Blarney Stone Pub

San Diego, California

Irish Session Tunes

Michael Eskin
eskin@home.com

Preface
I came to Irish session music only quite recently in my musical lifetime. It became clear to
me very quickly that it can be very difficult for beginning players to bootstrap themselves
into becoming participating members of a session. So often the tunes go by so quickly, and
it seems that nobody knows the names.
What I felt was needed was a book of the tunes played in our session, in the order that they
are commonly played. Many times I have watched beginners, (myself included)
desperately flipping through books trying to find a tune being played, only to have the
group move on to another tune just when its been found in the book, or worse, never
finding it at all so that there isnt a chance that they will be able to play it the following
week.
Using this book and some practice, new players should be able to become participating
members of the session in just a few weeks.
Acknowledgement
Thank you to everyone at the Blarney Stone Pub and at the House of Ireland in Balboa Park
for welcoming me into the world of Irish session music.
A special thank you to Nishi for helping kick this effort off by suggesting the initial list of
tunes.
Thank you to Steve Glass for his wonderful transcriptions of interesting tunes.
Thank you to Marci Bunescu and Dennis Buskirk of Cobblestone for providing me with a
comprehensive list of tunes for dancers.
Production Notes
This book was produced entirely on a Macintosh using both hand transcriptions and .abc
tune sources from the Internet, mostly from Henrik Norbecks ABC archives. The .abc files
were brought in to BarFly 1.0d23, which generated the notation. The resulting graphics
were then pasted into Microsoft Word.
(c) Copyright 1999 Michael Eskin This file may be distributed freely and may not be used
for commercial purposes, such as printing a tune book to sell.
Questions? Corrections? Tune suggestions? E-mail: eskin@home.com
Blarney Stone Tunebook web site: http://members.home.com/eskin/tunebook.html

Table of Contents
Reels
Martin Wynne's #1 - Martin Wynne's #2

Lucy Campbell - Jolly Tinker

Lads of Laoise - Sailing into Walpole's Marsh - Hunter's Hut

10

Cameronian - Rakish Paddy

12

Merry Blacksmith - Cooley's - Mountain Road

14

Salamanca - Peter Street

16

Pigeon on the Gate - Earl's Chair - Woman of the House

18

Cup of Tea - Dunmore Lasses

20

Ashplant - Jackie Coleman's - Bag of Spuds - Bird on a Tree

22

Musical Priest - Jenny's Chicken

24

Wise Maid - Morning Dew

25

Bucks of Oranmore - Wind that Shakes Barley

26

Scholar - Teetotalor - St. Anne's

28

Mason's Apron - Farewell to Ireland

30

Sligo Maid - Pigeon on the Gate - Cooley's

32

Ships are Sailing - Morning Star

34

Jolly Tinker - Lady Montgomery

35

Maid of Mt. Cisco - Down the Broom - Star of Munster

36

Chicago - Sally Garden's - Man of the House

38

Tam Lin - Hand Me Down the Tackle

40

Pinch of Snuff

42

Maudabawn Chapel The Wild Irishman Abbey Reel

43

Jigs
Cathleen Hehirs - Lark in the Morning

44

Mooncoin - Langstrom's Pony

46

Caliope House - Banks of Lough Gowna - Orphan

48

Tobin's Favorite - Smash the Windows

50

Trip to Athlone - Tripping Up the Stairs - Connaughtman's

Rambles

52

Market Town - Scatter the Mud - Arthur Darleys Jig

54

Old Favorite - Cliffs of Moher - Bill Hart's Jig

58

Swallowtail Jig - Road to Lisdoonvarna

60

Kesh Jig - Morrison's - Trip to Sligo

62

When Sick is it Tea - Haste to the Wedding - Off She Goes

64

Jig of Slurs - Athol Highlanders

66

Blarney Pilgrim - The Rambling Pitchfork - The Black Rogue

68

Banish Misfortune

70

Tell Her I Am - Queen of the Rushes

72

Slip Jigs
The Boys of Ballysadare - Butterfly

74

Rocky Road to Dublin - Another Jig Will Do - Deirdes Fancy

75

Hornpipes
Home Ruler

76

Rights of Man

76

King of the Fairies

77

Boys of Bluehill - Harvest Home

78

Madame Bonaparte

79

Polkas
Unknown Title - Dennis Murphys - John Ryans

80

Slow Airs / Waltzes

Ashokan Farewell

82

Southwind

83

Sheebeg Sheemore

84

Trip to Skye

85

Tunes Transcribed by Steve Glass:

