Annotation:Trip to Birmingham (2)
X:1 T:The Trip to Birmingham [2] C:Josie McDermott R:Reel D:Catherine McEvoy with Felix Dolan (track 13b) D:Josie McDermott: Darby's Farewell M:C K:G GAAG ABcd|e2ed edBA|~G3B dBGB|ABAG E2D2| GAAG ABcd|efed efga|bzbg ageg|dedB ~G3z:| |:dggf gzga|bgag edBd|~G3B dBGB|ABAG E2D2| dg~g2 ag~g2|bzbg ageg|~G3B dBGB|AGEF G3z:|
TRIP TO BIRMINGHAM [2]. AKA and see “Dinny O'Brien's Reel (2),” “Josie McDermott's Reel (1),” “Peg McGrath's Reel (2),” "Pile of Bricks (The)." Irish, Reel (whole time). G Major. Standard tuning (fiddle). AABB. "Trip to Birmingham" is usually attributed to flute and whistle player Josie McDermott (d. 1992), originally from Ballyfarnon, Co. Roscommon, who was also a lilter, singer and saxophone player. One authority, however, holds it was written by County Mayo fiddle player John McGrath (for whom several tunes have been claimed with scant evidence).
The tune is similar in many respects to a family of hornpipes (and one reel) that includes "Corney Drew's Hornpipe," "Dwyer's Hornpipe (1)," "Fitzgerald's Hornpipe (2)" and "Teresa Halpin's Reel." It does not seen to have enough points of correspondence to be considered cognate, but perhaps a version of the melody 'informed' McDermott's composing. See also the related “Cornerhouse (2) (The),” and the note for “annotation:Kathleen Lawrie's Wedding.”
