Drowsy Maggie

reel

Key signature: Edorian

Submitted on May 21st 2001 by Jeremy.

This tune has been added to 1799 tunebooks.

Also known as Drowsey Maggie, Drowsey Maggie Donegal Style, Drowsie Maggie, Maggie Tuirseach, Sleepy Maggie, Sleepy Meggie.

Recordings of a tune by this name:

• 7:11 by Brolum
• A Friend Indeed by Liz Carroll
• A' Sireadh Spòrs by Dr. Angus MacDonald
• Across The Borders by Battlefield Band
• Against The Storm by John And Phil Cunningham
• All Ages by Green Tea
• An Clàr Geal - The White Album by Alasdair White
• An Clár Geal by Alasdair White
• áthas by áthas
• Banish Misfortune by Malcolm Dalglish And Grey Larsen
• Barghest Sampler by Barghest
• Battle Songs Of The Toucan Pirates by Toucan Pirates
• Best Of 1987-1993 by Altan
• Best Of Irish Ceili Music by Various Artists
• Bosca Bideach by Micheal Darby O Fatharta
• Both Ears And The Tail by Martin Carthy And Dave Swarbrick
• Cape Breton Fiddle Music Not Calm by Howie MacDonald And Ashley MacIsaac
• Cascade by Capercaillie
• Ceilidh by Bun' Ber E
• Ceol An Clair by Various Artists
• Champions Of Ireland: Flute by Grainne Kelly And Ciaran Madsen
• Champions Of Ireland: Mandolin by Marina Meyler
• Claddagh Ring by The Tulla Ceili Band
• Classic Cuts by Winston 'Scotty' Fitzgerald
• Crashing Through The Trees by Warblefly
• Dance Album by The Bushwhackers Band
• Dancing Fingers by Jennifer And Hazel Wrigley
• Dear Old Erin's Isle: Irish Traditional Music From America by Various Artists
• Draíocht by Dave Flynn
• Drink The Night Away by Blackbeers
• Dusty Windowsill by Coquitlam Celtic Ensemble
• Fibb'nacci Sequence by Knot Fibb'n
• Foinn Seisiun 1 by Ceoltóirí Cultúrlainne
• Frankie Gavin And Alec Finn by Frankie Gavin And Alec Finn
• Full Circle by Bill Lamey
• Gaelic Roots by Various Artists
• Gaelic Storm Special Reserve by Gaelic Storm
• Gaoth An Fhomhair - Autumn's Wind by Samhradh
• Gerry MacFadden by Gerry McFadden
• Golden, Golden by Silly Wizard
• Grianan by Grianan MTC
• Harvest Home by Filska
• Harvest Storm by Altan
• Heathery Breeze by Matt Molloy
• Herding Cats by Gaelic Storm
• Hi (TM) How Are You Today? by Ashley MacIsaac
• Hill 16 by Hill 16
• Hit The Bricks... by Waking Maggie
• In Jig Time! by Brenda Stubbert
• Ireland's Best Session Tunes CD 1 by Waltons Recording
• Irish Cream by Irish Cream
• Irish Dances by Various Artists
• Irish Traditional Concertina Styles by Various Artists
• Jack In The Box Irish Session by Tionol
• Just Me And A Fiddle by The Flyin' Fiddler Wayne Cantwell
• Katy Bar The Door by Randal Bays
• Keltish by Keltish
• La Harpe Irlandaise - The Irish Harp by Katrien Delavier
• Live In Batesville by Needfire
• Live In Concert by Brid Harper And Dermot Byrne
• Lively Steps by Jerry Holland
• Mapless Journey by Kathy Buys
• Master Cape Breton Fiddler by Jerry Holland
• Milltown Lass by Rose Murphy
• Once Again (1987-1993) by Altan
• P.J. Hernon by P.J. And Marcus Hernon
• Passing Time by Mary And Jim Coogan
• Reel Irish by Kasír
• Return To Kintail by Alasdair Fraser With Tony McManus
• Riding Towards Life by Evergreen
• Roaming by Jeremy Kittel
• Saint Bushmill's Choir by Saint Bushmill's Choir
• Shake Your Shamrocks by Various Artists
• Slowplay Jigs, Reels And Hornpipes by Jeffrey Hillgrove
• Smiddyburn by Dave Swarbrick
• Sneeze by Heyfeva
• Sounds From The Atlantic by Innisheer
• Southwind by Glenn Morgan
• Stepping On The Bridge by Hamish Moore
• Streetlife by Patrick Street
• Swarbrick 1 by Dave Swarbrick
• Take The Bull By The Horns by Tom Doherty
• Tear The House Down by The Fables
• The Best Of Altan by Altan
• The Blue CD by Irish Session Tunes
• The Brass Fiddle: Traditional Fiddle Music From Donegal by Various Artists
• The Chieftains 4 by The Chieftains
• The Clare Shout by Bobby Gardiner
• The Devils Of Dublin by Celtic Music Society (East Rochester HS)
• The Fiddle Music Of Donegal - Volume One by Various Artists
• The Fiddlesticks Collection by Jerry Holland
• The First Ten Years: 1986 - 1995 by Altan
• The Gallowglass Ceili Band by The Gallowglass Ceili Band
• The Gravel Walks: The Fiddle Music Of Mickey Doherty by Mickey Doherty
• The Irish Concertina Two by Noel Hill
• The Irish Experience by The Irish Experience
• The Irish Music Anthology (40 Classic Songs, Jigs And Reels) by Various Artists
• The McDonaghs Of Ballinafad And Friends by Larry And Michael Joe McDonagh
• The Mountain Road by Various Artists
• The Piping Of Patsy Touhey by Patsy Touhey
• The Robin by Kirkmount
• The Selkies' Song by Debbie Scott
• The Singing Kettle by Chulrua
• The Ulster Outcry by Ar Leitheidi
• The Wheels Of The World, Early Irish American Music, Vol 2 by Various Artists
• Threads by Battlefield Band
• Tickled Pink by Savourna Stevenson
• Toss The Feathers by Ted Furey And Brendan Byrne
• Traditional Irish Music by William Sullivan
• Traditional Music From Cape Breton by Various Artists
• Waiting For Inspiration by Dan Carollo
• Waltons Irish Whistle CD Edition by Waltons
• Wooden Flute Obsession Disk 2 by Various Artists

