Martin O Connor Cordal is one of the rare remaining pupils still playing fiddle . Here he is joined by a great young fiddler Seán Michael Redican  from Tralee ..

Martin O Connor Cordal Pupil Of Padraig O Keeffe And Sean Michael Redican Tralee

Con Moynihan, Sean Abeyta, Mick Culloty, Colleen Freeman at Fagins Bar

John Brosnan- Master Box Player - Concert Set From Scartaglin

Brothers Paddy and Willie O Connell from Cordal were 2 of Pádraig O Keeffe’s pupils and were hugely influential to many younger musicians in the Castleisland area , generous with their manuscripts and tunes to anyone who called.

The Long Note

Pigeon on the Gate

We mark 10 years today MARCH 15  since Paddy died with these rare recordings found on a cassette tape which was recorded by Kathy Fitzgerald during the Willie Clancy week 1997 in Miltown Malbay

On behalf of Kerry ETB we wish WFD Scartaglin Committee the best of luck with the project proposal.
 
It is important to highlight and protect our musical heritage.
 
It is especially important to support a Voluntary Committee who are endeavoring to save recordings that are at risk of being lost or deteriorating.
 
The next generation will undoubtedly benefit from their hard work and dedication.
 
Kevin Fay AEO June 2023

Paddy Cronin 1997 Recorded In A Bar In Miltown Malbay By Kathy Fitzgerald

Colleen Freeman

Nora Rice Song

Nollaig Ní Laoire

Notes Paul De Grae
This is the tenth and final set of Denis Murphy tunes selected by Aidan Connolly for the fiddle recital on 18 May. I will shortly combine all ten sets into a booklet which will be available for free download as a .pdf or Word document; the booklet will contain additional text, photos, and links to the archive recordings of Denis Murphy from which these sets have been selected.

Soundcloud link to slow recording by Aidan is below; ABCs below also.



10. Reels: Sliabh Maol, The Game Cock.

Sliabh Maol, or Maol Mountain, is for some reason now called Barr an Bheithe ("high place of the birch"), anglicised as Baraveha; perhaps because it's now covered in conifer plantations and is no longer "maol" (bald). At 451m, it is the highest hill in the east Kerry area; in a valley on its flank rises the mighty Blackwater river. The blind fiddler Philip Walsh lived there, and may have composed this reel; Breandán Breathnach printed it as "Walsh's Reel" in "Ceol Rince na hÉireann", vol. 1, no. 70, from the fiddler Dennis Cronin. Whether Philip Walsh or not, whoever composed this reel somehow managed to make something fresh while using the much hackneyed opening gambit of some variant of a G major arpeggio.

The second tune is descended from the Scottish reel, "The Game Cock", in vol. 6 of James Aird's "Selections" (1803); that title is used in "Ceol Rince na hÉireann", vol. 4, no. 62 (as a slide) and vol. 5, no. 158, as a reel. The slide came, untitled, from the David Collins mss.; the reel was played for Breathnach by Denis Murphy and Mollie Myers Murphy (no relation: her husband Willie Murphy was a nephew of Tom Billy Murphy). The CRÉ transcription shows just two parts; the third part shown here differs only by one note from the first part, but is worth having anyway. Denis and Mollie played the parts in this order: A-B-C-B-A-B-C-B.

Jackie Daly composed a different third part, and christened the reel "The Bog Carrot"; he recorded it on the first Buttons and Bows album. "Sound as a bog carrot" is a phrase that Jackie heard used by Jackie Small (coincidentally the editor of vols. 4 and 5 of CRÉ). To avoid confusion, it seems useful to continue to use "The Game Cock" as the title for the version without Jackie Daly's third part.



Soundcloud link: https://soundcloud.com/pj-teahan-884614828/wfd-recital-2024-set-no-10?in=pj-teahan-884614828/sets/world-fiddle-day-recital-2024



Sliabh Maol

Key G (F#)

DEF | G- BG DGBG | DGBG D'BGB | AFDF ABCD' | E'F'G' F'A' G'E'D'B |

G- BG DGBE' | D'BGB D'- E'F' | G'- F'G' E'CAG | FED EF G- || (x 2)

E'F' | G'- B'G' D'G'B'G' | F'- A'F' D'F'A'F' | G'- B'G' D'G'B'G' | F'D'E'F' G'D'BD' |

G'- B'G' D'G'B'G' | F'- A'F' D'F'A'F' | B'G'A'F' G'F'E'D' | BCD' E'F' G'- || (x 2)



The Game Cock

Key D (F#, C#)

FAD'A BAD'A | BCD' AF E- E- | FAD'A BAD'A | BCD' AF D-- || (x 2)

F'- F'E' D'E'F'G' | A'F'D'F' E'- E'- | F'- F'E' D'E'F'E' | D'BAF D-- || (x 2)

BAD'A BAD'A | BCD' AF E- E- | FAD'A BAD'A | BCD' AF D-- || (x 2)

WFD Recital 2024: Set No 10

This is the ninth set of Denis Murphy tunes selected by Aidan Connolly for the fiddle recital on 18 May. Soundcloud link to slow recording by Aidan is below; ABCs below also.

