The Monaghan

jig

Key signature: Eminor

Submitted on May 25th 2001 by Jeremy.

This tune has been added to 474 tunebooks.

Also known as The Clay Pipe, Monaghan, The Monaghan , The Monaghan Twig, Monaghan's, Monahan, Monahan's, Port Mhuineacháin.

Recordings of a tune by this name:

1891-1945 Disc 2 by Michael Coleman
A Fathomless Sea by Mooncoin
Across The Pond by Kevin Griffin, Roger Burridge And Others
After The Ball by Arcady
An Mileoidean Scaoilte by Johnny Connolly
Another Side Of Cape Breton by Johnny Wilmot
Barco by Cormac De Barra
Beltaine: Celtic Harp by Jennifer Van Der Harten
Best Of Irish Fiddle by Florie Brown
Black Velvet by Black Velvet
Bothar Gan Briseadh/Down The Line by Calua
Brian Kelly by Brian Kelly
Celtic Music And Songs From Scotland by Ossian
Celtic Reign by Celtic Reign
Clare Accordion by Seamus Walshe
Classic Ceili Bands by Various Artists
Close To Home by Dónal Clancy
Dance Music Of Ireland: Volume 10 by Matt Cunningham
Dig With It by Randal Bays, Dave Marshall And Willie Bays
Down The Ivory Stairs by Padraic O'Reilly
Dratsville by Greanstalk
Driven by Donall Donnelly And Brian Hanlon
Drops Of Springwater by Karen Tweed
Each Little Thing by Sharon Shannon
East Of The Tracks by Brigetown
Feadoga Stain by Mary Bergin
Footprints by No I.D.
From Galway To Dublin: Early Recordings Of Traditional Irish Music by Various Artists
Handed Down by Cathal Hayden
Hungry Grass by Hungry Grass
Irish Jigs by Paul Hutchinson, John Hymas And Tony Harris
Irish Piping Tradition by Gay McKeon
Irish Traditional Fiddle Music by John Kelly And James Kelly With Michael Crehan And Michael Gavin
It's A Hard Road To Travel by Andy McGann And Paul Brady
Jigs And Reels by The Aughrim Slopes Ceili Band
Jody's Heaven by Jody's Heaven
John Bowe And Mary Conroy by John Bowe
Kelly/O'Brien/Sproule by Kelly, O'Brien and Sproule
Lan Dochais by Mayo Roscommon Hospice Support Group, Newport
Last Night's Fun by Knock-na-shee
Letting Go... by Katherine Irwin Thomas
Live From The Katharine Cornell Theater Traditional Irish Music by Various Artists
Memoire Celte by Broken String
Music In The Glen by Kennedy's Kitchen
Na Draiodoiri by Na Draiodoiri
New Tricks by Old Blind Dogs
O'er The Moor, Among The Heather by Deby Benton Grosjean
Past Masters Of Irish Dance Music by Various Artists
Poirt An Phiobaire by Paddy Keenan
Pride Of Erin by Under-18 All-Ireland Champions
Sin E by Sin E
Standing Room Only by Eliot Grasso
Still Juggling by David Wilcox
Taking Note by Meitheal Cheoil
The Best Of Joe And Antoinette Mckenna by Joe And Antoinette McKenna
The Boys From The Blue Hill by Vinnie Kilduff
The Dawn by Baal Tinne
The Drones And The Chanters Vol.2 by Various Artists
The Flags Of Dublin by Paddy Glackin, Mick O'Brien And Mick Gavin
The Good Ear by Dougal Adams And Ormonde Waters
The Green Fields Of Ireland by Comhaltas Tour Group 1979
The Green House by Grey Larsen And Paddy League
The High Notes by The High Notes
The Long Finger by Barry Carroll And Joe McHugh
The Mouse Behind The Dresser by Shaskeen
The Sligo Indians by Tony DeMarco
The Sligo Indians by Tony DeMarco
The Unseen Dance by Evergreen
Threads Of Time by Cherish The Ladies
Tickled Pink by Savourna Stevenson
Traditional Irish Tunes Played On The Tin Whistle (1/2) by Geraldine Cotter
Traditional Music From Cape Breton Island by Natalie And Buddy MacMaster
Trip Over The Mountain by Watkin Lees
Waiting For A Call by Tommy Peoples
We'll Seek No More Engagements by Aidan Crossey
Yeh, That's All It Is by John Carty
Young Irish Musicians Weekend Vol. 1 by James Kelly, Paddy O'Brien, Tommy Martin, Daithi Sproule, Fintan Vallely
Zoe Conway by Zoe Conway

Details ABC Sheetmusic Comments

Whoever thought Monaghan could be such a sinister-sounding place? This is one of those moody, E minor tunes.