X: 1
T: Drowsy Maggie
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
R: reel
K: Edor
|:E2BE dEBE|E2BE AFDF|E2BE dEBE|BABc dAFD:|
K:D
d2fd c2ec|defg afge|d2fd c2ec|BABc dAFA|
d2fd c2ec|defg afge|afge fdec|BABc dAFD|

Don't let the title fool you; there's nothing drowsy about this tune. It's usually played at a very fast pace.

The melody itself is quite straightforward with plenty of those pipe-like jumps back to the E note. These jumps can be a bit tricky at first, especially on stringed instruments like the fiddle and banjo. The best solution is to have both the E and B notes permanently fingered for the first few bars.

When this tune gets up to breakneck speed, it might be a good idea to play less notes and lengthen them.

# Posted on June 1st 2001 by Jeremy

Drowsie Maggie

I agree with Jeremy that there's absolutely nothing "sleepy" baout this tune when played at session speed...or, for that matter, when accompanying dancers shakin' their trotters in a reel. But, slowed down a wee bit, the tune works marvelously as a compliment to several SONGS in the same key. For example, my band (gee, that sounds so possessive!) currently uses "Maggie" as the intro, middle and ending to "Whup, Jamboree," a trad nautical number.

# Posted on November 16th 2001 by Munsondr

Versions of Drowsey Maggie

Just for info sake, (& not to burst anybody's bubble), this is not actually the version Altan play on their recordings. They play the Donegal version (surprise surprise) which is significantly different than this more session type version.

# Posted on November 16th 2001 by GoldenKeyboard

Wooden Flute Obsession

I'm listening to Matt Molloy's slow (!!!) and incredibly beautiful interpretation of Drowsie Maggie in the "Flute Obsession" CD (taken from "Heathery Breeze", i think). Just incredible!

