Two hornpipes: my own compositions, for which I am willing to take any blame or credit that is due. The first one, The Planet Hornpipe, is new. I wrote the second one a few years ago; it's in B flat, not a usual key for Irish music, so it might be a bit contrary on some instruments.
I used a 1919 Gibson A2 mandolin for this recording.

Planet Hornpipe/The Contrary Man

After a long break, a couple more tunes - two reels this time, played on a 2013 Weber Gallatin 'A' mandolin.
The first tune was recorded by Kevin Burke and Jackie Daly on their classic album "Eavesdropper". "Andy McGann's" is the name they gave it, though it was possibly written by John McGrath (1900-1955), a fiddle player from Mayo. McGrath emigrated to the US in the 1920s; he wrote many tunes.
The second tune I think I first heard played by Siobhan Peoples at a session in Clare some years ago. It's also known as 'The Creel of Perches', which makes more sense. If I had perches I wouldn't put them in a crib.


Andy McGann's / The Crib of Perches

Musician : Dave Lees - Instrument: Paul Shippey "Tone" mandolin (2016) - Titles: The Fisherman's Island / The Fermoy Lasses
Two Irish reels played on a brand new Paul Shippey mandolin. This is a great mandolin, and has given my enthusiasm for playing a huge boost.
The first reel is one of the many tunes composed by Ed Reavy (1898-1988) a fiddle player born in Co. Cavan who emigrated to the USA at a young age. The second is a traditional tune that's been around for a very long time. 

The Fisherman's Island / The Fermoy Lasses

Musician : Dave Lees - Instrument: Paul Shippey "Tone" mandolin (2016) - Titles: Are We Nearly There Yet? / The Black Fort
 - These jigs are my own compositions, for better or for worse. They were both written a few years ago. 
The Black Fort (Dún Dúchathair) is on Inis Mór, one of the Aran Islands.

Are We Nearly There Yet? / The Black Fort

Musician : Dave Lees - Instrument: Paul Shippey "Tone" mandolin (2016) - Titles: An Comhra Donn / Cronin's
- I've known these tunes for so many years I don't remember any more where I got them. The second one in particular is a very common tune in sessions. 

An Comhra Donn / Cronin's

Title: Contentment is Wealth - Musician: Dave Lees - Instrument: Mandolin made by Andy Tobin

Contentment is Wealth

Title: The Durrow Reel/The Virginia Reel - Musician: Dave Lees - Instrument: Mandolin made by Stefan Sobell

To give credit where it is due: Since posting this I have discovered that the first reel was composed by Irish-American accordion player John Nolan of New York. Apparently he called the tune 'The Boogie'. I learned it from a recording of concertina player Terry Bingham and it is listed as The Durrow Reel on that disc.

Durrow Reel/Virginia Reel

Title: Kit O'Mahony's - Musician: Dave Lees - Instrument: Mandolin made by Stefan Sobell

Kit O'Mahony's

Titles: Caisleán an Oir/The Hills of Coore - Musician: Dave Lees - Instrument: Gibson A2 mandolin (1919)

These two hornpipes were written by Martin 'Junior' Crehan (1908-1998), a fiddle player from west Clare who wrote a number of tunes that have passed into the tradition.
Caisleán an Oir is known in English as The Golden Castle.

Caislean an Oir/The Hills of Coore

Titles: The Silver Spire/Paddy Fahey's Reel - Musician: Dave Lees - Instrument: Gibson A2 mandolin (1919)

Two reels again, both quite well-known in the tradition. The second one was composed by the influential east Galway fiddle player Paddy Fahey, born in 1926. He has not given titles to his tunes, so there are a quite a lot of tunes now known as "Paddy Fahey's".

This isn't an error-free performance, but there's only one moment that really makes me cringe.

Dave Lees

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