9. Jigs: Rattle the Quilt, The Stick Across the Hob.

The first jig is another tune that Breandán Breathnach transcribed from Denis's playing in 1966; it is no. 53 in vol. 5 of "Ceol Rince na hÉireann". In that book Jackie Small writes: "Printed in Treoir, Vol. 2, number 3, p12, as 'Tom Billy's Jig', where there is a note with it: 'see Padraig Ó Caoimh's manuscript'." The book version lacks the third part shown here, which however is really just a variation on the first part.

"Rattle the Quilt" is a variant of "Apples in Winter", in a higher key; the first parts are more or less the same, the others less similar. Denis's nice four-part version of "Apples in Winter" is on the RTÉ CD of his music; it is similar to the version in "Ceol Rince na hÉireann", vol. 2, no. 33, from County Limerick fiddler James McEnery, titled "The Unfortunate Rake", which Breathnach said was Philip Walsh's setting; Walsh was a blind fiddler from Maol Mountain, near the Murphy home in Lisheen, the source of "Walsh's Hornpipe", among other tunes.

The second tune is a wonderful version of one of the best-known jigs in the repertoire, usually known as "Morrison's", because it was popularised by Sligo fiddling legend James Morrison on a 1936 recording made in New York. Morrison got it from a member of his band, accordion player Tom Carmody from Dromlought, near Listowel in North Kerry, who in turn had it from his father Maurice. Morrison recorded it as "Maurice Carmody's Favourite" (apparently one batch was mis-labelled "Maurice Comedy's Favourite"), but it was known in Kerry as "The Stick Across the Hob". Johnny O'Leary played a three-part version, basically the same as Denis's, which he got from Pádraig O'Keeffe in Lyons' pub in Scartaglin, and christened it "Lyons' Favourite"; it's in Terry Moylan's book of Johnny's music, no. 198. The three-part version is sometimes called "O'Keeffe's Morrison's", but Pádraig didn't have to go to Morrison for it; the tune never left Kerry.

The repeat of the second part is written out in full to show some variations. As before, long notes would be ornamented.

Soundcloud link: https://soundcloud.com/pj-teahan-884614828/played-slowly-wfd-recital-set-no-9?in=pj-teahan-884614828/sets/played-slowly-learn-the-sets



Rattle the Quilt

Key A minor (F#)

F' | E'AA G'F'G' | E'D'B BAB | G- A BAB | D'E'F' G'F'G' |

E'AA G'F'G' | E'D'B BAA | F'G'A'F' G'D'B | BAA A- || (x 2)

E'- A' A'G'E' | A'-- B'G'E' | G'A'E' G'D'B | GBD' G'-- |

E'A'A' E'A'A' | E'G'G' E'G'G' | D'E'F' G'F'G' | E'D'B AG'F' || (x 2)

E'- F' G'F'G' | E'D'B BAB | G-- BAB | D'E'F' G'F'G' |

E'D'E' G'F'G' | E'D'B BAA | F'G'A'F' G'D'B | BAA A-- || (x 2)



The Stick Across the Hob

Key E minor (F#)

Repeats written out in full

E-- B-- | ABB AFD | EDE B-- | E'BB AFD |

E-- B-- | ABB AFA | BAF ABD' | E'D'B AFD ||

E-- B-- | ABB AFD | EDE B-- | E'BB AFD |

E-- B-- | ABB AFA | BAF ABD' | E'D'B ABD' ||

E'F'E' E'F'A' | B'A'F' F'E'D' | BE'E' E'- F' | A'- F' D'F'A' |

B'-- A'- F' | E'F'E' D'E'F' | G'F'G' F'E'D' | BAB D'BA ||

BE'E' F'E'E' | B'E'E' F'E'D' | BE'E' E'- F' | A'- F' D'F'A' |

B'-- A'- F' | E'F'E' D'E'F' | G'- F' F'E'D' | BAB D'BA ||

G'-- F'-- | E'F'E' D'- E' | F'E'F' D'E'F' | E'D'B D'BA |

G'F'E' F'E'D' | E'D'B D'- E' | F'E'F' D'E'F' | E'D'B D'BA ||

G'-- F'-- | E'F'E' D'- E' | F'E'F' D'E'F' | E'D'B D'BA |

G'F'E' F'E'D' | E'D'B D'- E' | F'E'F' D'E'F' | E'D'B AFD || E-- ||

WFD Recital 2024 : Set No 9

Notes from Paul De Grae
This is the eighth set of Denis Murphy tunes selected by Aidan Connolly for the fiddle recital on 18 May. Soundcloud link to slow recording by Aidan is below; ABCs below also.



