I learned “The Hunter’s Purse” from Adam & Dave Shapiro’s CD “Cape To Clare”. Adam & Dave are two brothers from South Africa, who came to Ireland for the music and based themselves around Doolin. Adam is the fiddle player with “Fiddle Case” and still lives in the area and it is always a great pleasure to meet him for tunes!
“The Holly Bush” has been one of my favourite reels for a good number of years. It was composed by Finbarr Dwyer and you can also hear it played in E sometimes. Adam & Dave Shapiro recorded this tune on their album “Cape To Clare”.
“The Harvest Moon” is a reel that was composed by Paddy O’Brien. I first heard it on PJ Crotty & James Cullinan’s album, but I learned it through various sessions, with Stéphane, Yvonne Casey & Terry Bingham in particular. Adam & Dave Shapiro also recorded it on their album “Cape to Clare”.
“Handsome Sally” is a reel I learned from Stéphane and Adam Shapiro. They used to have a great sessions in Cooley’s Pub in Ennistymon. I believe they got this tunes tune from Catherine & John McEvoy’s CD “The Kilmore Fancy”.
I learned this beautiful jig, “The Gallowglass”, from my friend Adam Shapiro. Adam is an amazing fiddle player from South Africa who has been living in Clare for many years and is a member of The Fiddle Case. I also associate this tune with another friend of mine, Kirsten Alstaff, who recorded this jig on her first solo album. It actually gave the name to the album as well.
This is the second tune of the Charlie Harris’ set which I learned from Stéphane, Adam Shapiro & Paul Dooley at a session in Cooley’s Pub (Ennistymon). “Charlie Harris’ Reel No.2” is also called “The Burren” or “Michael Cramer’s Reel”, but I’m not too sure about the original title.
“Charlie Harris’ Reel No. 1” is part of a set that I learned at a great session in Cooley’s Pub, in Ennistymon, with Stéphane, Adam Shapiro, Paul Dooley and a few others. It is played with another reel and they’re known together as “Charlie Harris’ Reels” and were recorded by De Dannan.
This reel also goes by the names “John Blessing’s” and “O’Connell’s Reel”, which is the oldest name I could find.
