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Annotation:Master McDermott's Reel
X:1 T:Master McDermott's Reel R:Reel L:1/8 M:4/4 K:D DFF2 DFAB | defe dBB2 | AFF2 BFAF | E2EF E2FE | DFF2 DFAB | defe dBB2 |AFF2 dFAF | EDFE D4 :| |: dff2 dfaf | g2fe dBB2 | dBBA Bcde |fdgf e2fe | dfaf g2bg | fafe dBB2 | AFF2 dFAF | EDFE D4 :|
MASTER McDERMOTT'S REEL (Ríl an Mháistir Mhic Dhiarmada). AKA and see "Barrel Rafferty's Reel," "McDermott's Reel (1)." Irish, Reel. D Major. Standard tuning (fiddle). AABB (Breathnach): AA'BB' (Feldman & O'Doherty). A reel with wide-spread popularity; it has been recorded by Cape Breton fiddlers numerous times. Jackie Small (notes CRÉ IV) maintains the tune was composed by Michael 'Master' McDermott in May, 1943. McDermott was a schoolteacher and fiddler from Carrickmore, southern County Tyrone, who died in 1947, and whose playing hey-day was in the 1920's and 1930's. Breathnach and Small print twelve tunes noted from McDermott's playing in Ceol Rince na hÉireann (1996). Belfast fiddler Seán Maguire claimed composition of "Master McDermott's," along with fiddler Liam Donnelly in his book Irish Tunes by the 100 (vol. 1, 1975), and the pair have often been credited with the reel. Maguire recorded the tune in the 1950's (as "McDermott's Reel"), playing tin whistle, and it has been a favorite with whistle players since then. Breathnach was of the opinion this tune was a version of "Boys of the Lough (The)." Some similarities with the tune "New Policeman (1) (The)" or "Belles of Tipperary (1)." "Give Us Another" and "Farewell to Erin (2)/Farewell to Eireann (2)," are related reels.