8. Reels: Quinn's, Dónal a' Phumpa.

Like "Quinn's Jig" in set 2, this first tune is most likely named after Seán Quinn, a flute player from Cordal who gave a lot of music to Pádraig O'Keeffe. An ornamented transcription of Denis's playing of it is in Breandán Breathnach's "Ceol Rince na hÉireann", vol. 2, no. 171; it is also in the Johnny O'Leary book, no. 12. In both of those settings, the tune finishes on a high D, which is nice. The tune also appears, untitled, in the book, "Trip to Sligo", page 107(b), so it is not solely a local tune.

It is closely related to "Craig's Reel", no. 488 in O'Neill's "Dance Music of Ireland", which in turn seems to have derived from the Scottish reel, "The Merry Lads of Foss", no. 61 in vol. 4 of Aird's "Selections", published in 1794. Jackie Daly recorded "Craig's Reel" on his "Many's a Wild Night" album.

Breathnach also transcribed the second tune from Denis, and it appears in vol. 5 of "Ceol Rince na hÉireann", no. 147. I don't know who Dónal with the pump was. There is a separate tune called "Dónal a' Clamper's Reel" (a version of "Patsy Tuohey's Favourite"), and I wonder if that was also meant to be the title of this one: the reference would be to Dónal or Daniel O'Sullivan, who owned the dancehall at Clamper where Jack "The Lighthouse" Connell, among others, played in the 1930s and '40s. Clamper Bridge crosses the Araglen river a few miles north of Kiskeam. The title of the polka, "The Shady Road to Clamper", refers to the same place. Or all that could be irrelevant.

In both tunes, many of the long notes (crotchets, or quarter-notes) would be ornamented, typically with a roll.



Soundcloud link: https://soundcloud.com/pj-teahan-884614828/played-slowly-wfd-recital-set-no-8?in=pj-teahan-884614828/sets/played-slowly-learn-the-sets



Quinn's Reel

Key D (F#, C#, except where marked natural, ♮, in final bar)

D- FA BAFA | D'F'E'D' BE E- | D- FA BAFA | D'BAG FGAF |

D- FA BAFA | D'F'E'D' BE E- | D- FA BAFA | D'BAG FD D- || (x 2)

D'- F'D' AD'F'D' | G'- F'G' E'B B- | D'- F'D' AD'F'D' | F'A'F' E'G' F'D' D'- |

D'- F'D' AD'F'D' | G'- F'G' E'B B- | F'G'F'E' D'CD'B | ABC♮ AG FA D- || (x 2)



Dónal a' Phumpa

Key G (F#)

GEED B- BA | GBD'B AGED | GEED B- BA | GBD'B A- G- |

GEED B- BA | GBD'B AGED | GB B- D'B B- | GBD'B A- G- ||

G'- F'G' E'AD'B | GABG AG E- | G'F'G'F' E'D'BD' | E'A'A'G' A'- G'- |

G'B'G'F' E'ABA | GABA AGED | GB B- D'B B- | GBD'B A- G- || (x 2)

WFD Recital 2024 : Set No 8

Notes from Paul De Grae
This is the seventh set of Denis Murphy tunes selected by Aidan Connolly for the fiddle recital on 18 May. Soundcloud link to slow recording by Aidan is below; ABCs below also.



7. Jigs: Have a Drink With Me, The Girl of the Big House.

The first tune is generally similar to the standard setting, but has a lovely variation in bar 4 of the first part. Francis O'Neill wrote of his setting, "I memorized [it] from my mother's lilting, and as far as I can learn had no circulation outside of my native locality, where unfortunately [it is] even now forgotten" (despite that, his setting is a near-duplicate of "Vaughan's Favourite" in "Ryan's Mammoth Collection", published in faraway Boston). The tune is in the Johnny O'Leary book in the key of A, and without that bar 4 variation, titled "Thade Janey Buckley's Favourite". It is arguably the origin of the tune to which "The Hole in the Bucket" is sung.

