%% Some transcriptions of Donegal fiddlers %% %% November 20, 2000 version. Check back at %% http://www.geocities.com/Athens/6464/hmpg.html %% for more recent versions. %% %% As with all ABCs you find online, BEWARE! These are my own transcriptions %% (with two exceptions), and needless to say, they are not perfect, nor are %% they notated consistently. While by habit I try to be careful and notate %% most ornaments, in fact some tunes (particularly the Neilly Boyle tunes) are %% VERY carefully notated, and some others are much less so. I hope few people %% learn these tunes from these ABCs; I think you should usually learn by ear. %% I do hope that you get an idea of what the Donegal style is like based on %% these transcriptions -- some elements of style actually do come out, %% particularly if you're familiar with "southern" versions of these tunes. %% %% These transcriptions are all or almost all from Donegal fiddlers, but they %% are not all necessarily Donegal tunes (you could say that they are Donegal %% versions of the tunes, in most cases, though). James Byrne, John Doherty, %% Mickey Doherty, Neilly Boyle, and others are represented. %% %% I used a Marantz half-speed tape recorder to transcribe and learn these %% (and many other) tunes. %% %% While I have had help naming tunes and with a few of the transcriptions, %% all errors are mine, and I hope you will report them to me at %% lsanger@nupedia.com. %% %% --Larry Sanger X:5 T:The Dawn R:reel S:James Byrne -- session tape from 1987 M:4/4 K:A A,2CE D2FA|E2CE ABcA|BE(3EEE dEcE|BdcB AFEC| A,2CE D2FD|E2CE ABce|fefg afed|1 (3cec Be cAA2:|2 (3cec Be cAAg|| abga fece|fbbg agfa|(3gfe be (3gfe be|ac'ec' aefg| abga fece|dcBc defg|(3aba gb afec|1 dcBe cAAg:|2 dcBe cAA2|| X:10 T:The Green Mountain R:reel S:Neillidh Boyle 78 rpm recording Z:Transcribed by Larry Sanger M:2/4 K:D dB|:AF~F2 AF[EA,2]F|[DG,2]F~F2 [AF]Bde|fd~d2 edBd|[eA]d[fd]d edBd| AF[~F2G,2] EF~F2|EDFB [eA]Bde|f[fd]~d2 efdB|A[AF][AE]F {DF}D2cd| AF~F2 [AE]DFE|[DA,2]F[AE]F [eA]Bde|f[fd]~d2 edBd|Adfd edBd| AF~F2 [.EA]z~F2|[DA,2]F[AE]F [eA]Bde|fd~d2 efdB|A[AF][AE][AF] [D2G,4] .g/g/g|| fgab afdf|~g2gb afe[fd]|fB~B2 [AD2]Bde|~f2fe dB{d}BB| Aa{b}aa ^gbaf|defd {f}e2de|fd~d2 efdB|AFEF [D2G,4]~g2 fa~a2 ba(3a^ga|^gaba fdde|fB~B2 {d}B2de|~f2fe dB{d}BB| Aa{b}aa ^gbaf|defd {f}e2de|fd~d2 efdB|AFEF {DF}D2cd|| X:15 T:James Byrne's Reel R:reel S:James Byrne on a radio program Z:Roughly transcribed by Larry Sanger M:4/4 K:D ||FDFA BdAc|dAFA BGEG|FDFA BABc|dBAG FGEF| [D2D2]FA BAFA|dAFA BGEG|FAAF GBec|dBAG FDDc|| defd adfd|defd BAFA|.d/.d/.c df Adfa|gfeg fddc| decd Adfb|afdf e^def|gfgb fefa|.e/.f/.g fe dBAG|| X:20 T:Jenny Picking Cockles R:reel C:Traditional S:Neillidh Boyle A:Dungloe, Co. Donegal, Ireland Z:Transcribed by Larry Sanger