Bonnie Kate
reel
Key signature: Dmajor
Submitted on June 11th 2002 by B Rad .
This tune has been added to 297 tunebooks.
Also known as Boney Kate, Bonnie Kate, The Bonnie Lass O' Fisherow, Bonnie Lass Of Fisherow, The Bonnie Lass Of Fisherow, The Bonnie Lass Of Fisherrow, The Bonnie Lasses Of Fisherrow, Bonny Kate, The Bonny Lass Of Fisherrow, The Boys OF Limerick, The Floating Bow.
Recordings of a tune by this name:
- 1891-1945 Disc 2 by Michael Coleman
- A Fiddle Affair by Kierah
- A Man Apart by Sean Maguire
- A Tribute To Andy McGann by Joe Burke, Brian Conway And Felix Dolan
- An Toilean Aerach by Johnny Connolly
- As I Carelessly Did Stray... by Harry Bradley
- At Home by Rosie Shipley And Matt Mulqueen
- Augusta: 20 Years Of Irish Music Recorded Live At The Augusta Heritage Center by Various Artists
- Barr Na Cuille by Neil Mulligan
- Bonnie Kate by Various Artists
- Boomerang by Troy MacGillivray
- Capel Street by James Kelly
- Classic Cuts by Winston 'Scotty' Fitzgerald
- Classics Of Irish Piping Volume 2 by William Andrews And Liam Walsh
- Consider The Source by Brian Conway
- Dan Sullivan's Shamrock Band by Dan Sullivan's Shamrock Band
- Dead String Rhythm by Flynn Cohen
- Drimalost And Beyond CD1 by Danny Meehan
- Duchas Ceoil “Dance Of The Honeybee” by The Lennon Family
- Early Recordings Of Irish Traditional Dance Music by John Kimmel
- Echoes Of Erin by Comhaltas Ceoltoiri Eireann Concert Tour 2006
- Echoes Of Erin by Comhaltas Tour Group 1984
- Farewell To Ireland CD 4 (Of A Box Set Of 4) by Various Artists
- Fiddle On The Fiddle by Sean Maguire
- Fifty-Odd Years by Jimmy Power
- Fine by Ashley MacIsaac
- Fire Dance by Richard Wood
- Flute For The Feis by John Doonan
- Fluters Of Old Erin: Flute, Piccolo And Whistle Recordings Of The 1920's And 30's by Various Artists
- Folktrax 154 - The Sligo Fiddler: Michael Coleman by Michael Coleman
- Folktrax-075: Johnny Doherty, The Star Of Donegal by John Doherty
- Folktrax-077 The Jolly Tinker: Michael Gorman, Irish Fiddler by Michael Gorman
- French Canadian, Irish And Scottish Fiddle Music by Jean Carignan
- Happy To Meet Sorry To Part by Various Artists
- Heat Of The Moment by Pierre Schryer And Ian Clark
- House Full by Fairport Convention
- In The Footsteps Of Coleman by Various Artists
- Ireland's Best Session Tunes CD 1 by Waltons Recording
- Irish Dance Music by Various Artists
- Irish Dance Party by Michael Coleman And The McNulty Family
- It's A Hard Road To Travel by Andy McGann And Paul Brady
- Johnny Doherty by John Doherty
- Kevin Burke In Concert by Kevin Burke
- Knock John by Chris Wood And Andy Cutting
- La Veillée Des Veillées by Various Artists
- Learn To Play Irish Fiddle: Reels, Jigs And Breton Gavottes ~ DVD 2 by Kevin Burke
- Legacy by The Dunne Family
- Live At West Mabou Hall by Howie MacDonald, Dave MacIsaac And Mac Morin
- Mahervelous by Frank Maher And The Mahers Bahers
- Memories Of Hughie Gillespie by Frank Kelly
- Milestone At The Garden by Irish Fiddle Masters From The 78 RPM Era
- Music Of Ireland by Sean McGuire And The Four Star Quartet