The second tune is in Breathnach's "Ceol Rince na hÉireann", vol. 2, no. 40, transcribed from Denis's playing. Julia's recording of it on "The Humours of Lisheen" is very similar. It's likely that they both got it from Tom Billy Murphy: the archaic style is his, and the four-notes-in-the-time-of three figure at the end, linking back to the start of the tune, is a characteristic Tom Billy flourish. This setting differs in several ways from those in O'Neill and Petrie. Petrie got it from PW Joyce, who called it "The Housekeeper"; Petrie described it as "a very characteristic specimen of the true old Irish jig, a very popular dance tune in the counties of Cork, Kerry and Limerick, in all of which it is considered to be very ancient, and to have been originally used as a march." There is another Kerry setting in the Goodman collection, broadly similar but with a third part not found elsewhere.



Soundcloud link: https://soundcloud.com/pj-teahan-884614828/played-slowly-wfd-recital-set-no-7?in=pj-teahan-884614828/sets/played-slowly-learn-the-sets

Have a Drink With Me

Key G (F#)

BAG EGD | EGD EGA | BAG BAG | EDB, A,B,D |

BAG EGD | EGD EGA | BD'B AGD | EGG G-- || (x 2)

GBD' E'- D' | E'F'G' B- A | GBD' E'- D' | E'A'A' A'G'A' |

B'A'G' A'G'F' | G'F'E' D'BG| B-- AGD | EGG G-- || (x 2)

The Girl of the Big House

Key D (F#, C# except twice where marked as natural, ♮ )

E | F- D G- E | A- D FED | EFA G- E | FED EDE |

FEF GFG | AGA CD'E' | D'CA GEA | DED D- || (x 2)

F | ABC♮ AGF | G-- GFG | A- B C♮AG | ABC D'- E' |

F'E'D' CAG | FAG FED | D'CA GEA | DED D- || (x 2)

last bar on repeat, linking back to start: | DEFA D'CAG ||

WFD Recital 2024 : Set No 7

Notes from Paul De Grae
This is the sixth set of Denis Murphy tunes selected by Aidan Connolly for the fiddle recital on 18 May. Soundcloud link to slow recording by Aidan is below; ABCs below also.



6. Slides: untitled, Art O'Keeffe's.

The first tune comes from a recording made when Cathal McConnell, Len Graham and Maura McConnell visited Denis in 1972. I have not yet been able to identify it; Aidan wonders if it might be a single jig that Cathal brought with him from Fermanagh. With luck, we might have some information on it before World Fiddle Day.

The second tune is named after a neighbour and good friend of Denis's from Lisheen, who was a singer and one of the last surviving members of the Lisheen fife-and-drum band with whom Denis's father Bill "The Waiver" played. There are several other slides named for him. This one is also in the Johnny O'Leary book, no. 345, as "Denis McMahon's Slide"; and it has also acquired the rather drawing-room title of "Echoes of Killarney". But "Art O'Keeffe's" is what it's called on the RTÉ CD of Denis Murphy. PW Joyce has a similar setting, but as a song air, "The Yellow Horse", in his "Old Irish Folk Music and Songs" (1909), from a manuscript "lent to me in 1873 by Mr. J. O'Sullivan, of Bruff, Co. Limerick."

Soundcloud link: https://soundcloud.com/pj-teahan-884614828/played-slowly-wfd-recital-set-no-6



Untitled slide

Key G (F#)

G'- E' | D'- B B- E' D'- B B- A | GBD' E'- F' G'-- G'- E' |

D'- B B- E' D'- B BAB | E'- C A- G A-- E'G'E' |

D'- B B- E' D'- B B- A | GBD' E'- F' G'-- G'- A' |

B'A'G' A'G'F' G'- F' E'- D' | E'F'G' D'- B A-- E'F'G' |

F'- D' E'D'B D'-- D'- G' | F'- D' E'D'B D'-- D'- B |

GBD' E'- F' G'A'G' F'- E' | D'E'D' CBA G-- G-- ||



Art O'Keeffe's

Key G (F#)

D | G-- G- A B- D' E'F'G'E' | D'- B BAB D'- B BAB |

GEG G- A B- D' E'F'G'E' | D'- B ABA G-- G-- || (x 2)

G'F'G' E'D'D' E'- F' G'- E' | D'- B BAB D'- B BAB |

G'F'G' E'D'D' E'- F' G'- E' | D'- B ABCA G-- G-- || (x 2)

WFD Recital 2024 : Set No 6

Notes - from  Paul De Grae
This is the fifth set of Denis Murphy tunes selected by Aidan Connolly for the fiddle recital on 18 May. Soundcloud link to slow recording by Aidan is below; ABCs below also.



