I learned the jig “Donnybrook Fair” from the playing of concertina player Dympna O’Sullivan. It is a common session tune, which was also recorded by Josephine Marsh on the album “To Meet A Friend” with Cyril O’Donoghue.
X:1
T:Donnybrook Fair
R:Jig
M:6/8
K:G
|:G2G AGA|Bee dBA|BAB GAB|AGE EDE|
GFG AGA|B2e dBA|BAB GAB|1 AGF G2D:|2 AGF GBd||
gfe fed|ege dBA|Bee dBA|Bed e2f|
g2g fed|ege dBA|BAB GAB|AGF GBd|
gfe fed|ege dBA|B2e dBA|Bed e2f|
g2g aga|bge dBA|BAB GAB|AGF G2D||
I learned “Hug The Bundle” from uilleann piper Brian McNamara. He recorded this strathspey on his album “Fort of the Jewels”, which is one of my favourite piping albums. This tune has no connection with Doolin though and I never heard it anywhere. Still love it though!
I learned “Hold The Reins” from a session recording I made of a nice evening in Hotel Doolin back in 2008 with my friend Stéphane, Yvonne Casey and Terry Bingham. It was also recorded by accordion and concertina player from Chicago John Williams, who has spent a lot of time in Doolin over the years. It is also called “The Dublin Lads”.
“Tatter Jack Walsh” is a tune I learned from the playing of Micho Russell and his brother Gussie. They recorded it as a tin whistle duet on the LP “The Russell Family” back in 1975. There is also a nice variation of the second part that I learned from Noel O’Donoghue.