Jug of Punch Maids of Mitchelstown

86

Cold, Haily, Windy Night Dochertys Reel

87

An Suisin Ban

88

First Flight of Geese

91

Rolling Wave Star Above the Garter

92

Humours of Ballyloughlin

93

Garrett Barrys Bryan OLynn Snug in a Blanket

Calliope House

94

OFarrells Welcome to Limerick

97

Comb Your Hair and Curl It

98

Elizabeth Kellys Frahers Dinny Delaneys

100

Humours of Whiskey Hardiman the Fiddler

102

Sock in the Hole Hole in the Sock

103

My Rovin Eye Blackwell Court

104

Mrs. Carrolls Strathspey

105

Rogues in a Nation Cam Ye Oer Frae France

106

Morgan Magan

107

Lord Mayos March

108

The Hunt

109

Suil Ghorm

110

The Trees They Do Grow High

111

The Sound of Sleet

112

The Trowie Burn

113

Revision History

115

Martin Wynne's #1

Martin Wynne (1914-98)

C
1

Martin Wynne's #2

Martin Wynne (1914-98)

C
~

~
3

Lucy Campbell
C
~

~
~

2~

~
~

~
~
~

Jolly Tinker, The

Lads of Laois, The

C
~

~
~

Sailing into Walpole's Marsh

C

~
~

~
~

10

Hunter's House, The

~

Ed Reavy

~
~
~

11

Cameronian Reel, The

C
~

~
3

Rakish Paddy
C

~
1

12

13

Merry Blacksmith, The

C

Cooley's
C

Joe Mills, Galway (1938)

~
1

~
1

14

Mountain Road, The

Michael Gorman (1895-1970)

15

Salamanca Reel, The

C
~

~
3

Peter Street

C
3

16

17

Pigeon on the Gate, The

C
~

~
3

~
3

Earl's Chair, The

C

~
1

~
~

18

~
2

Woman of the House, The

C

~
~

~
~
~

19

Cup of Tea, The

C
1

~
~

20

Dunmore Lasses, The

~
~
C
~
1

~
~

~
~
3

21

Ashplant, The
C

~
3

~
~
~

Jackie Coleman's
C
~
1

~
1

22

~
2

Bag of Spuds, The

C

Bird on a Tree, The

C

~
~

~
~

23

Musical Priest, The

1

~
1

Jenny's Chickens
~

~
1

24

Wise Maid, The

(John Doherty ?)

C
~

~
3

~
~
3

Morning Dew, The

1

~
1

25

Bucks of Oranmore, The

1

26

Wind That Shakes the Barley, The

1

~
~

27

Scholar, The
C

~
1

Teetotaller's Reel

4
4

28

Saint Anne's Reel

C

29

Mason's Apron, The

C

~
1

30

Farewell to Ireland
C
~
~
~

~
~
~
3

~
3

~
~
~
~
~

31

Sligo Maid, The

C

~
~

~
~

Pigeon on the Gate, The

C
~

~
3

~
3

32

Cooley's
C

Joe Mills, Galway (1938)

~
1

~
1

33

Ships Are Sailing

3

C
~
3

~
~

Morning Star, The

C

~
3

34

Jolly Tinker, The

~
~

Lady Montgomery
1

C
~

~
1

35

Maid of Mount Cisco, The

C

~
2

~
3

~
C

~
~

Paddy Killoran (?)

