Browse Content (88 total)
- Subject is exactly "Jigs"
Plains of Mayo, The
This jig is tune number 304 in [George] Petrie's Complete Irish Music. It is given a special melodic lift by Larry Gavin and Micheál O'Rourke on accordion and fiddle. Charlie Lennon adds his own unmistakable accompaniment on piano. They…
Pádraig O'Keeffe's
I first heard this tune played by Nicky McAuliffe and Connie O'Connell on two fiddles. They played it at a concert in Miltown Malbay at the Willie Clancy Summer School in 1988. They learned the tune from a Pádraig O'Keeffe manuscript. Here we…
P.J. Conlon's
The accordion master Peter 'P.J.' Conlon recorded an amazing series of 78 RPM records. He recorded this jig (under the title 'Clancy's Jig'), as did his friend Bill Sullivan, who called it 'Conlon's'. Here it is played on melodeon by my nephew Damien…
Old Tipperary
A great old jig that I first played with the legendary Clare piper Willie Clancy. It seems appropriate that Padraic Mac Mathúna, son of Ciarán Mac Mathúna, the radio and television presenter, should play it with me for this…
Old as the Hills
Jack Coen gave me the name for this jig, which can be found as a two-part tune in A major in the O'Neill's 1001 collection. I first heard the tune played by 'The Man of Many Tunes', Larry Gavin. I also heard a version of it performed by Mr. David…
Old 78 Record, An
Geraldine Cotter liked this tune the first time she heard me playing it. 'Let's try and record it', she said, and as I played the jig a second time she followed right along. This track is the result of our efforts. I do not have a name for this jig,…
North Clare Jig
Paddy Kierse, as Ciarán Mac Mathúna said on his Radio Éireann program A Job of Journeywork, was a lovely old musician. Ciarán recorded his playing of this tune on a visit to north County Clare. Mr. Kierse, from Kilnaboy, near Kilfenora, had…
New Road to Sligo, The
David Reiner composed 'The New Road to Sligo'. It is played for us by Liz Carroll. David told me that he composed this tune 'to tell the story of a musical road trip, from the bold beginning in G minor, to the detour into B flat, to the simpler and…
My Meitheal Class
A week-long Irish music school known as Meitheal is held every year in Limerick. The five-day immersion in Irish music is directed by flute player Garry Shannon. As a teacher at the summer school, I had an assignment to work with a group of students…
Mug of Black Tea
Growing up in Ireland, and while practicing my fiddle in the home of my grandmother, Elizabeth Collins (née Rochford), I drank many's the mug of black tea. I remember her tea being very strong and having to drink it without milk. I questioned…
Mr. and Mrs. Ted McGraw
I have known Ted and Bridget McGraw of Rochester, New York, since the 1980s. I have great memories of playing with Ted in The Village Coachhouse, in Brookline, Massachusetts, a veritable musical institution that was owned by the Varian family of…
Mordaunt's Fancy
This jig was played in my home in Killaloe, County Clare, when I was a young boy. It was not played by me, but by button accordionist Terry Lane on the turntable of our record player! Now, whenever I hear Mr. Lane's recordings, or 'Mordaunt's Fancy',…
Marg's Jig
Maeve Donnelly plays a composition of master composer Mrs. Matilda Murdoch, the queen of New Brunswick fiddle playing. Matilda has numerous compositions to her credit and she takes great pleasure in passing the tunes along to musicians eager to learn…
Man from Clare, The
This tune, played by Damien Connolly on fiddle this time, is one of his own compositions. I'm not sure who the title refers to, but since he was born in County Clare, maybe it's himself!
Magpie in the Tree
And now to confuse things even more or, as they say at home in Ireland, 'to throw more turf on the fire', my brother Martin Connolly here plays 'Magpie in the Tree', which is yet another version of the classic jig 'Bryan O'Lynn'. Martin, a great…
Lough Key
A lovely slip jig played here for us by its composer, master fiddle player Larry Redican. Lough Key in County Roscommon is one of the beautiful lakes in Ireland famous for its fishing.
Limerick Jig, The
Back in the early 1960s, I was very friendly with Mrs. Taylor, the concertina player from West Limerick who lived in London. We exchanged many letters over the years in which music was always a topic. The well-known flute player Paddy Taylor learned…
Liam Rowsome's
The name Rowsome is ubiquitous in the world of Irish music. Down through the years I have had the honour of playing music with the piping master Leo Rowsome and with his children, Leon, Liam, and Helena. Fiddle player Liam Rowsome composed this tune…
Laurel Martin's Jig
My musical colleague and friend Laurel Martin made this lovely tune. Laurel did not think highly of her composition, nor did she think it good enough for this collection. Laurel, I love your jig, as do many others who have heard it. Thanks for…
Larry's Strange Jig
Ted McGraw has an amazing collection of music in his library. He sent me this recording of Larry Redican and suggested that it was 'a strange jig'. Ted doesn't know where the recording took place, and he has little or no information about the tune.…