Notes from Paul De Grae 
10. Barndances: Turkey in the Straw and The Glenbeigh.


Denis Murphy was fond of Turkey in the Straw, and his version of it, on the RTÉ CD "Denis Murphy – Music from Sliabh Luachra", is perhaps based on the setting in O'Neill, which in turn (according to O'Neill in "Waifs & Strays") is John McFadden's interpretation of how the tune was played by Dan Emmett, of Bryant's Minstrels, in slow reel time, with syncopations. As played by Denis, and by John Carty, it makes an ideal barndance. Johnny O'Leary played a somewhat different version, in a higher key. There is much disputation as to the origins of the tune, but perhaps all we need to say for now is that, wherever it started from, it has found a comfortable home in Sliabh Luachra.

 

Charlie Pigott christened the second tune as The Glenbeigh Hornpipe on the first De Danann album, which gives it a Kerry connection; and the tune is certainly popular here, though in its phrasing it's clearly a barndance rather than a hornpipe. James Morrison may have been the first to record it, in 1935, as Curlew Hills. Arguably it belongs more in the traditions of Donegal and Sligo (it was also recorded by Coleman and by Killoran), but again, it has settled in nicely here in the south-west. It also has cousins in the English tradition.

 

Turkey in the Straw

BA || GEEF EDB,A, | B,DDE D- GA | BCD' D'E' D'BGA | BAAB A- BA |

GEEF E- B,A, |B,DDE D- GA | BD'E'B D'BGA | BGAF G- BA || (1st time)

                                                                    | BGAF G-- A || (2nd time)

BD'D'E' D'BAD' | BD'D'E' D'- BA | BE'E'F' E'F'G' E'D' | BABD' E'- B'A' |

G'- G'E' D'G'E'D' | B- AG E- GA | BGAG EDB,D | EGGF G-- ||  (x 2)

 

The Glenbeigh

D- || GABC D'G'F'A' | G'- B- D'-- | CD'E' AB C-- | BD'GA B-- A |

G- BC D'G'F'A' | G'- B- D'-- | CE'AB CADF | A- G- G- D- ||  (1st time)

                                                                  | A- G- GABC || (2nd time)

D'- B'- C- A'- | B- G'F' G'D'BG | FGAB CAFD | GBAC B-- C |

D'B'B'D' CA'A'C | B- G'F' G'D'BG | FGAB CADF | A- G- GABC || (1st)

                                                                         | A- G- G-- || (2nd)

Set 10- Barndances

Notes from Paul De Grae 
9. Jig and reel: Morrison's and Tom Carmody's.
Two tunes from Kerry. James Morrison recorded the jig, which he got from North Kerry accordion and fiddle player Tom Carmody (1893-1986), who was a member of Morrison's band in New York in the 1930s. Tom had the tune from his father, Maurice, and the Morrison quartet recorded it as Maurice Carmody's Favorite (some pressings of the 78 record labelled it as Maurice Comedy's Favorite, perhaps as a result of someone's Noo Yawk accent?). Maurice Carmody called it The Stick Across the Hob, but this jig – one of the most popular in the repertoire – is so widely known as Morrison's that it would be pedantic to insist on the older name as the "correct" name (a largely illusory concept anyway).

 

The reel may be one of Tom Carmody's own compositions. It is the second of several tunes recorded by Breandán Breathnach from Tom Carmody at home in Ballybunnion at an unknown date (1970s?), now accessible on the ITMA website. The accompanying text mentions that two of the recorded tunes are Tom's own compositions and two others are by Martin Mulhaire; but unfortunately gremlins have been at work, and the attributions are not clear (track 4, attributed to Tom, is certainly one of Martin's tunes). So while I believe that this one is indeed a Tom Carmody composition, that's not 100% certain at the moment.

 

Tom Carmody's relative, Danny O'Mahony, had Tom's last accordion restored, and still plays it.

