Annotation:Ashplant (1) (The)

ASHPLANT [1]. AKA and see "An Maide Fuinnseoige." Irish, Reel. E Minor. Standard tuning. AB (Breathnach, Flaherty, McNulty): AABB (Carlin, Miller & Perron). An ashplant was the name for a common implement among farmers and drovers of cattle in Ireland, made from a sapling of an ash tree. The root ball would be trimmed to a knob which fit easily in the hand, and the length trimmed into a switch. It would be applied to the hide of the buttocks of an animal as a means of motivating and steering them. The implement has been known to be employed in brawls on fair days, grasped at the opposite end with the knob then the business end! See also the related "Tom Dowd's Favourite."

Sources for notated versions: piper Pat Brophy (Ireland) [Breathnach]; flute player Noel Tansey (b. 1940, Cuilmore, Co. Sligo, Ireland) [Flaherty]; a 1969 recording of Galway fiddler Máirtín Byrnes [Miller & Perron].

Printed sources: Breathnach (CRÉ I), 1963; No. 116, pg. 48. Carlin (Master Collection), 1984; No. 211, pg. 124. Flaherty (Trip to Sligo), 1990; pg. 94. McNulty (Dance Music of Ireland), 1965; pg. 5. Miller & Perron (Traditional Irish Fiddle Music), 1977; vol. 1, No. 63. Miller & Perron (Irish Traditional Fiddle Music), 2nd Edition, 2006; pg. 47.

Recorded sources: Gael-Linn CEF 114, Noel Hill & Tony MacMahon - "I gCnoc na Graí." Leader LEACD 2004, "Martin Byrnes" (1969). Topic TSCD 602, The Belhavel Trio - "Irish Dance Music" (1995. A reissue of the 1938 original).

X:1 T:Ashplant, The R:reel D:Noel Hill & Tony McMahon: \'I gCnoc na Gra\'I M:C| L:1/8 Z:id:hn-reel-285 Z:transcribed by henrik.norbeck@mailbox.swipnet.se K:Edor BE~E2 BAGA|BE~E2 ~G3A|1 BE~E2 BABd|gedB A2GA:|2 ~B3A (3Bcd ef|gedB A2GA|| X:2 T:The Ash Plant M:2/2 L:1/8 R:Reel Z:Transcribed by Rob Greenway K:F#m c3B cBAB|cF~F2 EFAB|c3B cdfg|afec B2AB:| c2ac bcac|c2ac cBAB|cefg a3b|afec B2AB||
 * B2eB fBeB|~B2ed BAGA|1 B2eB ~f3d|efdB A2GA:|2 (3Bcd ef ~g3a|gedB A2GA||
 * c2ac bcac|c2ac cBAB|c2ac bcab|afec B2AB|