# Posted on August 26th 2002 by glauber

HELP!!! Need Simpler Tunes to Play with Drowsy Maggie

What tunes do you all play with Drowsy Maggie? Looking for a couple of SIMPLER tunes I can master (D flute or high D whistle sith guitar accompaniment) for a benefit hooley in a week and a half. I just don't have the time to learn anthing too tricky between now and then Please respond with any easier to play tunes (no trickier than Drowsy Maggie please) that I could play to lead into Drowsy Maggie and then one after to finish a short reel set. It would be especially helpful if you knew the tunes to be posted here previously in sheetmusic form...even more helpful yet if you knew the guitar chords for my accompaniment!
thanks
fw

# Posted on January 8th 2003 by farquharson whistler

Re: HELP!!! Need Simpler Tunes to Play with Drowsy Maggie

I used to play The Ash Plant, followed by Drowsy Maggie and finished with Jenny's Chickens. Now I think of it it was a really good set of reels and should be revived. Credit for this set goes to a band called East of Eden who got high in the charts with this same set (in a different order I think) in the UK in 1969. For some bizarre reason they called it "Jig a Jig". Don't ask.

You are on your own with the chords!

Good luck with the Hooley

# Posted on January 8th 2003 by Geoff Pollitt

Re: HELP!!! Need Simpler Tunes to Play with Drowsy Maggie

At our session we always follow Drowsie Maggie with the Glass of Beer and Toss the Feathers in E minor; sometimes we'll continue with the D version of Toss the Feathers if the session is going really well. I'll check if these have already been posted and will submit them if not.

# Posted on January 8th 2003 by Bannerman

How Simple?

Try the Keel Row (D) Drowsie Maggie (Em) Sally Gardens (G). They are all fairly simple reels and if not available on this site (sorry I'm at work and don't have time to check before the boss is back) type in the names (with reel) into google and you should be able to find them, or try typing tunedb.

# Posted on January 8th 2003 by Greenwiggle

Re: HELP!!! Need Simpler Tunes to Play with Drowsy Maggie

I like to play Glass of Beer/ Humours of Tulla/ Drowsy Maggie as a set.

# Posted on January 8th 2003 by Andee

Re: HELP!!! Need Simpler Tunes to Play with Drowsy Maggie

My version of Rolling in the Barrel [http://thesession.org/tunes/display.php/500] (see the comment), and then Killarney Boys of Pleasure [http://thesession.org/tunes/display.php/733]
They are really easy to learn and play on the flute and whistle. But Ashplant and Glass of Beer are also simple and nice tunes to follow Drowsy Maggie.

# Posted on January 8th 2003 by slainte

Re: HELP!!! Need Simpler Tunes to Play with Drowsy Maggie

we play Silver Spear, Merry Blacksmith and then Drowsie Maggie
They're both really simple easy to play tunes.
happy hooley

# Posted on January 8th 2003 by fiddlefeet

Re: HELP!!! Need Simpler Tunes to Play with Drowsy Maggie

On the new Patrick Street album "streetlife" there is a set of : the old reel/ drowsy maggie/ Kay Girror. This might be of no help but i thought it may be useful.

# Posted on January 11th 2003 by Celtic1234

Re: HELP!!! Need Simpler Tunes to Play with Drowsy Maggie

Thanks everyone. Lots of great help!
FW

# Posted on January 12th 2003 by farquharson whistler

Drowsy Maggie Street as on Patrick Street - Street life

K:Edor
E2 GE BEGE|(3EEE GE BEGE|D2 FD ADFD|(3DDD FD ADFD|
E2 GE BEGE|(3EEE GE BEGE|G2 EF GABc|1dBAF E2 A,C:|2dBAF E2 Bc||
d2 fd c2 ec|d2 fd c2 Bc|d2 fd c2 ec|BABc dAFA|
d2 fd c2 ec|d2 fd c2 Bc|d2 fd c2 ec|Bdce dAFA:|

Jackie Daly and Kevin Burke play this smooth version of Drowsy on the "Street Life" album after "the old reel". They follow it with a great Bmin tune called "Kay Girroir".

