The Four Courts

reel

Key signature: Dmajor

Submitted on December 20th 2003 by Kenny.

This tune has been added to 116 tunebooks.

Also known as Na Ceithre Cúirteanna.

Recordings of a tune by this name:

• A Celebration Of 50 Years by The Tulla Ceili Band
• Celtic Mouth Music by Various Artists
• Century by The Kilfenora Ceili Band
• Champions Twice by The Liverpool Ceili Band
• Crossing Point by Daimh
• Doorways And Windowsills by Antoin Mac Gabhann And Mick O'Connor
• Ebony And Brass by Marc Pollier
• Fortune Favours The Merry by Peter Horan And Gerry Harrington
• Hill 16 by Hill 16
• Isn't Anyone Going To Stop Them? by The Magic Square
• Katy Bar The Door by Randal Bays
• O' Bheal Go Beal by Marcas O'Murchu
• Out Of Ireland by Mick Moloney
• Pacific by The House Band
• Roll Away The Reel World by James Keane
• Sixty Years Of Sean Maguire by Sean Maguire
• The Cobblestone Sessions by Various Artists
• The Ewe With The Crooked Horn by Colm Gannon, Jesse Smith And John Blake
• The First Month Of Summer by Buttons And Bows
• The Kinnitty Sessions by Lunasa
• The Maple Leaf by Jimmy Noonan, Chris McGrath
• The Piper And The Maker by Various Artists
• The Rough Guide To Irish Music by Various Artists
• The World Pipe Band Championships 2006 by Various Artists
• Traditional Irish Music From County Clare by Martin Vaughan
• Traditional Music Of Ireland by Various Artists

X: 1
T: Four Courts, The
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
R: reel
K: Dmaj
AD D2 ADBD | AD D2 G2 FG | AD D2 BG G2 | Bd=cA G2 FG :|
E2 =cE dE=cE | E2 =cA G2 FG | E2 =cE dE=cE | Bd=cA G2 FG |
E2 =cE dE=cE | E2 =cA G2 FG | Ad d2 dcAc | dcAF G2 FG |
A3 d B3 d | ABAF G2 FG | A3 d B3 A | GBdB GBdB |
A3 d B3 d | ABAF G2 FG | Ad d2 dcAc | dcAF G2 FG |

The Four Courts

Requested by grymater. "De Danann" used to follow it with "Paddy Taylor's" aka "McCabe's". A great reel.

# Posted on December 20th 2003 by Kenny

The Four Courts

It seems related to "Within a Mile of Dublin," "Drowsy Maggie," and of course "Sleepy Maggie."

# Posted on December 19th 2004 by slainte

The Four Courts

The A part is very like a reel played by The Boys of the Lough; they called it "The Wild Irishman". It's also called "O'Rourke's". The B and C parts are a significant departure. "The Four Courts" can be found in The Northern Fiddler.

# Posted on December 19th 2005 by nigelg

Closely Related Tune

Tinkerman's Wife: http://www.thesession.org/tunes/display/4944

Sorry, I haven't learned them yet. But "The Four Courts" is a rather well-known pipe tune, so I think I'm going to learn this first.

# Posted on June 9th 2006 by slainte

Toss the Feathers

Christy Dunne calls this tune Toss the Feathers on his pluckin' good album but it is clearly a mistake so I will not make it an alternative title.

# Posted on April 11th 2007 by 52Paddy

Transcription from Lunasa version on Kinnitty sessions (The Walrus)

X: 1
T: Four Courts, The
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
R: reel
K: Dmaj
eA ~A2 eAfA | eA ~A2 d2 cd | eA ~A2 ~f2 fe |1 ~df ~f2 df af :|2 df ~f2 d2 cA|
B2 gB aB gB | ~B2 ge d2 cA | ~B2 Bg aBgB | fa ge d2 cA |
~B2 Bg aBgB | B2 ge d2 cd | ea ~a2 ag ea | ag ec d2 cd |
~e3 A ~f3 d | ~e3 c d2 cd | ~e3 A f3 e | d ~f3 dfaf |
~e3 A ~f3 d | ~e3 c d2 cd | ea ~a2 ag ea | ag ec d2 cd |

# Posted on December 12th 2010 by borisrorsvort

Kilfenora ceili band version

The Kilfenora play a lively version of this tune in the key of A on their Century CD and it's the 2nd tune in this video of them:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O50Vlq93VHA

# Posted on May 4th 2012 by dogbox