from a tape of the old 78 rpm record of N. Boyle. M:C| K:C ~g2||fagf dc~c2|Bcde {a}fe{a}+A2.f2+|~g2fg dc~c2|Acfc AG~G2|[G,G]B~g2 dc~c2|Bcde {a}fe{a}[A2.f2]|~g2fg dc~c2|Acfc AG~G2|[G,G]B~g2 dc~c2|Bcde {a}fe{a}[A2.f2]|~g2fg dc~c2|Acfc AG~G2|[G,G]B~g2 dc~c2|Bcde {a}fe{a}[A2.f2]|~g2fg dc~c2|Acfc AG~G2||:\ K:G |:dg~g2 bgag|fd~d2 [df]d[dg][df]|[d2g2][dg][df] gbag|fdcd BG~G2|dg~g2 bgag|~f2ga fddg|bg~a2 gfga|fdcA [G,G]B~g2:| X:25 T:The Man From Bundoran R:reel N:This is *close* to the version played by Pat Kelly (son of the eponymous N:man from Bundoran) Z:John M. O'Hara M:C| L:1/8 K:D dc | BE (3EEE BEdE | BE (3EEE BcdB |cA (3AAA cAeA |(3Bcd ef e2dc | BE (3EEE BEdE | BEdE BcdB |cA (3AAA cAeA | (3Bcd ef e2 |] cA | f2fe dcBA | Affe d2de | f2fe fgaf | ecAc egfe | f2fe dcBA | fgfe d2de | f2fe fgaf | ecAc e2 |] X:30 T:Marry When You're Young R:reel S:John Doherty N:The C in the 4th, 8th, 12th, and 16th appears to be in between C natural N:and C sharp. Fiddlers should know what I'm talking about. The second four N:asures of each part present variations on the first four that John N:playe N:but he didn't necessarily play them in this order. D:John Doherty, The Star of Donegal, Folktracks 75 Z:Transcribed by Larry Sanger M:C L:1/8 K:D F2FE FGAG|Ad{e}dc d2ea|fded cABd|=cAGE D/D/D DE| F/F/F {G}FE FGAG|Ad{e}dc d2eg|fded cABd|=cAGE FDDg|| {fg}f2ed cAAg|fdec dfag|{fg}f2ed cABd|=cAGE D/D/D Dg| {fg}f2ed cAAg|fdec dfeg|{fg}f2ed cABd|=cAGE FDDE|| X:35 T:Miss Kelly's Fancy R:reel S:Mickey Doherty Z:Larry Sanger M:C| K:D GBBA BEEc|BEBd AGFD|GBBA BEEf|gafg edBA:| Bee^d egfe|(3ddd fd adfd|g2{a}gf gbag|fagf edBA:| G~B3 G~B3|G~B3 AGFD|G~B3 GBEf|gafg edBA:| Bee^d egfe|(3ddd fd adfd|g2{a}gf gbag|fagf edBA| Bbbb Baaa|Bgge dBAd:| X:40 T:The Moving Clouds R:reel C:Neilly Boyle S:as played by Neilly Boyle, except for the 3rd part, which is S:a more simplified (!) and less chaotic version from Martin McGinley N:This is the original title (not "The Moving Cloud") D:A 1945 performance by Neilly Boyle Z:Larry Sanger M:C| L:1/8 K:C CFAF DFAF|CFAF EFAF|G2BG dGBG|~G2Ac BGFD| CFAF DFAF|CFAF EFAF|Gc~c2 defd|1 gfdc AGFD:|2 gfdc Bcde|| ~f2ga fc~c2|Bcfc AGFD|Gg~g2 fgag|~g2fa gfde| ~f2ga fc~c2|fcfc AGFD|Gc~c2 defd|1 gfdc Bcde:|2 gfdc A^GAB|| c2ac caBc|acca Bcac|d2_bd d_b^cd|_bdd_b ^cd_bd| c2ac caBc|acca Bcac|Bcac a_bag|1 fdcA [F3A3]B:|2 fdcA [F3A3]D|| X:45 T:The Old Cameronian R:reel S:John Doherty Z:First time through tune; second and third similar but Z:have some variations; transcribed by Larry Sanger M:C| L:1/8 K:Flyd cF F/F/F cFdF|cFEF CFAc|BG^FG DGBG|[1 DGBd c_BAB:|[2 DGBd c_BAG|| Fffg fdcA|FAfg fdce|dg^fg bgag|dg^fg bgag| dcde fdcA|Ffeg fde^f|g/a/g dg g/a/g dg|bgag fafd|| X:50 T:The Three Merry Sisters R:reel S:This is *close* to Mickey Doherty's version Z:John M. O'Hara