Donnybrook Fair

jig

Key signature: Gmajor

Submitted on May 21st 2001 by Jeremy.

This tune has been added to 348 tunebooks.

Also known as Andy Keone's, The Humours Of Donnybrook, The Joy Of My Life, The Joys Of Love, Joys Of My Life, Kiss Me I'm Irish, The River Cree.

Recordings of a tune by this name:

A Date With The Gallowglass Ceili Band by The Gallowglass Ceili Band
Bean Chairdin by Dympna O'Sullivan
Bring Yer Wellies by Gaelic Storm
Brocelïande by Brocelïande
Ceol Tire by Various Artists
Fonn Le Fonn by Tomas O'Ceannabhain
Gerry MacFadden by Gerry McFadden
Home by The Corrs
In Full Swing by Cara
Ireland's Best Session Tunes CD 2 by Waltons Recording
Irish Fiddle Solos by Pete Cooper
Irish Traditional Music Of County Clare by Bernard O'Sullivan And Tommy McMahon
Leo Rowsome: Classics Of Irish Piping by Leo Rowsome
Moving Cloud by Moving Cloud
Oisin by Oisin
Pure Piping by Leo Rickard
Roll Away The Reel World by James Keane
Sligo Fiddle (Disk 1) by John Vesey
Songs, Jigs, Reels by Glenside And Kilfenora Ceili Bands
Soulstice by Todd Denman And Aniar
Special Instrumental - Le Fiddle Irlandais Par Ted Furey by Ted Furey
Sunshine And Showers by Gliondar
Taking Flight by Bobby Casey
Teada by Teada
The Crooked Road by William Coulter
The Ulster Outcry by Ar Leitheidi
Tone Roads by Wild Asparagus
Traditional Irish Fiddle Music by The Kilfenora Fiddle Ceili Band
Traditional Irish Tunes Played On The Tin Whistle (1/2) by Geraldine Cotter
Tripping Down The Stairs by Spiral Seisiún

Details ABC Sheetmusic Comments

I've shown two ways of playing the opening phrase here. Lengthening the notes (e.g. from GFG to just one long G) can be used for to good effect.

This jig is a staple of many sessions so, more often than not, you're going to hear it played at a fairly fast pace.

# Posted on June 1st 2001 by Jeremy

Scoiltrad

This is one of the "intermediate" flute lessons from Scoiltrad, and is called "Hummours of Donnybrook" there. Highly recommended.

# Posted on November 2nd 2001 by glauber

Learnt this tune formally at a workshop today, although I was already a little familiar with it from local sessions. The teacher said that "Tell Her I Am" goes well with it.

trevor

# Posted on January 11th 2003 by lazyhound

Donny and Sergeant

In my band Killieburne Brae www.killieburne.no we've put Donny together with the song The Recruiting Sergeant. First, two rounds of donny in G, then three verses Serg in Em, then back for another round of Donny, culminating in the fourth vers Serg. We find it really powerful!

# Posted on October 15th 2003 by Killiepet

Another good partner for Donny

I was taught this tune in the 80's by pipe maker, Geoff Woof, and he played it with 'pay the reckoning'. It's a nice set.

# Posted on May 24th 2004 by greg.box

Donnybrook Fair

Sometimes known in Scotland as "The River Cree" after a dance of that name for which this tune is used.

# Posted on December 19th 2005 by nigelg

It has lyrics

This tune was sung by Tommy Makem. Lyrics are:
There tinkers and nailers and beggars and tailors
And singers of ballads and girls of the sieve
With Barrack street rangers, the known ones and strangers
And many that no one can tell how they live
There horsemen and walkers and likewise fruit-hawkers
And swindlers the devil himself that would dare
With pipers and fiddlers and dandlers and diddlers
All met in the humours of Donnybrook Fair

'Tis there are dogs dancing and wild beasts a-prancing
With neat bits of painting, red, yellow and gold
Toss players and scramblers and showmen and gamblers
Pick-pockets in plenty, the young and the old
There are brewers and bakers and jolly shoemakers
With butchers and porters and men that cut hair
There are montebanks grinning, while others are sinning
To keep up the humours of Donnybrook Fair

Brisk lads and young lassies can fill up their glasses
With whiskey and send a full bumper around
Jig it off in a tent till their money's all spent
And spin like a top till they rest on the ground
Oh Donnybrook capers to sweet cat-gut scrapers
They bother the vapours and drive away care
And what is more glorious, there's naught more uproarious
Hurrah for the humours of Donnybrook Fair

# Posted on March 20th 2006 by harpalaska

Oops forgot the first part

I only posted the last verses.
Here are the opening verses:
THE HUMOURS OF DONNYBROOK FAIR

To Donnybrook steer all you sons of Parnassus
Poor painters, poor poets, poor newsmen and knaves
To see what the fun is that all fun surpasses
The sorrows and sadness of green Erin's slaves
Oh Donnybrook Jewel! Full of mirth is your quiver
Where all flock from Dublin to gape and to stare
At two elegant bridges without e'er a river
So success to the humours of Donnybrook Fair

Oh you lads that are witty, from famed Dublin city
And you that in pastime take any delight
To Donnybrook fly, for the time's drawing nigh
When fat pigs are hunted and lean cobblers fight
When maidens so swift run for a new shift
Men muffled in sacks, for a shirt they race there
There jockeys well booted and horses sure-footed
All keep up the humours of Donnybrook Fair

The mason does come with his line and his plumb
The sawyer and carpenter, brothers in chips
There are carvers and guilders and all sorts of builders
With soldiers from barracks and sailors from ships
There confectioners, cooks and the printers of books
There stampers of linen and weavers repair
There widows and maids and all sorts of trades
Go join in the humours of Donnybrook Fair

# Posted on March 20th 2006 by harpalaska