5. Jigs: Duggan's Favourite, Sixpenny Money.

The first tune has that title in the Johnny O'Leary book; I have not found it anywhere else. Johnny got it from Mikey Duggan of Knockrour East, Scartaglin, a well-known fiddle player and one of Pádraig O'Keeffe's many former pupils. He also learned from Denis Murphy and from a neighbour, Eileen Spillane (concertina, fiddle), whose home was a rambling house, with storytelling and a half set in the evenings. Mikey died in 2012 at the age of 91. He was a major influence on fiddler Matt Cranitch and had a great store of tunes, which he shared generously. He received the 2006 Patrick O'Keeffe Traditional Music Festival Award for services to Sliabh Luachra music.

The second tune is a nice version of this well-known jig. The second D note shown in bar 3 of the first part is a variation on the repeat.

Soundcloud link: https://soundcloud.com/pj-teahan-884614828/played-slowly-wfd-recital-set-no-5?in=pj-teahan-884614828/sets/played-slowly-learn-the-sets



Duggan's Favourite

Key D (F#, C#)

A- F DFA | BE'E' BE'E' | D'- B AFA | BCD' E'D'B |

AFE DFA | BE'E' BE'E' | F'G'A'F' E'D'E' | F'D'D' D-- || (x 2)

F'G' | A'- F' D'F'A' | B'E'E' E'D'E' | F'E'F' D'F'A' | G'F'G' E'F'G' |

A'- F' D'F'A' | B'E'E' E'D'E' | F'G'A'F' E'D'E' | F'D'D' D-- || (x 2)



Sixpenny Money

Key D (F#, C#)

AFA D'AF | BAG FGE | DFA A(or D)FA | D'F'D' E'- D' |

AFA A- A | BAG FGE | DFA AFA | D'F'D' E'- D' || (x 2)

F'-- G'-- | A'F'D' E'CA | F'G'A'F' G'F'G' | A'F'D' E'D'E' |

F'-- G'-- | A'F'D' E'CB | ABA AFA | D'F'D' E'- D' || (x 2)

F'-- G'B'B' | (variation)

WFD 2024 Recital : Set No 5

Notes Paul De Grae 
This is the fourth set of Denis Murphy tunes selected by Aidan Connolly for the fiddle recital on 18 May. Soundcloud link to slow recording by Aidan is below; ABCs below also.

4. Reels: The Bucks of Oranmore, Colonel Fraser.

These are two of the "big reels" in the traditional repertoire, with plenty of opportunity for virtuoso displays of ornamentation and variation. For ease of reading, ornamentation is not shown in these transcriptions, but many of the crotchet notes (quarter notes, or for example "A-" in the ABCs) would be ornamented, usually with a roll. The parts are not doubled.

The first tune seems to be derived from the Scottish reel "The Bucks of Cranmore", named after a place in the Scottish Highlands; as with "The Lads of Leith/Laois", the similarity to Oranmore, in County Galway, accounts for the change in the title. The original two-part tune has been elaborated into more than one multi-part setting in the Irish tradition (as "The Bucks of Oranmore" and also as "The Leitrim Bucks", "The Killavil Bucks", etc.); there's a four-part setting in O'Neill, from the variation addict John McFadden. Denis's three-part setting probably came from Pádraig O'Keeffe: a very similar setting is transcribed from Pádraig's playing in David Lyth's book, "Bowing Styles in Irish Fiddle Playing", vol. 2.

There are conflicting stories as to who Colonel Fraser was, which need not detain us here; his tune also may be Scottish in origin, but it has been thoroughly Hibernicised by now, and there are quite a few versions in the Irish repertoire. Some are in mixolydian mode (with F natural), some in dorian mode (with F natural and B flat). Petrie had a three-part setting, "The Green Fields of Ireland", which he described as "A Connaught Reel". The four-part setting in O'Neill, again from McFadden, is broadly similar to what Denis Murphy played.

