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Thread: Your favorite Celtic Tunes

  1. #1
    Proud Mandolin Owner BeginnerMandolinistTyler's Avatar
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    Default Your favorite Celtic Tunes

    Hey guys,
    I recently got into the Irish/Celtic music. I have started listening to the Chieftains since they do a lot of collaboration with bluegrass artists, one of my favorites being a video of Shady Grove with Tim O'Brien. He has such a fantastic singing voice. I was wondering what your guys' favorite Celtic/Irish/"really anything of the same nature" tunes were. There doesn't have be a mandolin in the music either. I really love the melodies and the bodhran(the next percussion instrument I am going to own,PAS may possibly be worse than MAS and GAS).

  2. #2
    Registered User Jill McAuley's Avatar
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    Default Re: Your favorite Celtic Tunes

    Welcome, Tyler, from an Irish/Korean mandolin player!
    My favourite tunes change all the time but some constants would be:

    -The Ebb Tide (hornpipe)
    -The Mist Covered Mountain (jig)
    -The Morning Thrush (reel)
    -The Stone in the Field (reel)
    -The Yellow Wattle (jig)
    -The Chorus Reel
    -The Sligo Maid (reel)
    -The Jug of Punch (reel)

    Cheers,
    Jill
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    Registered User John Kelly's Avatar
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    Default Re: Your favorite Celtic Tunes

    Jill, good to see you posting. Been missing your playing for some time now, as you know!
    I am a keen fan of the slow airs as well as the jigs and reels Jill mentions above. Gaelic slow airs can have a hair-raising effect when played well or indeed sung well.

  4. #4

    Default Re: Your favorite Celtic Tunes

    Pipe on the Hob (jig)
    Lark in the Morning (jig)
    The Turnpike (reel)
    Miller's Maggot (jig)
    The Homeruler (hornpipe)
    Wind that Shakes the Barley (reel)
    Tommy Bhetty's (Waltz)
    Cape Breton's Welcome (reel)

    This is subject to change as I learn new tunes. Thanks for starting the thread, Tyler. It's always fun to find out the favorites of others .... the more the merrier!
    Just visiting.

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  5. #5

    Default Re: Your favorite Celtic Tunes

    Some of my Favs are:

    Soraidh - Gaelic Air, I think it means farewell not sure tho
    Welcome to skye - another Gaelic air
    Dr Bob Smith - Reel
    Skibereen Lassies - Reel
    Shaskeen- Reel
    Oyster Girl - Jig
    Irish Girl - 9/8 Jig
    Spalpeen Fanach - Reel
    Bantry Bay - Hornpipe
    Mountain Lark - Reel
    Peggy on the settle - Reel
    Bantry Lassies - Reel
    Humors of Ballingarry - Jig

    ...better stop...getting carried away!

    Cheers
    pkev

  6. #6
    but that's just me Bertram Henze's Avatar
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    Default Re: Your favorite Celtic Tunes

    Asking for favourite tunes is a bit like asking for a glass of water while standing under the Niagra Falls - there's some 4000 out there, and that's only counting the traditional ones; new ones are born every day.

    But if I'd have to give five names at gunpoint:

    Congress
    Julia Delaney's
    Siobhan O'Donnell's
    Tripping Down the Stairs
    Sean sa Cheo

    (all reels)
    the world is better off without bad ideas, good ideas are better off without the world

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    Registered User Randi Gormley's Avatar
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    Default Re: Your favorite Celtic Tunes

    Some of my favorites are Ships in Full Sail, the Reconciliation (reel), Cliffs of Moher, Paddy Ryan's Dream (I think that's the name), Mooncoin Jig, Monaghan's Jig, Congress reel, Star of Munster, Fig for a Kiss (slip jig) and Alexander's hornpipe. At least this week.
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    working musician Jim Bevan's Avatar
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    Default Re: Your favorite Celtic Tunes

    I'll keep it simple:
    My favourite jig is Skip Parente's,
    and my favourite reel is The Jolly Tinker.

