Details ABC Sheetmusic Comments

The Fairhaired Boy

jig

Key signature: Adorian

Submitted on June 5th 2004 by slainte.

This tune has been added to 29 tunebooks.

Also known as An Buachaillín Bán, An Buachaillin Ban, The Fair Haired Boy, The Fair-haired Boy, John Egan’s 1.

Recordings of a tune by this name:

Cavan's Lilter by Séamus Fay
Hives Of Honeyed Sound by Padraic Mac Mathuna
Inside Out by Mícheál O' Raghallaigh
Music Of Dreams by Noel Hill And Tony MacMahon With Iarla O Lionaird
Music Of Dreams by Tony Mac Mahon, Iarla Ó Lionáird, Noel Hill
Spirit by Dervish
The House I Was Reared In by Christy McNamara
The Lonely Stranded Band by Charlie Piggott, Miriam Collins And Joe Corcoran
The Thing Itself by Maeve Donnelly And Peadar O'Loughlin
The Totally Traditional Tin Whistle Tape by Various Artists
They'll Be Good Yet by Kitty Hayes And Peter Laban
Waifs And Strays (Traditional Irish Music From County Clare) by Michael Hynes And Dennis Liddy
Wooden Flute Obsession: Volume 3, Disc 1 by Various Artists

Details ABC Sheetmusic Comments

The Fairhaired Boy

This tune comes from John William's first solo album, which is one of my all-time favourite recordings. He calls it Fraher's Jig, but I've been thinking it's a mistake. A bit of research shows different versions of the tune are listed as The Fairhaired Boy in Norbeck's tune collection, so I decided to follow him.

It's a simple, tasty tune. There are lots of possiblities for variations, but I personally like playing it as simple as possible.

# Posted on June 5th 2004 by slainte

I think this tune is on Harry Bradley's debut CD. Maybe there's a name for it there.

# Posted on June 6th 2004 by LongNote

I should get a copy of it. He's my hero. I like this tune.

# Posted on June 6th 2004 by slainte

Gan Ainm / Joe Burke's

Harry doesn't have a name for it on the CD. It is very similar to a jig already posted called "Joe Burke's", which is popular in Australia. It is quite possible that "Fraher" had more than one jig named after him, but you're right, "slainte" - it's not the best-known "Fraher's" jig. Strange coincidence, because I've been teaching this tune recently to musicians in Aberdeen, and had only last week found it quite by accident on the John Williams CD. I hadn't recognised it as on Harry's CD. A nice jig.

# Posted on June 6th 2004 by Kenny

Thanks Kenny for the info. But I don't think this one is *very* similar to Joe Burke's. You know, many Ador jigs sound similar starting with the phrase EAA or E2A, so I think this is just a typical Ador tune. Lilting Banshee might be more similar. I need some more information about this tune. Yeah, maybe some people play this little jig as Fraher's.

# Posted on June 6th 2004 by slainte

It's a shame Harry Bradley doesn't provide any information on this tune. I have played it with Charlie Piggot and he gave me a different title of it, but I can't remember....

# Posted on January 21st 2006 by slainte

Go here for a similar jig called the Fair-haired Boy http://www.thesession.org/tunes/display/4552