The Bucks of Oranmore

Key D (F#, C#)

D'B | A- FA A- D'B | A- FA BE E- | A- FA DAFA | ABD'E' F'E'D'B |

A- FA A- D'B | A- FA BE E- | A- FA DAFA| ABD'E' F'E'D'E' ||

F'- D'F' E'- D'E' | F'D'D'F' E'B B- | F'- D'F' E'- D'F' | E'F'G' F'G' E'D'BE'

F'- D'F' E'- D'E' | F'D'F'D' E'B B- | A'- A'F' A'- A'F' | E'- F'E' E'D'D'B ||

AD'F'D' E'D'F'D' | AD'F'D' E'B B- | AD'F'D' E'D'D'E' | F'G'A'G' F'D'D'B |

AD'F'D' E'D'F'D' | AD'F'D' E'B B- | A'- A'F' A'- A'F' | E'- F'E' E'D' D'- ||

Colonel Fraser

Key G (F#)

BG G- DG G- | ABCA BCD' CA | BGGF DGBD' | CAFA AG G- |

BG G- DG G- | ABCA BD'CA | BG G- DGAB | CAFA AG G- ||

D'G' G'- G'A'G'F' | D'BCB ABCA | D'G' G'- A'-- G' | F'D'CA BG G- |

E'F'G'E' D'E'D'B | CBCA BD'CA | GBAC BCD' E'G' | F'D'CA AG G- ||

B- GB D'BGB | A- FA CAFA | B- GB GBD'E' | F'D'CA AG G- |

B- GB GBGB | A- FA FAFA | GBAC BCD' E'G' | F'D'CA BG G- ||

D'G' G'- D'G' G'- | D'F' F'- D'F' F'- | D'G' G'- D'G' G'- | F'D'CA BG G- |

D'G' G'- G'A'G'E' | D'F' F'- F'G'A' E'F| GBAC BCD' E'G' | F'D'CA BG G- ||

WFD Recital 2024 : Set No 4

Notes - Paul De Grae This is the third set of Denis Murphy tunes selected by Aidan Connolly for the fiddle recital on 18 May. Soundcloud link to slow recording by Aidan is below; ABCs below also.

3. Slides: Barrack Hill, If I Had a Wife.

This set was recorded by Johnny O'Leary on the album, "Johnny O'Leary of Sliabh Luachra"  (Craft CRCD01), which was produced to accompany Terry Moylan's book of the same name; in that book, Johnny says of the second tune, "The Chieftains got it from myself and Denis", after Paddy Moloney and Seán Keane visited Kerry and spent several days listening to them play.

"Barrack Hill" was first printed under that title in the Stanford/Petrie "Complete Collection", no. 926; a similar but not identical setting is in O'Neill's "Dance Music of Ireland", no. 410. Petrie commented: "This kind of jig is called in Munster a single jig. It had a peculiar kind of dance. Same as a Scotch tune." The latter reference is presumably to the strathspey, "The Haughs of Cromdale", from which this tune does indeed seem to have been derived.

Polkas and slides are notorious for having no titles, or else being named for whoever last played them; the "Barrack Hill" title probably stuck because at one time every town would have had a military garrison, an essential feature of life if the natives fail to appreciate the benefits of occupation by a foreign power. Those Royal Irish Constabulary barracks that survived The War of Independence were quite often used as dance halls in the 1920s.

The first tune has acquired a song, beginning "The Cat Jumped into the Mouse's Hole and Didn't come Down 'til Morning", a sung version of the first phrase, which is how the dancers would identify it for a visiting musician unfamiliar with local tune titles. The full version is in the sleeve notes of the Johnny O'Leary album.

The title "If I Had a Wife" serves a similar mnemonic purpose; the verse is sung on The Chieftains recording: "If I had a wife,/ The plague of my life,/ I'll tell you what I'd do:/ I'd buy her a boat/ And set her afloat,/ And paddle my own canoe." An ornamented transcription of Denis's playing of it is in Breandán Breathnach's "Ceol Rince na hÉireann", vol. 2, no. 70, as "Nellie Mahony's Slide; Breathnach notes that Denis also called it "Mad Dancing."
Barrack Hill

Key A minor (F#)

E'- A ABD' E'- D' B- D' | E'- A B- A G- A B- D' |

E'- A ABD' E'- D' B- D' | D'- B G- B A-- G'- F' ||

E'- A ABD' E'- D' B- D' | E'- A B- A G- A B- D' |

E'- A ABD' E'- D' B- D' | D'- B G- B A-- A-- ||

E'-- E'F'G' A'B'A' G'- E' | D'- B D'- E' D'- B D'-- |

E'- D' E'F'G' A'B'A' G'F'E' | D'- B G- B A-- A-- || (x 2)

If I Had a Wife
Key G (F#)

B- A ABD' E'- D' D'- B | AGA B- A G- D D-- |

B- A ABD' E'- D' D'- B | AGA B- A G-- G- A || (x 2)

G- G' G'F'G' A'G'E' D'- G' | E'A'A' A'B'A' G'- A' B'G'E' |

D'- G' G'F'G' A'G'E' D'-- | E'F'G' A'B'A' G'-- G'- E' ||

D'- G' G'F'G' A'G'E' D'--  | E'A'A' A'B'A' G'-- B'-- |

D'- G' G'F'G' A'G'E' D'-- | E'F'G' A'B'A' G'-- G'-- ||

WFD Recital 2024 : Set No 3

Notes - Paul De Grae
This is the second set of Denis Murphy tunes selected by Aidan Connolly for the fiddle recital on 18 May. Soundcloud link to slow recording by Aidan is below; ABCs below also.