  9. #9

    Default Re: Your favorite Celtic Tunes

    Jigs-
    Tripping up the Stairs
    Scully Casey
    Price of My Pig

    Reels-
    Maid Behind the Bar
    Hunter's Purse
    Poor Old WOman

    Hornpipes-
    Rights of Man

  10. #10
    Dave Keswick Ravenwood's Avatar
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    Default Re: Your favorite Celtic Tunes

    Quote Originally Posted by Bertram Henze View Post
    Asking for favourite tunes is a bit like asking for a glass of water while standing under the Niagra Falls - there's some 4000 out there, and that's only counting the traditional ones; new ones are born every day.

    But if I'd have to give five names at gunpoint:

    Congress
    Julia Delaney's
    Siobhan O'Donnell's
    Tripping Down the Stairs
    Sean sa Cheo

    (all reels)
    And just to add a little fun I'll ask Bertram the question: Had you answered this question two years ago would you have given the same list?

    For myself, I find that my favourites tend to change over time, sometimes even going back to "old" favourites.

  11. #11
    Proud Mandolin Owner BeginnerMandolinistTyler's Avatar
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    Default Re: Your favorite Celtic Tunes

    Thanks guys for the responses! I hadn't thought about the fact that favorites change all the time(Something pretty obvious but I managed to overlook it). Why don't we limit it to your favorite tunes currently?

  12. #12
    but that's just me Bertram Henze's Avatar
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    Default Re: Your favorite Celtic Tunes

    Quote Originally Posted by Ravenwood View Post
    And just to add a little fun I'll ask Bertram the question: Had you answered this question two years ago would you have given the same list?
    errr.....
    I'll have to answer this with a firm and definite maybe
    the world is better off without bad ideas, good ideas are better off without the world

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    Default Re: Your favorite Celtic Tunes

    Some of my favorites at the moment: Rolling in the Ryegrass (reel) For the Star of County down (not sure what this is) and Sally Gardens (I mean the one based on the poem) They are my favorite by default being the only tunes I can play and have memorized completely :D

  14. #14
    Registered User Tim Gillane's Avatar
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    Default Re: Your favorite Celtic Tunes

    Slow airs, pieces by Turlough o'Carolan. Particular favorites: "Máire Dhall"; "Tá Mo Chleamhnas á Dhéanamh"; "Caitlin Traill".
    1920s Regal #1260 (I think)

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    String-Bending Heretic mandocrucian's Avatar
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    Default Re: Your favorite Celtic Tunes

    Irish tunes, and a few from Scotland and Shetland. (No strictly English/Northumbrian/Breton/Asturian tunes in the list below, although there are plenty of great ones)

    Reels
    Paddy Ryan's Dream (Barry Dransfield - fiddle)
    Maid Behind the Bar
    Merry Blacksmith (Dave Swarbrick-fiddle/Fairport)
    Wind That Shakes The Barley
    Timour The Tarter (Dave Swarbrick)
    Miller's Reel
    Scalloway Lasses (Shetland) (Boys of The Lough)
    Da Galley Watch (Shetland) (Boys of The Lough)
    Farewell To Ireland (Martin Byrnes-fiddle)

    Hornpipes
    Bantry Bay Hornpipe (Martin Byrnes)
    Boys of Bluehill (High Level Ranters)

    Jigs
    Arthur Darley's (Mick Moloney - mandolin)
    The Blarney Pilgrim
    Banish Misfortune (Richard Thompson - guitar)
    Da Brig (Shetland) (Boys of The Lough)
    Da Shaalds of Foulla (Shetland) (Boys of The Lough)
    O'Keefe's Slide (Chieftains)
    Old Grey Goose (Tony MacMahon)
    Frieze Breeches aka "Cunla" (Planxty/Liam O Flynn-UPipes)

    Slip Jigs
    The Kid On The Mountain (Tommy Peoples-fiddle)
    Rocky Road To Dublin