 

Morrison's

(F#, C#)

E-- BGB | EBE AFD | E-- B- C | D'CD' AFD |

E-- BGB | EBE AFD | GFE FGA | D'AG FED || (1st time)

                                               | D'AG FGA || (2nd time)

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

BE'E' F'E'E' | A'E'E' F'E'D' | G'F'E' D'- A | BAG FGA ||

BE'E' F'E'E' | A'E'E' F'E'D' | BE'E' F'E'E' | F'G'A'F' D'E'F' |

G'-- G'F'E' | D'E'F' G'F'G' | E'D'C D'- A | BAG FED ||

 

Tom Carmody's

D- FA F'D'D'B | ABAG FDDE | C,DEF G- BD' | C- E'D' CAGE |

D- FA F'D'D'B | ABAG FDDE | C,DEF GBE'D' | CAGE EDC,E || (1st time)

                                                                    | CAGE ED D- || (2nd)

F'D' D'- F'D'A'D' | BCD' E'F' G'- E'F' | G'E'E'F' G'- E'D' |CD'E'G' F'D'D'G' |

F'D' D'- F'D'AF | GBAG FDDE | C,DEF GBE'D' | CAGE ED D- ||  (x 2)

Set 9 - Jig and Reel

8. Waltz: I'll meet you on a day that never ends.





This was composed by Bryan O'Leary. Like many another musician with time on their hands during the pandemic lockdowns, Bryan turned to composition, spurred on by a commission from RTÉ Radio 1's Aoife Nic Cormaic (a good friend to World Fiddle Day Scartaglin, and co-presenter, with Steve Larkin, of the 2022 Fiddle Recital). The result was Bryan's 2021 album, "Tranquility in Tureencahill", featuring seventeen original tunes. This is one that John Carty particularly enjoys playing.

 

(F#, C#, G#)

E- C,- A,- | F-- AF | E- A- C- | B-- BAB |

C-- F'A' | E'C- CB | AF- FE | E-- BAF |

E- C,- A,- | F-- AF | E- A- C- | B-- AB |

CF'- F'A' | E'C- CB | AF-- | F-- GAB ||

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

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

E'- C- A- | E'F'- A'F' | E'- C- A- | B-- BA |

B-- CD'E' | BC CB AE | F-- | F-- GAB || (1st time)

                                        | F- GAF || (2nd time)

Set 8 - Waltz

Notes from Paul De Grae

Set7. Reels: What Brought You in There? and Jimmy Batty's
 

These are two of John Carty's own compositions. The first one can be found on the 2008 At the Racket album, "It's Not Racket Science", and the second one is on John's 1994 album with Brian McGrath, "The Cat that Ate the Candle".

 

What brought you in there?

D- E || FEDB, A,B,DE | F- ED FAAE | FEDB, A,B,DE | F- EG FB,B,E |

FB,B,D A,B,DE | F- ED FAAE | FEDB, A,B,DE | F- EG FDDC ||

D'-- C B- D'B | A- FE FB B- | D'BAC BAFD | A,B,DE FDDC |

D'- E'D' B- D'B | A- FE FBBC | D'BAC B- B'F' | A'F'E'G' F'D' D- ||

 

Jimmy Batty's

D'AAB A- FE | DFAB A- FA | BEEA BD'E'F' | G'E'F'G' E'D'BC |

D'AAB A- FE | DFAB A- FA | BEEA BCD' E'G' | F'D'E'C D'E'F'E' || (1st)

                                                                     | F'D'E'C D'- C || (2nd)

D'AAB AGFG | A- A'E' F'A'E'D' | BE'E'F' E'-- F' | G'E'F'D' E'D'BC|

D'AAB AGFG | A- A'G' F'G'E'C | D'F'E'D' BAFB | AFAB D'- E' || (1st)

                                                                        | AFAB D'-- || (2nd)

Set 7 - Reels

Notes from Paul De Grae
 5. Reels: Paddy Cronin's 
This is a real treat: two reels that John Carty learned from the playing of Paddy Cronin, quite possibly composed by Paddy. They don't appear on any of Paddy's commercial recordings, and I can't find them in print in any of the O'Neill or Breathnach collections, nor in any of a dozen or so other books (the opening phrase of No. 2 has a slight resemblance to "Mullingar Races", but that's all). We hope to have more information before World Fiddle Day.