- Music On The Wind by Sean Moloney
- N by Paddy Keenan
- No Songs by Martin Carthy And Dave Swarbrick
- Past Masters Of Irish Fiddle Music by Various Artists
- Patrick Kelly From Cree : Fiddle Music by Patrick Kelly
- Rattle The Boards by John Nugent, Benny McCarthy And Pat Ryan
- Real Reels Of Ireland by Various Artists
- Remember Des Donnelly by Des Donnelly
- Return To Inis Mor by Joe Derrane
- Rogha Scoil Samhraidh Willie Clancy 2007 by Various Artists
- Sean McGuire Plays by Sean Maguire
- Seán Ryan CD1 by Sean Ryan
- Seoltai Seidte (Setting Sail) by Various Artists
- Set On Stone by The Kilfenora Ceili Band
- Sligo Fiddle (Disk 1) by John Vesey
- Stanley And Grimm, Another Round by Stanley And Grimm
- Stepping Up: English Country Dance Music by Various Artists
- Sweeney's Dream by Kevin Burke
- The Breeze From Erin by Various Artists
- The Celebrated Recordings by John Doherty
- The Classic Recordings Of Michael Coleman by Michael Coleman
- The Early Recordings Of Angus Chisholm by Angus Chisholm
- The Enduring Magic by Michael Coleman
- The Fiddler's Friend by Barbara MacDonald Magone
- The Floating Bow (Traditional Fiddle Music From Donegal) by John Doherty
- The Gravel Walks: The Fiddle Music Of Mickey Doherty by Mickey Doherty
- The Irish Music Anthology (40 Classic Songs, Jigs And Reels) by Various Artists
- The Lark In The Clear Air by Geraldine O'Grady
- The Morning Mist by Joe Burke
- The Quiet Glen by Tommy Peoples
- The Return From Fingal by Seamus Ennis
- The Sligo Champion (CD 2) by Michael Gorman
- The Spirit Of West Clare by Bobby Casey
- The The Early Recordings Of Angus Chisholm by Angus Chisholm
- The Traditional Album by The Barra MacNeils
- Third Flight Home by Simon Thoumire And David Milligan
- Traditional Fiddle Music From Donegal by Frank Cassidy
- Traditional Irish Dance Music by All Star Ceilidhe Band
- Traditional Irish Dance Music: All Star Ceili Band by Joe Derrane
- Traditional Irish Fiddle Music by Vincent Griffin
- Traditional Irish Music Played On The Uilleann Pipes by Robbie Hannan
- Traditional Music From Cape Breton by Various Artists
- Traditional Music Of Ireland by Joe Burke
- Traditional Music Of Ireland And The Bucks Of Oranmore by Joe Burke And Charlie Lennon
- Traditional Music Of Ireland, Vol. 1 by Sean Ryan
- Traditionally Yours by Winston 'Scotty' Fitzgerald
- Volume One by Sean Maguire
- Wake by Finnegan's AWake
- Wind And Reeds by Paudie O'Connor And John O'Brien
X: 1
T: Bonnie Kate
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
R: reel
K: Dmaj
||:dB| A2dA (3Bcd AF | DFAF EA,CE | DFAF GBed | cABc d2 dB |
A2dA BdAF | DFAF EGFE | DFAF GBed | cABc d2 :||
|: fg | (3aba fd Adfa | (3gag ec Acef | ~g3f gbag | fgef d2 ef |
(3aba fd Adfa | (3gag ec Acef | ~g3f gbag | fgef d2 :||
Bonnie Kate
This is one of my favorite tunes, it lends itself to gigantic amounts of variation. I left out the variations as this would be the standard session setting of it. Some of the variations would be as follows
for the first three bars of the A part (including the pickup bar)
1a. Bd | (3dcB (3cBA BGAF | (3GFE (3FED EA,CE ...
