Annotation:Boyne Hunt (1)

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X:1 T:Boyne Hunt [1] R:Reel L:1/8 M:C S:Joyce - Old Irish Folk Music and Songs (1909) Z:AK/Fiddler's Companion K:D BAFA D2 FA|D2 FA BE E2|BAFA D3F|ABde fedB| BAFA D2FA|D2FA BE E2|BAFA DEFG|ABde fdd2|| {f}a3f a2 af|gfga be e2|{f}a3f gedB|ABde fd d2| faaf a2 af|gfga beeg|fgfe dedB|ABde fedB||



BOYNE HUNT [1] (Seilg na Boinne). AKA and see "Bridge of Perth (2)," "Highland Skip (2)," "Maid Amongst the Roses (The)," "Molly Maguire (2)," "Molly McGuire's Reel," "Niel Gow's Reel (1)," "Perth Hunt (1) (The)," "Perthshire Hunt (The)," "Popcorn (The)," "Sailor's Trip to Liverpool (The)," "Smyth's Reel," "Thomas a cartha," "Tom the Blacksmith." Irish, Reel. D Major (Cole, Mallinson, O'Neill): D Mixolydian/Major (Mitchell). Standard tuning (fiddle). AB (Mallinson, O'Connor, Taylor): ABB' (O'Neill/Krassen): AABB (Cole): ABC (O'Neill/1850 & 1001): ABCDEF (Mitchell). The tune was originally a Scottish composition called "The Perthshire Hunt," commissioned for the Perthshire Hunt Ball and composed by biography:Miss Striling of Ardoch, Perthshire, Scotland. Irish versions may have originally been associated with Ulster musicians, but was disseminated around the island by the mid-18th century (e.g. Joyce collected his version in Limerick). "Boyne Hunt" is contained in the turn-of-the-20th century music manuscript in the possession of biography:Rev. Luke Donnellan, a curate and fiddler from the Oriel region, south Ulster[1]. The reel also appears in the mid-19th music manuscript collection of County Cork cleric and uilleann piper biography:James Goodman as "Bridge of Perth (2)," while another variant was entered into the c. 1883 music manuscript of County Leitrim piper and fiddler biography:Stephen Grier as "Smyth's Reel." In modern times the tune is extremely widespread and is considered a core session tune. An early recording was made by the famous Irish piper Patsy Tuohey on cylinder around 1919. Although O'Neill prints three parts, the tune is usually played with the first two parts only. See note also for "Twisting of the Rope (1)" which mentions this tune. See also the related "Tea Reel (The)" and the French-Canadian variant "Popcorn (The)."


Additional notes
Source for notated version : - piper Willie Clancy (1918-1973, Miltown Malbay, west Clare) [Mitchell]; set dance music recorded at Na Píobairí Uilleann, mid-1980's [Taylor]; P.W. Joyce remembered the tune from his childhood in Limerick, c. 1840's; tin whistle player Denor O'Brien (1960-1990) [Miller & Perron]; County Sligo fiddler Michael Coleman (1891-1945) [Miller & Perron]; Rev. Luke Donnellan music manuscript collection [O'Connor]; Jerry Holland Sr. [Corfield].

Printed sources : - Cole (1000 Fiddle Tunes), 1940; p. 6. Corfield (Tunes from New Brunswick), 2024; p. 123. Giblin (Collection of Traditional Irish Dance Music), 1928; 16. Joyce (Old Irish Folk Music and Songs), 1909; No. 85, p. 45 (appears as untitled reel). Lyth (Bowing Styles in Irish Fiddle Playing), vol. 1, 1981; 50. Mallinson (100 Essential), 1995; No. 4, p. 2. Miller & Perron (Irish Traditional Fiddle Music), 2nd Edition, 2006; pp. 51-52 (two versions). Mitchell (Dance Music of Willie Clancy), 1993; No. 142, pp. 112-113. O'Connor (The Rose in the Gap), 2018; No. 102, p. 65. O'Neill (Krassen), 1976; p. 103. O'Neill (Music of Ireland: 1850 Melodies), 1903; No. 1241, p. 233. O'Neill (Dance Music of Ireland: 1001 Gems), 1907; No. 514, p. 97. Ryan's Mammoth Collection, 1883; p. 29. Taylor (Music for the Sets: Yellow Book), 1995; p. 30.

Recorded sources : - Comhaltas Ceoltoiri Éireann CL 13, "Tommy Peoples" (1976). Gael-Linn CEF060, "Paddy Glackin." Paddy Keenan & Paddy Glackin - "Doublin'". Outlet Records, Joe Burke - "Galway's Own Joe Burke." Victor 21720a (78 RPM), John Sheridan (1928). Wild Asparagus 007, Wild Asparagus - "Live at the Guiding Star Grange" (2009). Michael Cooney & Joe Burke - "Happy to Meet, Sorry to Part." Joe Cooley - "Cooley." Michael Coleman 1892-1945. Fireman Barry Conlan - "Milestone in the Garden" (1st tune in the medley "Over the Lakes").

See also listing at :
Jane Keefer's Folk Music Index: An Index to Recorded Sources [1]
Alan Ng's Irishtune.info [2]



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  1. Donnellan researcher Gerry O'Connor came to believe the ms. is not the work of the curate but rather was originally compiled by an unknown but able fiddler over the course of a playing lifetime, probably in the late 19th century. The ms. later came into the possession of Donnellan, who was also a fiddler.