 

No. 1

F- EF D- DE | FED EF DB, B,- | A,B,DE F- BC | D'E'CD' B- AG |

F- EF D- DE | FED EF DB, B,- | A,B,DE FABA | F- EG FDDE ||  (1st time)

                                                                    | F- EG FDDC || (2nd time)

D'- E'C D'B B- | FBD'B FABC | D'- E'C D'BBA | FACE' D'BBC |

D'E'F'D' CD'E'C | D'CBA FB, B,- | A,B,DE FABA | F- EG FDDC || (1st)

                                                                        | F- EG FD D- ||  (2nd)

 

No. 2

DEFD EB, B,- | DEFA BCD'E' | D'BAF D'F F- | EDFE DB, B,- |

D- FD EB, B,- | DEFA BCD'E' | D'BAF D'F F- | EDFE D--- ||  (1st time)

                                                                   | EDFE D- AC ||  (2nd time)

D'CD'E' F'- D'F' | E'D'F'D' E'B B- | D'BAF D'F F- | EDFE DB,B,A |

D'CD'E' F'- D'F' | E'D'F'D' E'B B- | D'BAF D'F F- | EDFE D- AC ||

D'CD'E' F'- D'F' | E'D'F'D' E'B B- | D'BAF D'F F- | EDFE DB, B,- |

DEFD EB, B,- | DEFA BCD'E' | D'BAF D'F F- | EDFE D--- ||

Set 5 - Reels

Notes from Paul De Grae
4. Fling and slides: Turn Hill, Carrigkerry Slide, Con Cassidy's
John Carty learned these tunes from Dan Brouder, who kindly supplied some local information. The fling, Turn Hill, is named after a place in West Limerick, between Templeglantine and Rooskagh; the tune was played by John Joe Hartnett (flute player from Athea) and Moss Murphy (fiddler from Templegantine), from whom Dan learned it. Carrigkerry is a village, also in West Limerick, and this slide also comes from the playing of John Joe and Moss. Dan credits Donegal fiddler Con Cassidy with composing the third tune.

 

As proof that good music knows no boundaries, both of these slides are very much associated with Con Cassidy and Donegal music; they are played as jigs in Donegal (Altan recorded Con Cassidy's on their album "The Red Crow"), and they have also become naturalised here in the south-west. I remember hearing Máire O'Keeffe and Michelle O'Sullivan playing them in Tralee in the early 1980s.

 

Turn Hill

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

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

A'- E'  A'- B'  A'- E'  A'- B' | G'- E'  G'- A'  G'- E'  G'- B' |

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

 

The Carrigkerry Slide

F' | G'- F' E'F'G' | D'- B BAB | C- A AGA | B- G GBD' |

G'- F' E'F'G' | D'- B B- C | AA'A' D'E'F' | G'-- D'E'F' || (1st time)

                                                           |  G'-- G'- A' || (2nd time)

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

B'- G' G'F'G' | B'- G' G'F'G' | E'A'A' D'E'F' | G'-- G'- A' || (1st time)

                                                                | G'-- G'D'C || (last time)

 

Con Cassidy's

B-- BAB | D'- C A- F | G-- GFG | B- A A- B |

C-- CE'G' | E'- D' B- C | D'E'D' CAF | G-- D- A || (1st time)

                                                       | G-- G- G' || (2nd time)

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

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

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

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

To finish | B-- ABA | G---- ||

Set 4 - Fling and 2 Slides

Notes from Paul De Grae
3. Polkas: Francie Campbell's and Out of the Ashes
Two polkas from County Mayo, for a change. This is a set from John Carty's live album with Matt Molloy and Arty McGlynn, "Out of the Ashes". According to the liner notes, they got that title from "a saying of the great Johnny Watt Henry who was a night owl who liked to keep musicians late into the night. If they made an attempt to leave he would delay them by declaring: 'What hurry is on ye lads? Hold on and I'll rake up the gríosach here and see if I can't pull another 'quare' tune out of the ashes for ye...to be bringing home with ye.'"

 

In the Irish context, polkas are often equated with Kerry music (which must irritate people from Cork and Limerick who are also citizens of Sliabh Luachra), but they are to be found here and there all over the country, with local differences in rhythm and in the associated dances. It's like the Kerry Cattle, a hardy breed that did not originate in Kerry but was once common throughout the west and south-west of Ireland; as farming practices changed, other breeds ousted these handsome black animals, until only a few remained in poor, remote parts of Kerry (it's now a recognised "Rare Breed", and a herd is maintained in the state-owned land at Farmleigh). Similarly, as tastes in music and dancing changed, polkas and set-dancing largely fell out of favour in other parts of Ireland, or were never very popular in the first place; but they remained strong (if officially ignored) in Sliabh Luachra… all of which is a roundabout way of saying there's nothing surprising in having polkas from Mayo.