# Posted on May 27th 2003 by Jamie

Revision of patrick street version

The first time bar should read:
1dBAF E2 B,D not 1dBAF E2 A,C

# Posted on May 27th 2003 by Jamie

Drowsy or sleepy?

I have a question. Are Drowsy Maggie and Sleepy Maggie the same tune?

# Posted on December 28th 2003 by uilleannpiper

County Versions

I'll post the .abc to the Donegal version one of these days when I have it in front of me, I promise. It's got lots of lovely G-sharps (it IS donegal, after all).

James Keane plays a Clare version with a COMPLETELY different B part that I'm very curious about. Anyone know what I'm talking about? He uses it to kick off a massive set on the "Gaelic Roots" double-CD compilation of the Boston College concert series (Kells Music, 1997); the set includes such multi-part monsters as "Farewell to Erin" and "The Foxhunter".

# Posted on January 28th 2004 by JHowley

Drowsy Maggie and Sleepy Maggie are not the same tune.

# Posted on January 28th 2004 by gian marco

...which means that it's a bit confusing when this recording: http://www.thesession.org/recordings/display.php/242 references Sleepy Maggie, and it's actually the B minor tune, reminsicent of Jenny's Chickens, that's on the album. Actually I learnt Sleepy Maggie before both Jenny's Chickens and Drowsy Maggie, and I still play it, even though everyone hears the first few bars, assumes "Jenny's Chickens" and dives on in there, and so it goes...

# Posted on February 6th 2004 by rog

Re: County Versions...

Wouls be e'er so kind as to post the Donegal version?

T'anks loads.

-Pádraig

# Posted on March 3rd 2004 by Pádraig

Padraig, I can't transcribe it, but here is the link to the great collection of Donegal music: http://misaok.hp.infoseek.co.jp/fmod/d_sakuin/do_saku.html
You'll find what you are looking for.

I think the Clare setting of the tune JHowley mentioned is Reel with the Birl: http://thesession.org/tunes/display.php/189

H.

# Posted on March 3rd 2004 by slainte

Rawlin's Cross also plays this piece on their Instramental Album, followed by the Gravel Walks and the Blind Beggerman.

# Posted on April 12th 2004 by Winnowill

Another Authoritative Setting

I still remember when I played this popular tune in the real session for the first time, people had the different second part like this:

d2fd c2ec|defg faaf|d2fd c2ec|BABc dAFA|
d2fd c2ec|defg faaf|bgaf gefd|BABc dAFD||

I think it's not only me that had the same problem. Definitely, beginners should learn and be ready to play both in a new place. Which one do you normally play?

# Posted on June 19th 2004 by slainte

Drowsy Maggie with three parts

Here's how we learned it and played it years ago with a third part allegedly made up by Joe Cooly.

K:Edor
|:E2BE dEBE|E2BE AFDF|E2BE dEBE|1BABc dAFD:|2BABc dAFA||
K:D
d2fd B/c/d ec|defg afge|d2fd B/c/d ec|BABc dAFA|
d2fd B/c/d ec|defg afge|afge fdec|BABc dAFA||
dBfB dBfB|cAeA fAeA|dBfB dBfB|fef^g aecA|
dBfB dBfB|cAeA fAeA|defd B/c/d ec|BABc dAFD||

# Posted on June 19th 2004 by Phantom Button

3?

I didn't know this tune had a third part. Cool! It really fits with the rest of the tune, I think.

-Max

# Posted on June 19th 2004 by Max Becher

Pierre Schryer version of drowsey maggie sleepy maggie

THis is a wicked set that Pierre Schreyer does. He has some wicked variations. He plays drowsy maggie with the same fingerings but starting on a string lower. then he plays it starting on the d string. if you want the music for some of the other variations contact me at celticmeg@hotmail.com

# Posted on August 13th 2004 by celticmegs

More maggie!!

