TOM WARD'S DOWNFALL (Bascadh Thomáis Mhic an Bháird). AKA and see "Bascadh Thomáis Mhic an Bháird," “Follow Me Down to Carlow (3)," “Let a Body Lie with You,” “Long Hills of Mourne (2) (The),” “Mourne Mountains (2), "'Purty Girl (The), "Reel (97).” Irish, Reel. G Major. Standard tuning (fiddle). AB (Perlman): AABB (Breathnach, Miller & Perron, Moylan): AABB' (Flaherty). A version of the "Tom Ward's Downfall" family of tunes was entered as an untitled reel into Book 2 of the large c. 1883 music manuscript collection of County Leitrim fiddler and piper biography:Stephen Grier (c. 1824-1894), for which see "Reel (97)." During the 78 RPM era the melody (under the “Tom Ward” title) was recorded by Sligo fiddlers Michael Coleman in 1927 and Paddy Killoran in 1939 (paired with “McGovern's Favorite”). In was recorded by Peter Conlon in 1929 as the follow-up tune to “Coalminer's (The),” according to Philippe Varlet, although the label on the record called the medley “The Fiddler’s Delight.” A rare version of “Tom Ward” is called “The American Reel,” according to Caoimhin Mac Aoidh (1994), which was imported home to County Donegal by fiddler Charlie Doherty (of the famous fiddling Doherty family) when he returned after his years in America. O’Neill printed the tune as “Mourne Mountains (1).” Barrel Rafferty, Galway flute player Mike Rafferty’s father, knew the tune by the title “Follow Me Down to Carlow,” although that title is usually applied to other melodies.
A closely related American old-time tune is the Kentucky melody "Merriweather," while the second strain of West Virginia fiddler Edden Hammons’ "Cumberland Gap (4)," mirrors the second strain of “Tow Ward’s Downfall.”
Additional notes Source for notated version : - piper Pat Brophy/Patrick Ó Broithe (Ireland) [Breathnach]; fiddler Kathleen Morris (Corlisheen, Ballyrush, County Sligo) [Flaherty]; accordion player Johnny O’Leary (Sliabh Luachra region of the Cork-Kerry border) [Moylan]; Peter Chaisson Sr. (b. 1929, Bear River, North-East King’s County, Prince Edward Island) [Perlman]; fiddler Seán McGuire (1927-2005, Belfast, Ireland) & flute player Roger Sherlock [Miller & Perron].
Printed sources : - Breathnach (CRÉ I), 1963; No. 90, p. 39. Bulmer & Sharpley (Music from Ireland vol. 3), 1976; No. 29. Flaherty (Trip to Sligo), 1990; p. 59. Lyth (Bowing Styles in Irish Fiddle Playing, vol. 1), 1981; 59. Miller & Perron (Irish Traditional Fiddle Music, vol. 2), 1977; No. 33. Miller & Perron (Irish Traditional Fiddle Music), 2nd Edition, 2006; p. 108. Moylan (Johnny O’Leary of Sliabh Luachra), 1994; No. 239, p. 138. Perlman (The Fiddle Music of Prince Edward Island), 1996; p. 55.
Recorded sources : - Green Linnet GLCD 1175, Cherish the Ladies – “New Day Dawning.” Green Linnet GLCD 1187, Cherish the Ladies – “One and All: the best of Cherish the Ladies” (1998). Intrepid Records, Michael Coleman - “The Heyday of Michael Coleman” (1973). Outlet SOLP 1001, "Sean McGuire & Roger Sherlock." Rex LPR-1006, Liverpool Céilí Band - "Off to Dublin" (1966). Rounder 7002, Graham Townsend - "Le Violin--The Fiddle" (1976). Shanachie 33003, Paddy Killoran - "Paddy Killoran's Back in Town" (1970. Originally recorded in 1939).
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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