 

About the ABCs: it's important to indicate the long and short notes in these tunes. Single letters separated by a space are quavers (1/8 notes); a single letter with a short dash after it is a dotted quaver; a single letter with a double dash after it is a crotchet (1/4 note); and single letters without spaces between are semiquavers (1/16 notes). If in doubt, listen to the recording (listen to the recording anyway!).

 

Francie Campbell's

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

B--  A- B | G E  E D | E G  GAGE | D G  G- A ||  (x 2)

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

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

 

Out of the Ashes

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

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

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

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

Set 3 - Polkas

Notes - Paul De Grae 
It's that time of year again, when we share details of the tunes selected for the Fiddle Recital on World Fiddle Day Scartaglin. This year the tunes have been selected by John Carty, and I'm sure you'll enjoy them.

As usual, I've kept the transcriptions fairly simple; tempting though it is to highlight some of the wonderful variations that a musician of John's calibre plays, a basic playable setting seems the more useful option. Rolls, etc., are not shown, but you won't go wrong if you ornament some of the long notes - or not: it's your choice!

Also as usual, each set of tunes is linked to a Soundcloud file, and it's highly recommended that you listen to that first, rather than relying on the written setting.

Staff notation in the illustration, ABCs at the end of this text.



1. Jigs: Bridget McRory, Biddy from Sligo.



Soundcloud link:

https://soundcloud.com/pj-teahan-884614828/set-1-jigs?in=pj-teahan-884614828/sets/world-fiddle-scartaglin-day



Two tunes that John learned from the playing of Paddy Cronin. Paddy in turn may have found them in O'Neill's "Music of Ireland", where they are no. 933 and no. 790, respectively, the latter as Ballahaboy Fair (Biddy from Sligo is apparently the usual title in northern counties; I don't know what Paddy called it himself). Paddy was always looking for new tunes, and would play through various collections until he found something that appealed to him; once having learned the basic tune, he would then weave his own magic on it - and here John does the same.

 

I have been unable to find any information about Bridget McRory, and as far as I can tell, O'Neill was the first to print it. The second tune is a single jig which could be nudged into a slide without much difficulty, and indeed it bears a passing resemblance to the well-known slide, Behind the Bush in the Garden.

 

Bridget McRory

D'BG G-- | BAB GAB | D'BG ABD' | E'- A A- E' |

D'BG G-- | BAB GBD' | G'F'E' D'BA | B- G GBD' || (x 2)

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

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

 

Biddy from Sligo

(C = C#)

D'CD' AFA | BGB A- C | D'CD' AFA | G'-- F'- E' |

D'CD' AFA | BGB A- G' | F'A'A' A'F'D' | E'F'E' D'F'E' ||

D'CD' AFA | BGB A- C | D'CD' AFA | G'-- F'- E' |

D'CD' AFA | BGB A- G' | F'A'A' A'F'D' | E'-- D'- E' ||

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

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

Set 1 -Jigs

World Fiddle Day Scartaglin Recital Setlist  May 17 - 2025 Cover Page

Research

Completed in 2011 for the Rosé Violin Trio of Los Angeles, this complex and experimental work consists of three movements.

Based upon a strict and unvarying formula of patterns that are passed equally between the three violin parts, all three movements utilize this same precise structure of “A, B, C, and Ostinato” phrases, which were developed and plotted out meticulously by Wallin Huff prior to the actual composition of any one note. Each movement, however, while still based upon the same formulaic set of patterns, is then varied by the compositional material of the four phrases themselves. The phrases’ material is each based upon very different scalar and rhythmic patterns, depending on the particular movement’s character: “Intervallic Structure” is an exploration of pitting certain intervals against each other; “Tone and Color” is a wash of purely tonal and consonant patterns; “Urban Rhythm” focuses strictly on the pitting of rhythmic two’s versus three’s against one another within a “sterile” pentatonic tonal environment.

Counterpoint Invariable is a successful thought-experiment, turned to driving and evocative emotional artwork, highlighting Wallin Huff’s ongoing fascination with the logic of mechanical structure giving way to outward beauty.

Soul of the Machine

Buy/Stream

Counterpoint Invariable: III. Urban Rhythm (Allegro ma non troppo)

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Set 3 - Polkas

Handed Down Sliabh Luachra Audio Archive

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