Annotation:Boys of Ballinamore (The)

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BOYS OF BALLINAMORE, THE (Na Buacaillide Ua Beal-an-Ata-Moir). Irish, Double Jig. G Major/D Mixolydian. Standard tuning (fiddle). AB. O'Neill had the tune from a seventeen year old fiddler named George West, who, though gifted musically, was somewhat indigent and did not own a fiddle. He had formed a symbiotic musical relationship of sorts with one O'Malley, who did own a fiddle and who eked out a meager living playing house parties despite the loss of a finger from his left hand. O'Malley, however, invariable could only make it to midnight before he got too drunk to bow, at which time West took over his fiddle and finished the night's engagement. "Thus lived the careless, improvident but talented Georgie, until an incident in his life rendered a trip to the far west advisable."

Source for notated version:

Printed sources: O'Neill (Music of Ireland: 1850 Melodies), 1903; No. 937, p. 174. O'Neill (Dance Music of Ireland: 1001 Gems), 1907; No. 167, p. 42.

Recorded sources:

See also listing at:
See the tune in the Dunn Family manuscript collection [1]

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