The Noisy Curlew

reel

Key signature: Dmajor

Submitted on February 12th 2003 by pchaffee.

This tune has been added to 83 tunebooks.

Also known as Conlon's Dream, Jack Maguire's, Jack McGuire's, Mick McNamara's, Sherlock's Fancy, Uncle Ginger.

Recordings of a tune by this name:

• A Lovely Madness by Beoga
• A Whistle On The Wind by Joanie Madden
• At Their Best. Sean McGuire And Roger Sherlock by Sean Maguire
• Caise Ceoil by Various Artists
• Crame On by Fianna
• Dance Music Of Ireland: Volume 12 by Matt Cunningham
• Dear Old Erin's Isle: Irish Traditional Music From America by Various Artists
• Dearga by Matt And Shannon Heaton
• Fonnchaoi by Verena Commins And Julie Langan
• Macalla 2 by Macalla
• Memories Of Sligo by Roger Sherlock
• Pathway To The Well by Matt Molloy And John Carty With Arty McGlynn
• Rendezvous by Celtic Fiddle Festival
• So Far by Eileen Ivers
• Tall Tails by Old Blind Dogs
• The Coleman Archive Vol. 2: The Home Place by Various Artists
• The Curlew by Cliff Moses
• The Mouse Behind The Dresser by Shaskeen
• The Natural Bridge by Ben Lennon And Friends
• Volume One by Sean Maguire
• Wooden Flute Obsession Disk 2 by Various Artists

X: 1
T: Noisy Curlew, The
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
R: reel
K: Dmaj
|:DFAF DGBG | DFAF EDCE | DF~F2 ABde| fdAG FGEF |
DFAF DGBG | DFAF EDCE | DF~F2 ABde| fdAG FDD2:|
|:fgaf g2ag| fgaf gfeg | fgaf geag| fdAG FDDg |
fgaf g2ag| fgaf gfeg | fdAF Gzag|1 (3faf ea fddg :| 2 (3faf ea fdAF ||

Wants Variations

You'll probably only learn to love this tune if you learn to put some variations in, which it wants desparately in both parts. I'm too lazy to include any in the posting, of course. It makes a good exercise for that, in fact.

Anyway this tune has become an indispensible part of my repertoire, and is useful in lots of contexts.

# Posted on February 12th 2003 by pchaffee

Jack Maguire's

Recorded by Sligo/London flute-player Roger Sherlock as "Jack Maguire's", who I think was Sean Maguire's father who played piccollo and whistle. "The Noisy Curlew" sounds like a modern name to me. Used to play a set of three reels - "Man Of Aran - Jack Maguire's - Crib Of Perches" good key changes I thought.

# Posted on February 12th 2003 by Kenny

Thanks

I have no attachment to the name I gave, tho nothing about it sounds particularly modern to me. Someone just told me that name recently.

# Posted on February 12th 2003 by pchaffee

Great wee tune!

I learned this from Gary Hastings as "Uncle Ginger". Have also heard it called "Sean Maguire's". Great for the flute if your bottom keys are working.

# Posted on February 13th 2003 by LongNote

Eileen Ivers

Look out for the recording of Eileen Ivers playing the Noisy Curlew live, followed by an even more staggering recording of Farewell to Ireland (or Erin)

# Posted on July 6th 2004 by Edgar Bolton

Is n't this "The Snake" recorded by the Glenside C B in 1967?

# Posted on December 4th 2007 by Taglione

No

No. If you're referring to the recording of "Jackie Coleman's" followed by "The Snake", the 2nd tune is more commonly known as "The Stony/Stoney Steps". I listened to the track last night.

# Posted on December 10th 2007 by Kenny

Matt Molloy's version

is called Conlon's Dream on the Pathway to the Well CD,

This is a crackn tune, I find myself going into after every Dmaj Reel, gotta stop that.

I learn't it as Jack Maguire's who was indeed Sean's father.

# Posted on January 5th 2008 by Andyras1