X:1
T:Sprig of Shilila
T:Sprig of Shillelagh [1]
M:6/8
L:1/8
R:Jig
B:Patrick McGahon music manuscript collection (1817, No. 32)
N:McGahon was a scribe of Irish language literature who lived in
N:Dungooley, County Louth, on the Armagh border. He was a
N:teacher with The Irish Society in the early 19th century, but little
N:else is known about him. A few tunes in the ms. are written in other N:hands.
B:Pádraigín Ní UIallacháin – “A Hidden Ulster” (2003, p. 445)
Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion
K:G
D|DEF GFG|AcB A2G|GBd dcB|AcB AGF|
GAB EFG|DEF G2::c|BGB dBd|ece d2c|
BGB dBd|ece d2B|cec BdB|ABA A2f|
gfe dcB|AcB AGF|GAB EFG|DEF G2:|
SPRIG OF SHILLELAGH [1] (Geagan siol-eilig). AKA - "Sprig of Shilila," "Sprig of Shillelah." AKA and see "Bare-Footed Quaker (The)," "Black Joke (1) (The)," "Darling Nedeen," "Irish Dragoon," "Irish Oak," "O! Love is the soul of a neat Irish man," "Paddy McShane," "Shandrum Boggoon," "Sublime was the warning," "Thistle Sae Green," "When the bright spark of freedom." Irish, English, American; Set Dance, Air and Jig (6/8 time). D Major ('A' and 'B' parts) & G Major ('C' part) {Ford}: D Major (Hardings, Haverty, Robbins): G Major (Kerr, O’Flannagan, O'Neill). Standard tuning (fiddle). AB (O’Flannagan): AAB (O'Neill): AABB (Hardings, Kerr, McGahon, Robbins): AABBCC (Ford). Shillelagh is a word that has become synonymous with the cudgel favored by Irish faction fighters in the 19th century. It still retains that connotation today, cemented by old stage-Irish performers who carried the implement as a stock symbol of their origin. The association of the name shillelagh with ‘a club’ stems from the quality of wood that could be found in the oak forest at Shillelagh in County Wicklow (not far from Tinahely), from which a superior brand of cudgel could be fashioned. Terry Moylan notes the typical Irish fighting stick was oak, not blackthorn. The ‘sprig of Shillelagh’ in the title may refer to a sprig of oak from the forest of Shillelagh. Unfortunately, the stock of oak in Ireland has diminished considerably, so that modern shillelaghs are invariably made of blackthorn, fashioned for the tourist trade in rather short, stubbly implements (the original oak shillelagh was a sturdy three feet long).
Additional notes
Printed sources : - Clinton (Gems of Ireland: 200 Airs), 1841; No. 9, p. 5. Ford (Traditional Music in America), 1940; p. 55. Harding’s All Round Collection, 1905; No. 173, p. 55. P.M. Haverty (One Hundred Irish Airs vol. 1), 1858; No. 29, p. 12. Kerr (Merry Melodies, vol. 3), c. 1880’s; No. 254, p. 28. O’Flannagan (The Hibernia Collection), Boston, 1860; p. 26. O'Neill (Dance Music of Ireland: 1001 Gems), 1986; No. 994, p. 171. Edward Riley (Riley's Flute Melodies vol. 1), New York, 1814; No. 333, p. 92. Robbins Music Corp. (The Robbins collection of 200 jigs, reels and country dances), New York, 1933; No. 193, p. 62.
Recorded sources : - Green Linnet SIF 1087, Seamus Connolly "Notes From My Mind" (1988). Green Linnet SIF 1101, Seamus Connolly "Playing with Fire: the Celtic Music Collection" (1989).
See also listing at : Jane Keefer's Folk Music Index: An Index to Recorded Sources [1]
Alan Ng's Irishtune.info [2]