As with most multi-part tunes, a lot of the phrases show up in each part. Notice how the end of each part is exactly the same. Once you've got that phrase mastered you can throw in some variation by holding the D note longer.

Quite often, this jig is played with just the first three parts, but that last part is the best of all. Unfortunately, it's also the toughest. Take it nice and slow at first; it'll pay off in the end.

# Posted on June 2nd 2001 by Jeremy

Moody?

For me this is a foot stomper. I love playing this tune - it's been in my repertoire forever and I never get tired of it. I think I first heard it being played as a whistle duet, back in the early 80s, by Phil Smillie and Alan MacLeod of the Tannahill Weavers. Don't know if they ever recorded it, but I was certainly inspired to go and learn it "properly".

# Posted on December 22nd 2004 by kris

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FTFg_rx1tUY I like this version

# Posted on December 3rd 2006 by ecidralla

Wicked Good

Usually taken to mean 'evil', the word 'wicked' pretty much describes the Monaghan. Then again, for us New Englanders, 'Wicked' also means 'Cool', or, it can be an adverb meaning 'very'. Monaghan is wicked good,even more so if you go heavy on the downbeats up and down the scales. For fiddle, the O'Neil's version is a workout. If you are going through with the D part (as listed in O'Neil's), try it as a "last time through" only addition to the ABC parts, tacking it on to close a set. Gliss up to an octave above open E at the end, then pizz the string with your fourth finger. Sounds very sly and, well, wicked good. I can't advise transitioning back into the A part once you have survived the D... Hard to recover!

# Posted on January 7th 2007 by lrau

Moody Monaghan

Monaghan: drumlin country, think of the 'stony grey fields' of Patrick Kavanagh - rushy hollows and wee lakes. Border country, dark secrets - think of Patrick McCabe and The Butcher Boy etc.

Anyway I was learning this off Mary Bergin's recording. I think she plays the fourth part rather different to version here, more like:
EGB eBG BGE F2F e2G BGE F3~ AFD EGB GBd Beg egb fed ABG FDF AGF
very nice

# Posted on June 4th 2007 by the wounded hussar

monaghan jig

While playing the `Monaghan jig´ (O´Neill 1001, # 245) in medium tempo yesterday, I found its melody to be very close to the Scottish Jacobite song `Donald Mc Gillivray´ as sung by Ewan McColl on his early 70s (?) recording of `Songs of two rebellions´ . Anybody who knows anything about a possible connection here ?

# Posted on April 10th 2008 by alexweger

Re: monaghan jig

There may have been a connection but I think it's unlikely. Donald MacGillvary is in 4/4 for a start. Great song and a great tune though.

# Posted on April 10th 2008 by conscientious objector

Re: monaghan jig

# Posted on April 10th 2008 by FIDDLE4

Re: monaghan jig

Nothing would surprise me about Mr MaColl......having the only extant tune for Eppie Morrie is just the start......yeah, right.

# Posted on April 11th 2008 by Guernsey Pete

Monaghan jig

I love the version that Darrach MacMathúna played with Gerard Coughlan....

http://comhaltas.ie/music/detail/comhaltaslive_265_4_gerard_coughlan_and_darrach_macmathuna/

dunno if its different from the version here... but just thought i'd share

# Posted on March 28th 2009 by bzh_breizh

Monaghan Jig

This is one of my favorite tunes, and one of the first ones I learned. I can't imagine playing it without the first part, which I agree is the best part. I love the first two measures of the D part. I learned the D part as:

# Posted on August 23rd 2009 by buailteoir

Sorry, I meant, I can't imagine playing it without the FOURTH part, not first.

# Posted on August 23rd 2009 by buailteoir