and Larry Sanger M:C| L:1/8 K:EDor dc |: BE~E2 BdcA | BE~E2 BEFA | BE~E2 BdcA | dD (3FED ADFA | BE~E2 BEcE | BE~E2 BEFE | Dddc dfeg | fdec dBAd :| B2ec d2cA | Beed BAFA | (3BBB ec d2cA |~B3c dAFA | B2ec d2cA | Beec defg | afge fded |1 ~B3c dAFA :|2 ~B3c dF~F2 |] Edcd BdAd |BE~E2 BEFD | Edcd BdAc | dD (3FED ADFA | Bdcd B{d}BAd |BE~E2 BEFE | Dddc dfeg |1 fdec dBAF :|2 fdec dBAd |] X:55 T:An Tseanbhean Bhocht T:The "Shan Van Vocht" Reel R:reel S:John Doherty D:The Star of Donegal (Folktracks 075) Z:Close but not fastidiously exact transcription; Doherty plays the tune Z:through twice. Transcribed by Larry Sanger. M:4/4 K:G |:BG G/G/G AEGE|DEGA BAAc|BG G/G/G AEGE|DEGA BGGA:| Bddg edgd|Bdgd eAAc|Bddg edgd|B/c/B Ac BGGc| Bddg edgd|Bdgd eAAc|Bdef g/a/b ge|dBge dADc|| X:60 T:The Wexford Lasses R:reel S:James Byrne N:From a tape of James Byrne Z:Transcribed by Larry Sanger M:4/4 L:1/8 K:D dcdA BFAF|EBeg fdec|dzcA BdAF|GBAG FDDA| dcdA BFAF|EBeg fdec|defd cdec|dBAG FDDg|| fedc dfaf|gfga bgeg|fd{e}dc dfaf|g/a/b eg fddg| fedc dfaf|gfgb agef|g/g/g fa gbag|fgef dgfe|| X:65 T:The Wheels of the World R:reel C:trad S:Danny O'Donnell, "The Donegal Fiddler" Z:Larry Sanger; first time through tune M:C| K:C dc|:AD F/E/D GcAG|EC ~C2 EFGc|AD F/E/D EGAd|fedc Acdc|AD F/E/D GcAG| EC C/C/C EFGc|AddB cBAG|1 E[EC][EC]E [A,2D2] cB:|2 E[EC][EC]E D2A2|| K:D dcdf afdf|e=cgc acgc|d^cdf afdf|e=cce d2A2| d^cdf adfd|=cBce gceg|abag eg~g2|fage dAB^c| d/d/d fd adfd|=c/c/c ec gcec|d^cdf afdf|e=cce d2A2| d^cdf adfd|=cBce gcec|abag efge|fage d2| X:70 T:Hopping Biddy R:highland C:Traditional S:Mickey Doherty M:C K:D d2||B>d {Bc}B>A Bg|ed ed {Bc}B>A Bf|{a}g>e dA| B>d {Bc}B>A Bg|ed e>d ed {Bc}B>A Bf|{a}g>e dE|| A2 a2 {b}a>f e>d|e>d Bd (3Bcd e>a|{ga}g>e df e>d|{ef}e>d Bd (3Bcd f>a|{ga}g>e dA|| {Bc}"2nd time around" B>A {c}B>G Bg|ed eA {c}B>G Bf|{a}g>e dA| {Bc}B>A {c}B>G Bg|ed e>d eA {c}B>G Bf|{a}g>e df e>d|eA {Bc}B2 d>B|A2 a2 {b}a>f e>d|{ga}g>e df e>d|ee {Bc}B2 d2|e>g d>A Ba|{ga}g>e dA|| "3rd time around" B>A {c}B>G Bg|ed e>d eA {c}B>G Bf|{a}g>e dA| {Bc}BA {c}B>G Bg|ed e>d eA {c}B>G Bf|{a}g>e df e>d|eA {Bc}B2 d>B|A2 a2 {b}a>f e>d|{ga}g>e df e>d|eA {Bc}B2 d2|{ef}e2 e>d ca|{ga}g>e dA|| {Bc}"4th and last time around" B>A {c}B>G Bg|ed e>d eA {c}Bf|{a}g>e dA| {Bc}BA {c}B>G Bg|ed e>d eG Bf|{a}g>e df e>d|eA {Bc}B2 d>B|A2 a2 {b}a>f e>d|{ga}g>e df e>d|eA {Bc}B2 d2|{ef}e2 e>d ca|{ga}g>e dg|b>g B2 g2|f>e Ac e>g|fd F2 {Ac}A2| d2 f2 a>g|b>g B2 g2|f>e A>c e>c|1 d4 {Ac}A2:|2 d4 AF|| {DF}D2 F>A d>f|a2 g>d B/c/d|g2 f>d A/B/d|f2 dA F>E| {DF}D2 F>A d>f|a2 gd B/c/d|g2 f>d A>d|1 F>A d2 F>E:|2 F>A d2|| X:120 T:The Marino Waltz R:waltz C:John Sheahan of The Dubliners S:John Gallagher N:John Gallagher slides up to the first g's and from the f to the e in N:the first part of the tune, and from