Annotation:Rakish Paddy
X:2 T:Rakish Paddy M:C| L:1/8 R:Reel S:O’Neill – Dance Music of Ireland: 1001 Gems (1907), No. 749 Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion K:C cBcd cBAB|cAGF EFGc|Ad{e}dc defe|dcAG FGAB| cedB cBAB|cAGF EDCE|DEFG ABce|dcAG FD D2|| eg ~g2 agfg|efgf ec ~c2|ea a2 bgag|eaag (3efg dg| eg ~g2 agfg|efge defg|afge fdec|dcAG FD D2||
RAKISH PADDY ("Paidin An Racaire" or "Pádraig Réice"). AKA and see "Caber Féigh/Cabar Féidh," "Cameronian Rant (The)," "Caper Fey," "Castle Street Reel," "Deer's Horns (The)," "Glastertown's Downfall," "Little White House under the Hill." Irish, Reel. D Major (Williamson): C Major (Kennedy, Phillips): D Mixolydian/D Major (Breathnach, Feldman & O'Doherty, Harker/Rafferty, Mallinson, Mitchell, O'Neill, Roche). Standard tuning (fiddle). AB (Feldman & O'Doherty, Mitchell, O'Neill/1850 & 1001, Roche): AABB (Kennedy, Phillips, Williamson): AA'BB' (Harker/Rafferty, Mallinson): ABC (Breathnach, O'Neill/Krassen). Brendan Breathnach (1963, 1971), Robin Williamson (1976) and other knowledgeable musicians generally think the tune, a perennial favorite of performers, originated in Scotland. O'Neill finds that Bremner published it under the title "Caper Fey" (an English corruption of the Gaelic "Caber Féigh/Cabar Féidh," 'the deer's horns') in 1768 in his Second Collection of Scots Reels or Country Dances. "Rakish Paddy" is cited by Cowdery (1990) as the title tune of a dance tune family (including one march version) which includes the alternate titles given above. There are three distinct versions of the tune, says Cowdery, the first and most common of the three has its two strains corresponding to the Scots "Caber Féigh/Cabar Féidh." The second was recorded by fiddler John Doherty and appears to be particular to his home County Donegal (see "O'Halloran's"), and the third (recorded by County Clare fiddler Bobby Casey and played by many) is a four-strain variation of "Caber Féigh/Cabar Féidh," though the last two strains appear to be variations of the second. Caoimhin Mac Aoidh also states that the County Donegal version is different than the "Rakish Paddy" played in the south of Ireland. In fact, he traces an unusual version of "Rakish Paddy" from Charlie Doherty, a member of the famous fiddling Doherty family of Donegal, who brought the tune back to Ireland with him from his years in America. Although Charlie’s death from a fall out a second-story window was untimely, the tune was ultimately popularized by the playing of his younger brother John and now is known throughout Donegal. Flute player Roger Sherlock remembers "Rakish Paddy" was a favorite of uilleann piper Willie Clancy's (Miltown Malbay, County Clare) in the 1950's and 1960's when Clancy joined Sherlock and other Irish émigré musicians for a time in London. Breathnach (1963) states that O'Neill's identification of "Sporting Pat (1)" as a variant of "Rakish Paddy" is erroneous. See also the related Donegal reel "O'Halloran's," "New Copperplate (The)" as well as "Coveny's Reel."
The tune, as "Rakish Paddy," was entered into the c. 1863-73 music manuscript collection of Crossmolina, County Mayo, farmer and fiddler Philip Carolan (c. 1839-1901), suggesting it was in circulation under that title in the west of Ireland in the second half of the 19th century. Irish-American uilleann piper Patsy Touhey was recorded on a cylinder machine by Capt. Francis O'Neill in Chicago playing the tune in 1904. It may be that O'Neill obtained the setting of the tune that appears in his Dance Music of Ireland (1907) from the piper. County Sligo fiddlers Michael Coleman and James Morrison recorded the tune in New York the 1930's in two and four parts, respectively (Morrison's parts 3 & 4 may have been variations on the 'B' part). The third and fourth parts of Rakish Paddy are also sometimes credited to Coleman, although he recorded the first two parts only in the early 1920's; they were perhaps a later development in his playing. County Kerry fiddler Paddy Cronin also recorded the four-part version.
Fiddler Erskine Morris (1913-1997), originally from Douglastown, eastern Gaspe, Quebec, played a version of "Rakish Paddy" under the title "Little White House under the Hill."