Folks, my understanding is Sleepy/Drowsy Maggie is actually a four parter. Anyone have the other parts? I think I can find 'em, anyone interested? I'll need help authenticating expertly, of course.

# Posted on August 17th 2004 by GenghisKilt

Altan's version of Drowsy Maggie

E2Bd cABE|E2BG FADF|E2Bd cABc|1 dfec dAFD:|2 dfec dAFA|
d2fe dcBd|(3cBA ed ceAc|defe dcBc|def^g aecA|
defe dcBd|(3cBA eA ceAg|fdec dcBa|^gbeg aecA||

# Posted on September 2nd 2004 by dlowder

Con Cassidy's

Altan recorded Con Cassidy's version of DM.

# Posted on September 3rd 2004 by Phantom Button

Ockington stick dance

this piece sounds very similar to a morris tune I play called ockington stick dance

# Posted on January 13th 2005 by banana512

Drowsy Maggie with four parts

Can't believe Jack only knows 3 parts for this tune. It's time for him to learn the other part, I think:

X: 1
T: Drowsy Maggie
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
R: reel
K: Edor
|:E2BE dEBE|E2BE AFDF|E2BE dEBE|1 BABc dAFD:|2 BABc dAFA||
K: Dmaj
|:d2fd cdec|defg afge|1 d2fd c2ec|BABc dAFA:|2 afge fdec|BABc dAFA||
K: Bdor (watch G#)
|:dBfB dBfB|cAeA cAeA|1 dBfB dBfB|defg aece:|2 defg aecA|BABc dAFA||
|:dffe dfBf|ceed ceAe|1 dffe defg|a2ag aece:|2 af=ge fdec|BABc dAFD||

# Posted on April 27th 2005 by Dow

Dow... you can't just go around willy-nilly making up extra parts for tunes just so you can make shmart arsed quips.

# Posted on April 27th 2005 by Phantom Button

Drowsy Maggie Donegal setting

I've had to adapt the Donegal setting a bit for my instrument - here's my take on it:

X: 1
T: Drowsy Maggie (Donegal Setting)
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
R: reel
K: Edor
~E3d cABE|~E2BE FADF|~E3d cABc|1 dfec dAFD:|2 dfec dAFA||
defe dcBd|(3cBA eA ceAc|defe dcBc|def^g aecA|
defe dcBd|(3cBA eA ceAe|faec dcBa|^gbeg aecA||

# Posted on April 27th 2005 by Dow

You're just jealous of my sophisticated Drowsy Maggie settings, Jack.

# Posted on April 27th 2005 by Dow

Here's the setting I've been playing for that

X: 1
T: Drowsy Maggie (Donegal Setting)
S: Brid Harper & Dermot Byrne
Z: Jack Gilder
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
R: reel
K: Edor
~E2Bd cABE|~E2BE FADF|~E2Bd cABc| dfec dBAF:||
d2fe dcBd|c/B/A eA ceAc|defe dcBc|def^g aece|
dafe dcBA|B/c/d ef gecg|f/g/aec dcBa|^gbeg aecA||

# Posted on April 27th 2005 by Phantom Button

Drowsy Maggie

2nd to last bar a bit dodgy it sound better dropping down to an A every other note and a bit short!

# Posted on July 14th 2005 by cookrj

Drowsy Maggie (again!).. concertina question this time

Since Drowsie Maggie has kept popping up here lately I decided to try and learn it myself. I play anglo concertina and I began playing just under a year ago and it just so happens that I've never yet learned a tune with that G# in it. The first two parts are nice and easy... but that third part is murder! Any suggestions from other concertina players out there? Also, when there's a run that calls for a B and a C# one after the other (or a similar combo where the buttons are located right on top of each other) what do you all tend to do? It's a little akward sometimes but I usually keep that fingering so I can do the whole thing on the pull.... it is better to look for an alternate fingering and switch the bellows direction?
Thanks so much for any help!