2. Jigs: The Humours of Castlecomer, Quinn's.

The first jig is in the O'Neill collections in a similar setting; O'Neill seems to have borrowed it from Levey's second collection, published in 1873.

The second jig is most likely named after Seán Quinn, a flute player from Cordal who gave a lot of music to Pádraig O'Keeffe; an ornamented transcription of Denis's playing of it is in Breandán Breathnach's "Ceol Rince na hÉireann", vol. 2, no.64. A version of it is in the O'Neill collections as "Philip O'Neill", probably named for Francis O'Neill's eldest brother; O'Neill said it was "Memorized from my mother's lilting." "The Two-and-Sixpenny Girl" in "Ryan's Mammoth Collection" has a very similar first part but a different second part.

The Humours of Castlecomer

Key E minor (F#, C#)
E-- E F A | BC D' A  B- C | D' E' D'  D' C B | A B A  F E D |

E-- E F A | BC D' A  B- C | D' C B  A F D | E F E  E-- || (x 2)

F' | E' B E'  E' B E' | E' F' G'  F'- E' | D' E' D'  D' C B | A B A  F E D |

E' B E'  E' B E' | E' F' G'  F'- E' | D' C B  A F D | E F E  E- F' ||

E' B E'  E' B E' | E' F' G'  F'- E' | D' E' D'  D' C B | A B A  F E D |

E-- E F A | BC D' A  B- C | D' C B  A F D | E F E  E-- ||
Quinn's Jig

Key G (F#)
G B B  B- D' | C A A A B C | D' B G G F G | A B G F E D |

G B B  B- D' | C A A A B C | D' C A A G F | G-- G- D || (x 2)

G B D' E' F' G' | F' A' G' E'- D' | B D' B G F G | A B G F E D |

G B D' E' F' G' | F' A' G' E'- D' | B D' B G F G | A G F G-- || (x 2)

WFD Recital 2024 : Set No 2

Notes - Paul De Grae
This is the first set of Denis Murphy tunes selected by Aidan Connolly for the fiddle recital on 18 May. Soundcloud link to slow recording by Aidan is below; ABCs below also.

1. Polkas: The Five Servants, Julia Clifford's.

"The Five Servants" is a story in "Grimm's Fairy Tales" by Jakob and Wilhelm Grimm. There were six servants in the original German story, but the English translation by Edgar Taylor was bowdlerised so as not to frighten the children, and one of the servants with magical powers was omitted. Perhaps it found favour as a polka title because the over-the-top powers of the servants have parallels in Irish mythology.

The second polka was recorded by Julia on the album, "The Humours of Lisheen"; it came from her and Denis's father, Bill "The Waiver" Murphy. In a slightly different setting and with parts reversed, it's the first in the set of "Millstreet Polkas" popularised by Jackie Daly.

The Five Servants

Key D (F#, C#)

DE | F- E F A | G- F G B | A- B C D' | E'F'G'E' D'-- |

BABC D'E'D'B | ABAG F A | G- E F E | D-- || (x 2)

F' D' F' D' | F'A'F'D' F' A' | E'- D' E' D' | E'F'G'E'D' B D' |

A-- F G | ABAG F A | G- E F E | D-- D-- || (x 2)



Julia Clifford's

Key D (F#, C#)

A FF A B | A- F A F' | E'- D' E' F' | D'- A BCD'B |

A- F A B | A FF A F' | E' F' G' B' | E' F' D'-- || (x 2)

F'- A' G' E' | F'- A' G' E' | F' D' E' D' | E'F'E'D' B D' |

F'-- G' E' | F'- A' G' E' | F' D' E'F'G'E'C | D'-- D'-- ||  (x 2)

WFD Recital 2024 : Set No 1

Played Slowly WFD Recital Set No 10

Played Slowly WFD Recital Set No 9

Played Slowly WFD Recital Set No 8

Played Slowly WFD Recital Set No 7

This is the sixth set of Denis Murphy tunes selected by Aidan Connolly for the fiddle recital on 18 May. Soundcloud link to slow recording by Aidan is below; ABCs below also.



