes of the recording say "the cat that ate the candle / over the water to bessie: Frankie learned the first reel from the playing of the late Larry MacDonagh, a flute player from Ballinafad, County Sligo."

# Posted on November 14th 2009 by slainte