    Marches
    March of the King of Laois (aka Rory of the Hills, Rory O'Moore) (Dave Swarbrick)
    The Hen's March (Dave SwarbrickFairport)
    Brian Boru's March (Chieftains)
    Road To Lisdoonvarna

    Other
    Ace & Deuce of Pipering (Dave Swarbrick , John Doonan-piccolo)
    Morgan Mawgen (Dave Swarbrick)
    Hewlett (Planxty)
    Hector The Hero (Johnny Cunningham-fiddle)

    Niles H

    As an afterthought, I added the particular rendition/settings that stood out (for me). I've included the instruments of the particular players. This should make it easier for to check these out on YouTube, since you probably aren't that familiar with the genre and players/bands.

    There are some tunes which I have on records by numerous of my favorite players (or various instruments), but the bowings, or ornamentation etc. of one outdo the others. For example both Swarbrick, Peoples and Tony MacMahon) have all recorded "Kid On The Mt.", but People's is THE one!)
    Last edited by mandocrucian; Oct-14-2017 at 1:44pm.

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    Unfamous String Buster Beanzy's Avatar
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    Default Re: Your favorite Celtic Tunes

    At the moment I seem to be favouring the following sets of tunes. Plus a scatter of Scandinavian & English tunes that don’t fit the broad celtic group.
    The truth is I’m a feckless wanderer in terms of territories for my tunes.
    I’ve no loyalty but a massive curiosity to explore.

    However these are the current ‘celtic’ favourites for me; It’ll be completely different by next year.

    Boy’s Lament For His Dragon, Greenwoodside, Campbell’s Farewell To Redcastle

    The Foxrock Hornpipe, Madame Boneparte, Boys of Bluehill

    Spootiskerry, Willafjord, High Road To Linton, The Merry Blacksmith

    Tamlin, The Lark (again), The Butterfly

    The Glenbeigh, The Galway, The Rights of Man, The Fairies

    Downfall Of Paris

    Scattery Island, O’Keefe’s, Going To The Well For Water, The Old Favourite
    Eoin



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    Registered User foldedpath's Avatar
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    Default Re: Your favorite Celtic Tunes

    Thread revival alert, but it's a good one. An all-time favorite list would be pretty big, so here's what I've been playing lately as "current favorites" which will probably be different in 6 months:

    The Morning Dew (reel, but played slowly like the John Doyle version)

    Mayor Harrison's Fedora (reel)

    Tro Breizh (Breton tunes, from Lunasa "La Nua")

    The Maids of Mitchelstown (the slower Bothy Band version)

    The Diplodocus (Liz Carroll jig)

    Hughie and Janet's March, Warlocks (strathspey), The Tarbolton Lodge (reel), Alistair Hunter (reel).*

    Ian Greene of Greentrax (pipe reel)

    From Maui to Kona (pipe reel)

    -----
    * In Irish trad circles it's considered sacrilegious to play The Tarbolton in any set other than the way it was recorded by Coleman in the '20's, where it's followed by The Longford Collector and The Sailor's Bonnet. I've seen T-shirts saying "Free the Tarbolton Three." However, this is the Buddy MacMaster march/strathspey/reel set that includes the Tarbolton, and he's just as revered in Cape Breton as Coleman is in Ireland, so there!

  19. #18

    Default Re: Your favorite Celtic Tunes

    I was thinking this was mandolin/session-specific, but seems like others are broadening, so I'll contribute. I'm maybe somewhat different in that, my favorites (pibrochs, slow airs) have *not* changed in several years...actually I guess in about 6-7 years since starting clarsach. My favorites include those that I learned back then, and still play regularly, and those that I'm currently learning. Most current is this set: https://youtu.be/DEymeFxWhx0

    So, I *can* say definitively that my favorites are slow airs, generally (or reels and strathspey ). Probably won't bother to name them - they have old Gaelic names.

    Others: I usually start a performance with Sprightly Kitty (first track on siobhan armstrong's recording here - https://youtu.be/ehuc87inpDs ) ... the jig at the end, I've been playing for 30 years and learned as "Carolan's Favorite Jig."