F sharp to F nat. in the second part N:of the tune. John Gallagher is a great fiddler from Adara, Co. Donegal. N:He said that this waltz was the most popular waltz in Ireland at that time N:(when he played it on the tape). A:Not a Donegal tune D:The Dubliners, "Celebration" Z:Transcribed by Larry Sanger M:3/4 K:G |:Jg2 d2 B2|F4 B2|E4 c2|D6|C2 D2 E>G-|F2 D2 A2|G2 D2 B2|A6| Jg2 d2 B2|F4 f2-|Je2 d2 c2|E4 e2|d2 c3 A|F4 B2|G6|1 Gd ^cd ef:|2 G6|| |:D2 E2 F2|G2 A2 _B2|=B6|F4- J=F2|E6|c4 E2|G4 F>E|F6| C2 D2 E>G-|F2 D2 A2|G2 D2 d2|e4 d2|^c2 A2 F2|D4 B2|G6|1 G6:|2 Gd ^cd ef|| X:125 T:My Love Is Like a Red Red Rose R:march S:From a tape of Con Cassidy of unknown provenance N:Sounds as much like a polka as a march Z:Rough transcription by Larry Sanger M:2/4 L:1/8 Q:120 K:G |:G2 Bd|g>a gd|e>d eg|a>g ab|G2 Bd|g>a gd|ee/e/ fd|1 gd BA:|2 g2 gd|| |:gb ag|eg de/f/|gb db|a2 ad|gb ag|eg dg|ee/e/ fd|1 g2 gd:|2 g2 dB|| X:130 T:The Ballykett R:reel S:Dermot McLaughlin Z:Transcription by Larry Sanger M:4/4 Q:124 K:D "first time" d/d/d AG FDDF|GG=cG EFGB|d/d/d AG FD .E/.F/.G|Adce dgfe| dcAG FDDF|GG=cG EFGB|dcAG FD E/F/G|Adce dfed|| cdef gfge|a{b}afa gfed|cdeg .f/.a/.f ec|[Ae]d{e}dc dfed| cdef {a}g{f}gfg|abaf {a}gefg|.a/.a/.A gA fAec|Ad d/d/d dgfe|| "second time" dcAG FDDF|GG=cG EFGB|ddAG FD E/F/G|Ad{e}dc defe| dcAG FDDF|G/G/G BG EFGB|d/d/d AG FD E/F/G|Ad{e}dc dfed|| cdef g2fg|abaf {a}gfed|cdeg .f/.a/.f eg|fdec dfed| cdef {a}g2fg|abaf gefg|a/a/a ga faec|Ad d/d/d defe|| "third time" dcAG FDDF|G/G/G BG EFGB|ddAG FD .E/.F/.G|Ad{e}dc de{g}fe| dcAG FDDF|E=ccE [dE]EcE|dBAG FD E/F/G|Ad{e}dc dfed|| cA A/A/A g{a}gfg|abaf {a}gfed|[ce]e[Ae]g faec|[Ae]d{e}dc dfed| [ce]e[Ae]f {a}g2fg|abaf gefg|.a/.b/a g/a/g f2ec|Ad{e}dc dgfe|| "fourth time" dcAG FDDF|G/G/G =cG EFGB|ddAG FD E/F/G|Ad{e}dc defe| dcAG FDDF|G/G/G BG EFGB|dcAG FD E/F/G|Ad{e}dc dfed|| cdef ggfg|abaf gfed|cdeg f/f/f ec|Ad{e}dc dfed| cA A/A/A gA A/A/g|abaf gefg|a/a/a ga faec|Ad d/d/d [dD]gfe|| "fifth time" dcAG FDDF|GABG EFGB|dcAG FD .E/.F/.G|Ad{e}dc defe| dcAG FDDF|G2=cG EFGB|d{e}dAG FD .E/.F/.G|Ad{e}dc dfed|| cA A/A/A g{a}gfg|abaf gfed|cdeg fdec|Ad{e}dc dfed| cdef g{a}gfg|abaf gefg|a/a/a ga faec|Ad d/d/d [dD]gfe|| "sixth time" dcAG FDDF|GG=cG EF[GG,]B|d{e}dAG FD .E/.F/.G|Adce dgfe| dcAG FDDF|GE=cE [dE]EcE|dcAG [FA]ADF|Adce dgfe|| [ce]e[Ae]f g2fg|aaaf gfed|[ce]e[Ae]g faec|Ad d/d/d dgfe| cdef gg f/f/g|abaf {a}g2fg|a/a/a gg f2ec|Ad{e}[dD][cD] [d4D4]|| X:135 T:Gan Ainm R:double jig S:Dermot McLaughlin Z:Transcribed by Larry Sanger. Not exact, but close to the first time through. M:6/8 K:G dBG GBd|ece gfe|dBG DGB|c/c/c B ABc| dBG GBd|ece gfe|dBG DGB|(3ABA F GBc:| dBd g2b|agf efg|dBG DGB|c/c/c B ABc| dBd gbg|agf efg|dBG DGB|(3ABA F GBc:| dBd gfg|ece gfg|dBG DGB|c/c/c B ABc| dBd gfg|ece gfe|dBG DGB|(3ABA F GBc:|