Annotation:King of the Rath
X:1 T:King of the Rath, The T:Ree Raw M:6/8 L:1/8 R:March Q:"Allegro" B:P.M. Haverty – One Hundred Irish Airs vol. 2 (1858, No. 151, p. 69) Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion K:A (c2e) (ed.c)|(Bc.B) (dB.G)|(AB.A) (A2e)|(ed).c (dB).G| (c2e) (ed.c)|(Bc.B) (dB.G)|(AB.A) (A2e)|(ed.c) (dB).G|| [E2c2][Ec] ([E2c2]e)|[E2d2][Ed] ([E2d2]f)|[A2e2][Ae]([A2e2][A2f2])|[A2=g2]g [A3c3g3]|e2e e2f| d2d d2e|(c2e) edc|BcB dcB|(AB.A) (A2e)|(ed.c) (dB.G)||
KING OF THE RATH, THE (Rig an Rata). AKA and see "Ree Raw (1)." Irish, March (6/8 time). G Dorian (O'Neill): A Major (Haverty). Standard tuning (fiddle). AAB. Haverty's version is in A major, as are several versions under the title "Ree Raw (1)," while O'Neill's tune is in the dorian mode; however, save for that, the melody lines are an exact duplicate of one another (whether by design or mistake?). The alternate title "Ree Raw" is an Anglicized version of the Irish name Rí an Rátha (King of the Rath i.e. a fairy rath, or fort), although a once-a-time meaning of ree raw referred to an uproar, confusion or boisterous merriment. The meanings perhaps link the 'boisterous merriment' with the fairy king, the Lord of Misrule.