    One tune that started it all for me was learning Fingal's March from Pierre Bensusan - was my favorite for 30 years, until I quit guitar (now playing it on harp, hammered dulcimer, fiddle..)

    Speaking of Fingal, a very recent favorite since last winter is Airs on Fingal (Anne Heymann, Allison Kinnaird ) https://www.shazam.com/track/10349452/airs-by-fingal

    *upon reflection, it occurs to me that I've generally retained many of my favorites over several decades...but my entree to "celtic" music was Carolan - Farewell to Music has remained a fav for 30+ years..

    More recent favs: Clan Ranald's March to Edinburgh - https://youtu.be/WJbIUbAZQVg
    McCallistrum's March - https://youtu.be/gXI0XSQka60
    Last edited by catmandu2; Oct-14-2017 at 4:19pm.

  20. #19
    Registered User Jill McAuley's Avatar
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    Default Re: Your favorite Celtic Tunes

    My favourites tend to be whichever ones I'm learning at the moment, and then other tunes I know will invariably cycle back into rotation, but currently these are ones that I'm enjoying:

    Reels:

    Siobhan O'Donnell's
    The Road to Town
    The Morning Thrush
    Farewell to Milltown
    The Mullingar Races
    The Roscommon reel
    The Reel of Mullinavat
    Lads of Laois

    Jigs:
    The Coming of Spring
    Tell Her I Am
    Pathway to the Well

    Hornpipes:
    The Ebb Tide (have known this one for years but playing it a lot again lately)
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    Registered User Randi Gormley's Avatar
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    Default Re: Your favorite Celtic Tunes

    I've picked up a few new ones that I'm high on right now: Top it off and Comb your hair and curl it -- both hop jigs and scollay's reel, one of the numerous gan anim polkas, two Toss the Feathers, Paddy on the Railway and Bantry Bay and Staten Island hornpipes come to mind.
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    Default Re: Your favorite Celtic Tunes

    Here's a few that I've been playing lately:

    Arthur Darley's (jig)
    Sweeney's Buttermilk (reel)
    The Tarbolton (reel)
    Ships in Full Sail and The Humors of Ballyloughlin (jigs, as a set)
    The Butterfly (slip jig)
    The Boys of Ballisodare (slip jig)
    The Morpeth Lasses (reel)
    My Lagan Love (slow air)

    Oh...there are SO many others!

    Jack

  23. #22

    Default Re: Your favorite Celtic Tunes

    New participant here and first post. My favorites are usually the ones I can remember, as several have slid away from me from lack of use. Our band used to play a set of Ballydesmond Polkas that always made me feel like I was about to jump out of my socks and my wife likes me to play Crested Hens. I used to have nice harmony parts I would put on Si bheog Si mhor, The Cuckoos Nest, and Red Haired Boy. Lots of great tunes out there and I also wrote several that i still like and play.

  24. #23

    Default Re: Your favorite Celtic Tunes

    My favorites are Rolling Waves, Market Town, and Scatter the Mud (from the Kevin Burke Portland recording). I also like The Mountain Road, and a more contemporary tune Liam Childs from Liz Carroll.
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    Default Re: Your favorite Celtic Tunes

    It's coming up to Xmas so we are playing Lannigans Ball followed by In Dulci Jubilo, the Humors of Glendart and I Saw Three Ships.
    - Jeremy

    Wot no catchphrase?

  26. #25

    Default Re: Your favorite Celtic Tunes

    I am polka-obsessed. I am currently focusing on: The Little Diamond Set (Little Diamond, Murroe, and Maids of Ardath), and a set of Sliabh Luachra (spelling?) from Jackie Daly starting with the 42 Pound Cheque. Also, a hornpipe, the Concertina Hornpipe. For some reason, these have overtaken my mind more than reels, jigs, etc. Who knows? And, lest I forget, I love to play slow airs and song accompaniment, which is particularly rewarding and somewhat forgiving, due to slow speed and other main contributors. Being part of regular group play may be the best of all.

    Mostly, have a blast!

    David

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