Cruiskeen Lawn (1)

 CRUISKEEN LAWN (Cruiscin Lan). AKA and see "O'Sullivan's Return," "The Men of '82," "The Wife Who Was Dumb," "Dumb, Dumb, Dumb." Irish, Air (4/4 time). G Minor (O'Neill): A Minor (O'Farrell). Standard tuning (fiddle). AB (O'Neill): AABB (O'Farrell). "Cruiskeen Lawn" is the Englished form of the Gaelic title "Cruiscin Lan," which means 'The Full Little Jug'. Flood (1905) mentions a rather bold assertion that Dr. Sigerson, in " 'The Bards of the Gael and Gall', believes this tune evidences strong Scandinavian musical influences from the period of the Norse invasions of Ireland c. 800-1050. He is in error," states Flood, who doubts the tune dates from the Norse period or even mediaeval days. Cazden (et al, 1982) finds the earliest publication of the song to be a sheet-music copy printed in New York by Edward Riley, dated between 1823 and 1831, and notes that the song became a favorite on both sides of the Atlantic during the mid-19th century. As a popular tune it was used for several other ballads and hymns, including the American shape-note piece "Consolation" (Sacred Harp, 1848). See also note to "An Cruisgin Beag" and "We'll take again a cruiskeen, a cruiskeen laun." Source for notated version: Chicago Police Sergeant James O'Neill, a fiddler originally from County Down and Francis O'Neill's collaborator [O'Neill]. O'Farrell (Pocket Companion, vol. III), c. 1808; pg. 41 (appears as "Cruskeen Lawn"). Printed source: O'Neill (Music of Ireland: 1850 Melodies), 1903; No. 254, p. 44.

X:1 T:Cruiskeen Lawn M:C L:1/8 R:Air N:"With expression" S:O'Neill - Music of Ireland (1903), No. 254 Z:AK/Fiddler's Companion K:Gmin G/^F/ | DABc | d6 zd | d>BBd f2 ed | cBAB c2 Bc | d>c Bc BA BA Fc B '''© 1996-2010 Andrew Kuntz. All Rights Reserved.''' Engraver Valerio M. Pelliccioni