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X: 46 T: Tom Judge B: A COLLECTION of the most Celebrated Irish Tunes (11c) M: 6/4 L: 1/8 K: Dm |:\ A2d2d2 d4c2 | dcdef2 f3gf2 | e2def2 dcBAGF | D2G2G2 G4AG | F2D2c2 c2ABc2 | A2F2f2 g2fga2 | f2d2d2 dcA2F2 | A2d2d2 d6 :| |:D2d2d2 dcdef2 | A2G2F2 G2F2E2 | c4c2 c3dc2 | c2ABc2 d4d2 | DEF2D2 DEF2D2 | C2E2c2 G2E2C2 | A4G2 F2GFED | C2A,2C2 D6 | D2F2d2 D2F2d2 | c2dcBA G2E2C2 | F2A2f2 F2A2f2 | e3c de f4e2 | d2edcB c2dcBA | G2AGFE F2GFED | C2E2c2 | C2E2A2 | TF4E2 FDD4 :|



THOMAS JUDGE. AKA - "Planxty Tom Judge," "Pleraca Tomas Breiteam," "Thomaus a Moumpus," "Tom Judge." AKA and see "Carolan's Frolic." Irish, Planxty (6/8 time). D Minor (Neal, O'Sullivan): G Minor (Wright): D Major (O'Neill). Standard tuning (fiddle). AAB (O'Neill): AABB (Neal): ABC (O'Sullivan). Composed by blind Irish harper Turlough O'Carolan (1670-1738) for Thomas Judge of Grangebeg, County Westmeath, High Sheriff of Leitrim and later of Westmeath. In 1707 he married Abigail, daughter of Thomas Smyth of Drumcree, County Westmeath (for whom see "Mrs. Judge")[1]. Thomas Judge married a second time, in 1741, after Carolan died, so "Mrs. Judge" refers to his first wife.

O'Sullivan also thought Chief O'Neill's version to be "one of the most pleasing variants but showing undoubted folk influence"[2]. An air called “Thomas McJudge” appears in Bunting’s second collection.

The alternate title "Thomaus a Moumpus," which appears with the tune in uilleann piper O'Farrell's early 19th century National Music for the Union Pipes, was thought by O'Sullivan (1958) to have possibly been a corruption of "Tomás na mbumper," which occurs in line 7 of the poem. Dublin printer John Lee included it in his Favourite Collectoin of the Most Celebrated Irish Tunes (1780) as "Carolan's Frolic."


Additional notes
Source for notated version : - George Petrie's Ancient Music of Ireland [O'Sullivan]; the manuscript of Deasy was the source for versions collected by Pigot and Forde in the early 19th century, and which were printed by Daniel Wright (Aria di Camera) and John Mulholland; Belfast musician Edward Bunting collected the tune from harper Charles Fanning [Bunting].

Printed sources : - Complete Collection of Carolan's Irish Tunes, 1984; No. 67, p. 60. O'Neill (Music of Ireland: 1850 Melodies), 1903; No. 685, p. 125. O’Farrell (Pocket Companion, vol. IV), c. 1810; p. 130 ("Thomaus a Moumpus"). O'Sullivan (Carolan: The Life, Times and Music of an Irish Harper), 1958; No. 67, p. 138. Petrie (Ancient Music of Ireland), 1855; p. 102. Daniel Wright (Aria di Camera), London, 1727; No. 39.

Recorded sources : - Green Linnet GLCD 1128, Brendan Mulvihill and Donna Long - “The Morning Dew” (1993).




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  1. O'Sullivan, The Life, Times and Music of an Irish Harper, 1958, p. 249.
  2. ibid.