6. Slides: untitled, Art O'Keeffe's.

The first tune comes from a recording made when Cathal McConnell, Len Graham and Maura McConnell visited Denis in 1972. I have not yet been able to identify it; Aidan wonders if it might be a single jig that Cathal brought with him from Fermanagh. With luck, we might have some information on it before World Fiddle Day.

The second tune is named after a neighbour and good friend of Denis's from Lisheen, who was a singer and one of the last surviving members of the Lisheen fife-and-drum band with whom Denis's father Bill "The Waiver" played. There are several other slides named for him. This one is also in the Johnny O'Leary book, no. 345, as "Denis McMahon's Slide"; and it has also acquired the rather drawing-room title of "Echoes of Killarney". But "Art O'Keeffe's" is what it's called on the RTÉ CD of Denis Murphy. PW Joyce has a similar setting, but as a song air, "The Yellow Horse", in his "Old Irish Folk Music and Songs" (1909), from a manuscript "lent to me in 1873 by Mr. J. O'Sullivan, of Bruff, Co. Limerick."

Soundcloud link: https://soundcloud.com/pj-teahan-884614828/played-slowly-wfd-recital-set-no-6



Untitled slide

Key G (F#)

G'- E' | D'- B B- E' D'- B B- A | GBD' E'- F' G'-- G'- E' |

D'- B B- E' D'- B BAB | E'- C A- G A-- E'G'E' |

D'- B B- E' D'- B B- A | GBD' E'- F' G'-- G'- A' |

B'A'G' A'G'F' G'- F' E'- D' | E'F'G' D'- B A-- E'F'G' |

F'- D' E'D'B D'-- D'- G' | F'- D' E'D'B D'-- D'- B |

GBD' E'- F' G'A'G' F'- E' | D'E'D' CBA G-- G-- ||



Art O'Keeffe's

Key G (F#)

D | G-- G- A B- D' E'F'G'E' | D'- B BAB D'- B BAB |

GEG G- A B- D' E'F'G'E' | D'- B ABA G-- G-- || (x 2)

G'F'G' E'D'D' E'- F' G'- E' | D'- B BAB D'- B BAB |

G'F'G' E'D'D' E'- F' G'- E' | D'- B ABCA G-- G-- || (x 2)

Played Slowly WFD Recital Set No 6

Played Slowly WFD Recital Set No 5

Played Slowly WFD Recital Set No 4

Played Slow WFD Recital Set No 3

Played Slowly WFD Recital Set No 2

Played Slowly WFD Recital Set 1

Recorded at home in Co Cork while listening to the radio . Tese are very rare recordings from Macroom 1966 recorded by Ciaran MacMathuna for Radio Eireann.
We thank Jerry O Leary for this treasure and for donating once again to the Archives

Denis Murphy,Johnny O Leary,Seán Ó Cronín-  Recorded In Macroom 1966 - Sounds Traditional

Denis Murphy Listowel Fleadh  1972

Deirdre O Donoghue Listowel Fleadh 1972 ( Denis Murphy Session)

Denis Murphy And Deirdre O Donoghue Listowel Fleadh 1972 (noisy Pub)

Denis Murphy Listowel Pub Session 1972 (noisy)

We remember Co Kerry Fiddle legend Denis Murphy today 50 years after he passed away on April 7 1974

Denis Murphy An Cailín Rua Air

These solo recordings of Denis Murphy were recorded at Billy Clifford's and Catherine's engagement party in Tipperary 1973. My thanks to Mary Ann Fitzgerald -de Jong USA for the audio and to Billy Clifford for the backgr…

Show more

Denis Murphy - playing 3 Jigs in Tipperary 1973

Denis Murphy -  playing Polkas in Tipperary 1973

Denis Murphy playing Johnny Cope in Tipperary 1973

Denis Murphy - playing two  Barndances  in Tipperary 1973

TheseThese solo recordings of Denis Murphy were recorded at Billy Clifford's and Catherine's engagement party in Tipperary 1973. My thanks to Mary Ann Fitzgerald -de Jong USA for the audio and to Billy Clifford for the backgr…

Show more solo recordings of Denis Murphy were recorded at Billy Clifford's and Catherine's engagement party in Tipperary 1973. My thanks to Mary Ann Fitzgerald -de Jong USA for the audio and to Billy Clifford for the background info .

Denis Murphy  playing Reels  in Tipperary 1973

Denis Murphy  And Mikey Duggan Polkas Recorded In Lyons Bar 1972

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