Annotation:Fingalians' Dance (The)
X:1 T:Fin Galians Dance, The M:C L:1/8 B:Thumoth - 12 English and 12 Irish Airs (London, c. 1743, No. 12, p. 48) Z:AK/Fiddler's Companion K:G B2G2G2 Bc|d2G2d2G2|B2G2G2 Bc|{c}d4TB4| c2A2A2 cd|e2A2e2A2|c2A2A2 cd|e4 {d}c4:| |:G2g2g2 fg|.a(gfe) (dcBA)|A2a2 Ta2 ga|bagf dcBA| G2g2Tg2 fg|f2 (ga) D2g2|f2 (ga)D2g2|f4 {e}!fermata!Td4:| |:.BGFG .dGFG|.BGFG .dGFG|.BGFG .dGFG|d4{e}TB4| .cAGA .eAGA|.cAGA .eAGA|.cAGA .eAGA|e4 {d}Tc4:| |:G2g2 Tg2 fg |Tg2 fg a4|A2a2Ta2 ga|Ta2 ga b4| G2.g2.g2.g2|.F2.a2.D2.g2|F2a2D2g2|f4{e}d4:| P:Variation |:dcBA G4|GABc d4|dcBA GABc|d4 {c}B4| edcB A4|ABcd e4|edcB ABcd|e4{d}Tc4:| |:G2g2G2g2|G2g2 a4|A2a2A2a2|A2a2b4| Ggfg G2g2|agfe D2g2|agfe D2g2|f4{e}d4:| |:(3d2B2G2 (3G2B2c2|(3d2B2G2 (3G2B2d2|dcBA G2d2|d4{c}B4| (3e2c2A2 (3A2c2e2|(3e2c2A2 (3A2c2e2|edcB A2e2|e4{d}c4:| |:(3d2g2b2 Tg4|Tg2fg a4|(3D2f2a2 a4|Ta2 ga b4| Ggfg Ggfg|Faga Dgfg|Faga D2g2|f4{e}Td4:|]
FINGALIANS' DANCE, THE. Irish, March? G Major. Standard tuning (fiddle). AB. The tune, an identical setting to the one later printed by O'Neill, with variations was published in Burk Thumoth's Twelve English and Twelve Irish Airs (London, 1743), reprinted in London by the Thompson's in 1785 as part of Forty Eight English, Irish and Scotch Airs with Variations (1785, pp, 96-97) as "The Fin Galians Dance."
The name of the tune may have been taken from a poem called "The Fingallian Dance", written around 1650-1660. Fingallian was a language remnant found in Fingal (south of Dublin), Leinster, Ireland, Leinster, which was an off-shoot of Middle English, brought over with the Normans in the late 12th century. It has been extinct since the mid-19th century, but survives in two poems, including "The Fingallian Dance." Wikipedia [1] explains:
The poem most likely to have been composed by a native speaker of Fingallian is The Fingallian Dance, a brief, three-stanza poem written between about 1650 and 1660.[4] It is a mildly indecent poem about a man going to see dancers at a bullring (bull fighting was practised in 17th century Ireland). Although the poem is likely to have been standardised when written down, it gives a flavour of Fingallian, particularly forms like fat for "what" or fen for "when". Other words that need explanation are ame 'them' and plack-keet, 'part of a petticoat'.
The Fingallian Dance c.1650
On a day in the Spring,
As I went to bolring
to view the jolly Daunciers,
They did trip it so high
(Be me shole!) I did spee
six Cunts abateing Seav'n hairs
But wondering on 'ame,
Fat make 'em so tame,
Fen de catch at their plack-keet,
The maids of y-yore
Wou'd y-cree, and y-rore,
And make o foul rackeet.
But fire take 'ame,
They made me ashame,
and when I went home to me weef
And told her the chaunce
Of the Maids in the Daunce,
'Peace thy prateing', say'd shee, 'for dee Leef!'