The Culfadda

reel

Key signature: Fmajor

Submitted on March 16th 2003 by Dow.

This tune has been added to 54 tunebooks.

Also known as The Cruel Father, Cul Fada, The Culfada, Culfadda, Culfodda, The Culfodda, The Descending , The Kilfadda, The Kilfodda, Killfadda, Larry Og, Larry Redican's, Walsh's Fancy.

Recordings of a tune by this name:

• A Job Of Journeywork: A Tribute To Larry Redican And His Musical Friends by Various Artists
• A Rake Of Reels by John Nolan
• At Home by Cherish The Ladies
• Augusta: 20 Years Of Irish Music Recorded Live At The Augusta Heritage Center by Various Artists
• Barking Mad by Four Men And A Dog
• Best Of Irish Ceili Music by Various Artists
• Chloe's Passion by An Lar (An Lár)
• Dance Music Of Ireland: Jigs And Reels by Various Artists
• Dance Music Of Ireland: Volume 12 by Matt Cunningham
• Deireadh An Fhómhair - End Of The Harvest by Declan Masterson
• First Hand by Mairi Rankin
• Forgotten Days by Davy Spillane And Kevin Glackin
• Hell For Leather by Swallow's Tail Céilí Band
• Humours Of Lissadell by Seamus And Manus McGuire
• In Tandem by Kevin Burke And Ged Foley
• In The Footsteps Of Coleman by Various Artists
• Live In Concert by Brid Harper And Dermot Byrne
• Major Third by 422
• Masters Of The Celtic Accordion: The Big Squeeze by Various Artists
• P.J. Hernon by P.J. And Marcus Hernon
• Pierre Schryer, Dermot Byrne And Friends by Pierre Schryer, Dermot Byrne And Friends
• Piping Hot by Various Artists
• Secret Orders by Claire Mann And Aaron Jones
• Selkie by Mick Conneely
• Star Of Ireland by Finbarr Dwyer
• That's The Spirit by James Keane
• The Apple In Winter by Brian Conway And Tony DeMarco
• The Boys Of Sligo by Dervish
• The Branch Line by Jack And Charlie Coen
• The Coming Dawn by Nightingale
• The Good Ear by Dougal Adams And Ormonde Waters
• The Invasion by Jerry O'Sullivan
• The Kitchen Recordings by Seán O'Driscoll And Larry Egan
• The Night Rambler's Companion by Harry Bradley
• The Silver Spire by Karen Tweed
• The Sligo Indians by Tony DeMarco
• The Tidy Cottage by Turlach Boylan
• Traditional Music Of Ireland On Button Accordion by Seamus Walshe
• Up And Away by Paul Smyth
• Within A Mile Of Kilty by Various Artists
• Yours Truly by Natalie MacMaster

X: 1
T: Culfadda, The
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
R: reel
K: Fmaj
|:G|AdcA ~G2AG|FAGF DEFD|CA,~A,2 CDFG|AF~F2 GABG|
AdcA GcAG|FAGF DEFD|CA,~A,2 CDFG|(3ABc GE F3:|
|:A|~c2Ac BGEG|~F2AF GFDF|CF~F2 dFcF|BAGF (3DEF GA|
~B3d cAGF|~d3e fcAF|CFAF DFBd|cAGA F3:|

This is a common session tune most often played in G, but it was apparently originally written in F, which is my preferred key (I cheat and capo my zouk at the 3rd!)

This was composed by Larry Redican, who I think was born in Dublin, and brought up in Boyle (Co. Roscommon) before he left for New York. The Culfadda gets spelt a lot of different ways (e.g. Culfodda, Kilfadda, Kilfodda) but Culfadda is the correct spelling. There is a place called Kilfadda, but this is a red herring. The tune was named after Culfadda in Co. Sligo where Larry's mother came from.

Another name for this tune is "The Cruel Father". I'm guessing that when Larry went to New York he played his tune and when asked the name of it they couldn't understand his accent. Only a guess

# Posted on March 16th 2003 by Dow

The Kilfodda

Here's a version in G, based on the playing of the Sean Tracy CCE group in Dublin.

X: 1
T: Kilfodda, The
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
C: Larry Redican
K: G
BedB AcBA|GBAG EFGE|D~B,3 DEGA|BGdB ABcA|
BedB AcBA|GBAG EFGE|D~B,3 DEGA|1 BdAF G GA:|BdAF GABc||
d3B cBAF|GABG AGEG|DGdG eGdG|cBAG FGAB|
cBce dBcd|edef gdBG|DGBG DGBe|1 dBAB GABc:|dBAB G3A||

# Posted on March 2nd 2006 by Will CPT

Anyone know the unkown reel in medley following The Culfadda?

Does anyone know the unkown reel in the medley sandwiched between The Culfadda (aka Larry Og) and Reel For Carl as played by Pierre Schryer, Dermot Byrne And Friends (Track #11)?

# Posted on September 16th 2006 by Horse Badorties

The Culfadda Reel

This is the version I often hear in the recordings and sessions:

K: G
A|BedB AcBA|GBAG EFGE|D~B,3 DEGA|BGdB A2GA|
BedB AcBA|GBAG EFGE|D~B,3 DEGA|BGAF ~G3:|
B|~d3B cBAB|GABG AGEG|DG~G2 DGBd|cBAG EGAB|
~c3e dB~B2|edef gdBG|DG~G2 DGBe|dBAB ~G3:|

# Posted on January 10th 2007 by slainte

This tune seems recorded on Harry Bradley's latest recording. You can listen to the full track on his myspace page. Great stuff.

# Posted on February 6th 2007 by slainte

Redican's source.

The 1883 tune book "Ryan's Mammoth Collection" (aka Cole's "1000 Fiddle Tunes") includes a reel called "Hit or Miss," the turn of which is nearly identical to that of Redican's "Culfadda" (though in C rather than F). Cape Breton fiddler Winston Fitzgerald played "Hit or Miss," as can be heard on a cassette of 78s and private recordings produced by Paul Cranford some years ago. The first parts of the two tunes are not at all similar.

"Cruel Father," by the way, was the title that appeared on Four Men and a Dog's debut recording "Barking Mad."

# Posted on October 15th 2007 by blarneystar