2a. BD | (3ded (3cdc (3BcB (3ABA | (3GAG (3FGF EA,CE ...
3a. dB | AF (3FFF DF (3FFF | AF (3FFF EA,CE ...
4a. dB | dcde fdBA | DFAF EA,CE ...
For the first bars of the "high" or "B" part
2a. ad(3ddd bd(3ddd | ad(3ddd cdef | ~g3f gbag | fgef d2 |
2b. ad(3ddd bd(3ddd | ad(3ddd cdef | g=c(3ccc ac(3ccc | g=c(3ccc cdef | ~g3f gbag | fgef d2 ||
Coleman made a famous recording of this & played it in the following order. Treating each variation as a four bar part
A (as noted in the abc's one time through)
A
1a
3a
B (as noted in the ABC's one time through)
B
B
B
3a
1a
2a
3a
2b
2b
2b
2b
2a
3a
3a
4a
2b
2b
2b
2b/ ===>Jennie's Chicken's
Burke played the B-Part like 3b, which is fresh sounding but changes the acc. chord to "C" instaed of "G" so you should warn your guitarist/bouzouki/piano etc.
Weird notes I know but feel free to send me an email if you have any questions.
I've heard many accordian players who play for feisanna play this as a single reel with none of the Coleman variations. Which I think is more suited to a session as well, you never know when your going to go to different variations & muddy up the sound. But It's a great showpiece nonetheless.
Bye for now - B
# Posted on June 11th 2002 by B Rad
Whistle Players
Oh yeah, instead of the EA,CE phrase you can play EGFE (like the second time around the posted setting) & it works just fine. I got that one from Paddy Keenan's pipes.
# Posted on June 11th 2002 by B Rad
Jaysus, Brad. Can you just record an mp3 of it and put it up somewhere so I can figure this out without giving myself a royal headache?
Zina
# Posted on June 11th 2002 by Zina Lee
Update on my web-page
If you go to my web page at
http://www.geocities.com/brad_maloney2000
I just updated it with an mp3 of Michael Coleman's setting of Bonnie Kate/Jennie's chickens. I'll be changing up the artist every month (or thereabouts) so get t while you can.
The direct url to Fiddler of the month is
http://www.geocities.com/brad_maloney2000/fiddlermonth.html
have fun
# Posted on June 16th 2002 by B Rad
Bonnie Kate - variation by Sean Ryan
I've recently come across a sheetmusic transcription (dated I think sometime before 1975) of Sean Ryan's recording of Bonnie Kate on Avoca 33-AV-121, including all his ornamentation. I haven't heard the recording so I don't know how fast he took it or what other instruments were involved. Perhaps a collector of old records can provide this information? Anyway, here is the Sean Ryan version converted into abc:
T:Bonnie Kate
R:reel
M:4/4
L:1/8
K:D
dB||:A2dA (3 Bcd AF|DF AF EA, CE|DF AF GB ed|(3 cBA Bc ~d3 B|!
AF (3 FFF DF (3 FFF|dF (3 FFF EA, CE|DF AF GB ed|(3 cBA Bc dc dB|!
Ad ~d2 fd AF|(3 GFE (3FED EA, CE|DF AF GB ed|(3 cBA Bc dc dB|!
AF (3 FFF DF (3 FFF|dF (3 FFF EA, CE|DF AF GB ed|(3 cBA Bc de fg||!
{ab}a2 fd Ad fa|~g3e cd ef|g2 {a}gf gb ag|fg fe de fg|!
{ab}a2 fd Ad fa|gf ed cd ef|g2 {a}gf gb ag|fg fe de fg|!
{ab}a2 fd Ad fa|gf ed cd ef|g2 {a}gf gb ag|fg fe de fg|!
{ab}a2 fd AD FA|gf ed cd ef|gf ed cb ag|fg fe dc Bc||!
