The Holly Bush

reel

Key signature: Dmixolydian

Submitted on April 3rd 2003 by fiddlecase.

This tune has been added to 232 tunebooks.

Also known as Finbarr Dwyer's, Finbarr Dwyer's 2, Finbarr Dwyer's Reel No 1, Holly Bush, Hollybush, The Hollybush, Matt The Thrasher, O'Dwyer's, Vinnie O'Brien's.

Recordings of a tune by this name:

60th Anniversary Celebration by The Tulla Ceili Band
An Calmfhear: The Trooper by Johnny O'Leary
An Traidisiun Beo by Angelina Carberry
At Complete Ease by John Carty And Brian Rooney
Becky Taylor by Becky Taylor
Beolach by Beolach
Best Of Finbarr Dwyer by Finbarr Dwyer
Cape To Clare by Various Artists
Claddagh Ring by The Tulla Ceili Band
Collection Of Jigs And Reels by Shaskeen
Contentment Is Wealth by Matt Molloy And Sean Keane
Darby's Farewell by Josie McDermott
Down The Broom by Trouble In The Kitchen
Drops Of Brandy by Sean McAloon And John Rea
Each Little Thing by Sharon Shannon
Farewell And Remember Me by Boys Of The Lough
Foinn Seisiun 3 by Ennis/Dublin Session Group
From Ballymote To Brooklyn by Paddy Killoran and James Morrison
Gan Bua by Gan Bua
Good Boy M.A. by Michael Anthony MacLean
Just Intonational Music Of Two Pipers by Adrian Jefferies And Billy McCormick
Le Chéile / Together by Séamus Begley And Oisín Mac Diarmada
Leitrim's Hidden Treasure by McNamara Family
Live In Ennis by The Bowhouse Quintet
Live In Seattle by Martin Hayes
Live-Disc 2 by Natalie MacMaster
Memories Of Galway by Seamus Walshe
Mind The Pipes by Leonard Barry
Musical Memories by Tom Dunne And Joe Banjo Burke
My Book Of Songs by Kathleen Collins
Na Fir Bolg by Jack Talty And Cormac Begley
Nádurra by Capercaillie
No Boundaries by Natalie MacMaster
Out Of The Blue by Alan Kelly
Piper's Dream by Jack Brennan
Reeds And Rosin by Todd Denman And Dale Russ
Sessions From..... by An Teach Beag
Short Stories by Grainne Murphy
Sparks On The Flags by The Bridge Céilí Band
Spin by Whirligig
Strange But True... by Takuji Tamura And Yukio Kashiwagi
The Bunch Of Keys by Jason O'Rourke
The Drones And The Chanters Vol.2 by Various Artists
The Fiddle, The Voice by Nancy Conescu And Gerry Harrington
The Flute Players Of Roscommon Vol 2 by Various Artists
The Last Order by Ceol
The Leitrim Equation by Various Artists
The Long Finger by Barry Carroll And Joe McHugh
The Road To Riley by Riley School Of Irish Music
The Sligo Champion (CD 2) by Michael Gorman
The Sound Of The Fureys & Davey Arthur by Furey Brothers And Davey Arthur
The Stool Of Repentance by Donnybrook
The Tain Ceili Band by The Tain Ceili Band
The Tempest by Robbie Hannan
They Sailed Away From Dublin Bay by Liam Farrell And Joe Whelan
Tobar An Dúchais by Brid O'Donohue
Tobar An Dúchais: Solo Traditional Irish Tin Whistle Music From County Clare by Bríd O'Donohue
Trip To Fanore by Eugene Lambe
Tuned In by Johnny Murphy
Tunes For Practice by Seamus Creagh
Unheard by Eddie Clarke
Virginia by Birkin Tree
Whistle Wizardry by Vinnie Kilduff
Wonderwaltz by De Danann

Details ABC Sheetmusic Comments

The Holly Bush

This I understand is the first reel composed by that wonderful composer from Cork, Finbarr Dwyer. Finbarr plays the button accordian and is surely one of the all time greats. His compositions rate alongside those of Paddy Fahy, Ed Reavy, Paddy O'Brien and Sean Ryan.
Fiddlecase.

# Posted on April 3rd 2003 by fiddlecase

The Holly Bush

Martin Hayes plays this tune down a fourth, in A mixolydian, starting on an E note on the D string, and it sounds quite dramatic.

# Posted on April 9th 2003 by adam b

The Holly Bush

Try playing it in E. Loads more lively!

# Posted on February 24th 2004 by Fiddlemad

There's a great version of this tune by Sean Potts on Drones & Chanters vol. 2.

# Posted on May 4th 2005 by wormdiet

The Holly Bush

# Posted on April 9th 2006 by Phantom Button

A fantastic reel which sits nicely alongside other greats like Devanney's Goat, Dick Sherlock's, Fred Finn's, Lady Anne, the Cameronian, etc (ie tunes with great melodies).

# Posted on April 9th 2006 by Bannerman

this is for me the coolest I've learned. I love this tune.

# Posted on September 29th 2007 by chris stolz

Finbarr Dwyer's Original

Me and my brother spent the last two or three days learning the version Finbarr himself plays on an LP he released in the late 60/early 70s. It contrasts considerabely with todays more widely played version and is a version I may make an effort to resurrect. Finbarr plays it three times through so I've included all 3 repitions. His ornamentation is not included because 1) I don't think we can adequately show ornamentation on sheet music and 2) I'm not a box player so I don't really know what he is doing for certain. Anyway, check the post underneath.

# Posted on March 18th 2008 by 52Paddy

The tune

# Posted on March 18th 2008 by 52Paddy

If anybody wants to hear the originial version of "The Hollybush" as played solo by Finbarr Dwyer himself, send me an email. Thanks to either 52paddy or kenny, I have an MP3 of it, including him also Mary McMahon.

# Posted on February 26th 2010 by chris stolz

The Holly Bush

Here's this tune played by Padraig Mc Govern (uilleann pipes), Sabina Mc Cague (fiddle), Melissa Mc Cague (fiddle), James Mc Govern (flute) and Seán Mc Elwain (guitar). It's the 1st tune.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SE8FDX3CaAQ

# Posted on December 3rd 2010 by bogman

The Holly Bush

Fun on the khene...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sMgw9xI-OcY

# Posted on December 3rd 2010 by bogman

Contact Finbarr Dwyer

I have made a guitar adaptation of this tune and wand to contact Finbarr Dwyer (and the editor for this tune if any...) to ask the conditions for a publication. Can anybody help ?

# Posted on June 5th 2011 by Jean2

The Prehistoric Piper

Unfortunately, no credit is given to Finbarr Dwyer for composing the tune, but here's an interesting and humorous take on The Holly Bush. Be patient, the tune will come around sooner or later:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2UyP-9Vig1c

# Posted on November 21st 2011 by Jumper