“I Will if I Can” is a jig that I associate with the village of Kilfenora, and fiddle James Devitt in particular. I learned it through various sessions in North Clare and it is quite a popular tune in the area.
X:1
T:I Will If I Can
R:Jig
M:6/8
K:G
|:GBd gdB|ded d2c|B2B BAG|FGA A2D|
GBd gdB|def g2g|ege dBA|1 AGF G2D:|2 AGF GBd||
|:g2d edB|ded dBd|g2d edB|ABA ABd|
g2d edB|def g2g|ege dBA|1 AGF GBd:|2 AGF G2D||
I heard “Big Pat’s Reel” at a session in Gus O’Connor’s Pub in Doolin, played by my friend Christophe, a great fiddle player and harpist from France. I was also familiar with this tune through the recording “Waifs & Strays” by Michael Hynes and Denis Liddy.
I learned Johnny Leary’s Jig from Terry Bingham, at a workshop during the Russell Memorial Weekend 2013. It is a nice tune that you hear every now and then in sessions, but not too often.
I learned this lovely barndance, “If There Weren’t Any Women In The World”, from a session with Terry Bingham, Yvonne Casey and Stéphane Germain at Fitzpatrick’s Pub back in 2012. I have played it with Terry on other occasions since and he likes to play it after a hornpipe called “Caisleán an Óir”.