(3 dcB (3 cBA BA GF|(3 GFE (3FED EA, CE|DF AF GB ed|(3 cBA Bc dc dB|!
AF (3 FFF DF (3 FFF|dF (3 FFF EA, CE|DF AF GB ed|(3 cBA Bc dc Bc|!
(3 dcB (3 cBA BA GF|(3 GFE (3FED EA, CE|DF AF GB ed|(3 cBA Bc dc dB|!
AF (3 FFF DF (3 FFF|dF (3 FFF EA, CE|DF AF GB ed|(3 cBA Bc de fg||!
ad (3 ddd ad bd|ad (3 ddd cd ef|g2 {a}gf gb ag|fg fe de fg|!
ad (3 ddd ad bd|ad (3 ddd cd ef|gf ed cb ag|fg fe de fg|!
ad (3 ddd ad bd|ad (3 ddd cd ef|g2 {a}gf gb ag|fg fe de fg|!
ad (3 ddd ad bd|ad (3 ddd cd ef|gf ed cb ag|fg fe dg fe||
# Posted on October 8th 2002 by Trevor Jennings
The Bonny Lass Of Fisherrow
This was written by Scottish composer Daniel (or Donald) Dow (1732-83). I prefer the original version which is a single reel in C major entitled "The Bonny Lass Of Fisherrow". It's one of those Scottish tunes the Irish should have just left the way it was IMO. The original has a nice flingy feel to it which I feel that the Irish version has lost:
X:1
T:The Bonny Lass Of Fisherrow
M:4/4
L:1/8
R:reel
K:Cmaj
|:A|GEcG AcGE|CEGE D2DA|GEGc AFAc|BdGB c2c:|
f|ecgc egca|gcec defa|gceg fadf|egde c2cf|
ecgc egca|gcec defd|cAFc BdGf|egde c2c||
# Posted on November 15th 2004 by Dr. Dow
Another setting in the same key:
X:1
T:The Bonny Lass Of Fisherrow
M:4/4
L:1/8
R:reel
K:Cmaj
|:A|GEcG AcGE|CEGE D2DA|GEGc AFAc|BdGB c2c:|
f|ecgc ecca|gcec defa|gceg fagf|egde c2cf|
ecgc ecca|gcec defd|cFAc BAGf|egde c2c||
# Posted on November 15th 2004 by Dr. Dow
I bet you didn't know that I live in Fisherrow. It's the part of Musselburgh on the west side of the River Esk just as you leave Edinburgh(it's more or less a continuation). It used to be a busy fishing port and the "bonny lass" was probably one of the "fisher lasses" who worked at the harbour. The fishing days have gone now and the boats now work from Port Seton a few miles down the coast. The harbour is still used but it's more like a marina nowadays with lots of small yachts.
I have played this tune myself but it's not too common in Scottish sessions. I've not tackled the Irish version as yet.
# Posted on November 15th 2004 by Johnny Jay
John, wow! I didn't know where the place actually was. I'm going to introduce this to the people at my session. They're always looking for cool settings of common tunes, like Micho Russell's Mason's Apron, Coleman's Merry Blacksmith, Maid Behind The Bar in C, Sally Gardens in D, Pigeon on the Gate in G, that sort of thing. They'll love this one.
# Posted on November 16th 2004 by Dr. Dow
At the moment, you can listen to Brian Conway play this reel on his Myspace page: http://www.myspace.com/brianconwayfiddle
# Posted on August 2nd 2008 by slainte
Bonnie Kate
Slightly more relaxed fiddle playing of the reel by Maeve Flanagan: http://www.myspace.com/maeveflanagan
She's Brian Conway's niece, I believe.
# Posted on August 2nd 2008 by slainte
ok - here's the mighty Liz C launching into it
http://www.youtube.com/user/paulgoelz#p/u/8/UqoE5wu6svU
# Posted on May 13th 2011 by domhnall.
....at about 13:27
# Posted on May 13th 2011 by domhnall.