# Posted on March 20th 2006 by gretchen

Drowsy Maggie: expanding the fun of the opening four bars

I love the rollicking fun of the first four bars of Drowsy Maggie, playing it on my fiddle with a dotted rhythm. I love it so much that I don't want to quit! Instead, I expand it out as follows:

"Em"E2BE E2BE| E2BE "D"AFDF| "Em"E2BE B2Bc| dedB "D"AFDF||
"Em"EEBE dEBE| EEBE "D"AFDF| "Em"EEBE dEBE| dedB "D"AFDF||
"Em"EEB,D EB"D"AF | "Em"GABe "D"dBAF | "Em"EEB,D EB"D"AF | "Em"GAGF EDB,D ||
EEB,D EB"D"AF | "Em"GABe "D"dBAF | "Em"EEB,D EB"D"AF | "Em"GAGF EDB,G, ||
"Am"A,2EA, A,2EA,| A,2EA, "G"DB,G,B,| "Am"A,2EA, E2EF| GAGE "G"DB,G,B,||
"Am"A,A,EA, GA,EA,| A,A,EA, "G"DB,G,B,| "Am"A,A,EA, GA,EA,| DEDB, "G"DB,G,B,||
"Am"A,A,=CE AGE=C | A,A,=CE AGE=C | A,A,=CE ABAE | =cd=cA "Em"EDCB, ||
"Am"A,A,=CE AGE=C | A,A,=CE AGE=C | A,A,=CE AB=cd | ed=ce "Em"BAGF ||

# Posted on April 26th 2006 by bobgreen

Drowsy Maggie: expanding the fun.... ABC Headings

The ABC headings for the above are:

X: 1
T:Drowsy Maggie Intro
M:C|
L:1/8
C:Irish Trad.
R:reel
P:E Dorian
Z:Transcribed to abc by Robert Green
K:Edor

# Posted on April 26th 2006 by bobgreen

Maggie's Sisters

The Reel with the Birl: http://www.thesession.org/tunes/display/189
The Tap Room: http://www.thesession.org/tunes/display/711
Handsome Sally: http://www.thesession.org/tunes/display/2215

There are some others.

# Posted on April 26th 2006 by slainte

Slide

I like adding a slide to the first "e" note

# Posted on August 27th 2006 by fiddlertracy

Drowsey maggie + ?

Does any one know what to play with drowsey maggie in a donegall irish style?

# Posted on October 25th 2006 by N.P.

Re: Drowsey maggie + ?

Star of Munster

# Posted on October 25th 2006 by ecidralla

One option...........

http://www.thesession.org/recordings/display.php/7

See track 7. That's certainly Donegal for you.
What you could do is go to "Drowsy Maggie", in the tunes section,and look at the recordings it's listed as appearing on. Click on the recording and you can find out what it's been paired up with on any particular recording. Better still, use your imagination, and create your own sets. Good luck.

# Posted on October 25th 2006 by Kenny

Violin

hey ive been playing violin for four years any tips???

# Posted on September 8th 2007 by Kathryn123

Let me think

i really like the tune drowsy maggie but it is quite a hard tune. when i learnt it my violin played it and it sounded great but im not that good and doesnt sound right when I play it!!!

# Posted on September 8th 2007 by Kathryn123

Drowsy Maggie

Classic!! Love it

# Posted on September 20th 2007 by D.J.F.

I had a dream once that I wrote this tune and that I got payed royalties every time it was played at a session.

It was a good dream.

# Posted on September 21st 2007 by mehitabel23

A different take on the B Part

similar to the one posted by slainte:

d2fd cdec|defd faaf|d2fd cdec|BABc dAFA|
d2fd cdec|defd faa2|bgaf gfed|BABc dAFD||

# Posted on March 18th 2008 by Ramiro

Connects cleverly to Maudabawn Chapel

For a bit of trickery in my last band, we played Maudabawn Chapel 2.5 times then went straight to (the Donegal) Drowsy Maggie instead of the B part...

# Posted on April 7th 2008 by dlovrien

History or background on Drowsy Maggie

Anyone know the background of Drowsy Maggie? Any interesting tidbits or stories etc?

# Posted on May 5th 2008 by aaronashton