Down the Broom

~
~

36

Star of Munster, The

C

~
~

37

2~

Chicago Reel, The

C

~
3

~
~

~
~

Sally Gardens, The

C
3

38

Man of the House, The

1

C
1

39

Tam Lin
C

~
~

~
~

40

Hand Me Down the Tackle

C
~

~
~

41

Pinch of Snuff
C

42

Maudabawn Chapel
C

Ed Reavy (1898-1988)

~
~

The Wild Irishman

1

C
~

~
1

The Abbey Reel

1

43

~
~

Cathleen Hehir's
6
8

~
1

44

Lark in the Morning, The

6
8
1

45

Mooncoin Jig, The

6
8

46

Langstrom's Pony
6
8

47

Caliope House
~
~

~
6
8
~1

Dave Richardson

~2

~
~

~
~

Banks of Lough Gowna, The

6
8
1

~
~

48

Orphan, The
6
8

~
~

49

Tobin's Favourite
6
8

Smash the Windows

6
8

50

51

Trip to Athlone, The

6
8
1

Tripping Up the Stairs

6
8

52

Connaughtman's Rambles, The

6
8
1

53

Market Town
6
8

~
1

54

Scatter the Mud

6
8

55

Arthur Darley's Jig

6
8

Arthur Darley

56

57

Old Favourite, The

6
8

~
2

~
~

Cliffs of Moher, The

6
8

58

Bill Hart's Jig

6
8

~
1

~
~
~

59

Swallowtail Jig, The

6
8
1

The Road to Lisdoonvarna

6
8

60

61

Kesh Jig, The

6
8

~
~

Morrison's Jig
6
8

62

Trip to Sligo, The

6
8

63

When Sick is it Tea You Want?

6
8
1

Haste to the Wedding

6
8
1

~
~

64

Off She Goes

6
8

~
1

65

Jig of Slurs, The

6
8

66

6
8

Atholl Highlanders, The

~

67

Blarney Pilgrim, The

6
8
~

Rambling Pitchfork, The

6
8

68

Black Rogue, The

6
8

~
~

69

Banish Misfortune
6
8

70

71

Tell Her I Am
6
8
~

~
2

~
~

72

Queen of the Rushes, The

6
8
1

73

Boys of Ballysadare, The

9
8

Butterfly, The
9
8

74

Tommy Potts

Rocky Road to Dublin, The

9
8

Another Jig Will Do

9
8

Deirdre's Fancy
1

9
8
1

75

Home Ruler, The

C

Frank
3 McCollum of Ballycastle

~
3

Rights of Man, The

C

76

(James Hill, Northumberland (??))

King of the Fairies, The

77

Boys of Bluehill, The

3

C
3

Harvest Home

78

Madame Bonaparte
4
4

Madame Bonaparte
4
4

79

Unknown Title
2
4

Dennis Murphy's
2
4
1

80

John Ryan's
2
4
1

81

Ashokan Farewell
3
4

82

Jay Ungar, 1983.

South Wind, The

Traditional

3
4
1

83

Sheebeg Sheemore
3
4

84

Turlough O'Carolan

Trip to Skye
Bm

Bm/G

John Whelan

Bm

6
8

Bm

Bm/G

Bm

Bm

Bm

85

Bm/G

Jug of Punch

Dm

Boys of the Lough

Am

4
4
Dm

Am

Dm

F/(Bb) (Am) Dm

Am

Bb

Am

(C)

F/(Bb) (Am) Dm

Maids of Mitchelstown
Dm

Dm

Am

Dm

Bothy Band

Am

Dm

4
4

Cno3

Dm

Cno3

Dno3

Dm

Dno3

F159 Ano3

Am

F159

Bb159 1 Ano3

Dm

Am

Ano3

1 C

Bb159 1 Ano3

86

Gno3

2 Ano3

Dm

2 C

Gno3

3
2 Ano3

Dm

Cold, Haily, Windy Night

Am

Dno3

Steeleye Span

Am

4
4
Am

Dno3

Am

AmDno3
3

Am

(C159)

Dno3

A159

Docherty's Reel
Am

\D

Boys of the Lough

G\C

4
4
Am

Am

Am\D

\D

Am

Em

Em

87

\C

Am

An Suisin Ban (F)

Bb

Bb

Chieftains

4
4
F

Bb

Bb

Bb

Bb

Bb

Bb

An Suisin Ban (C)

F

Chieftains

4
4
C

88

An Suisin Ban (G)

C

Chieftains

4
4
G

An Suisin Ban (D)

G

Chieftains

4
4
D

89

An Suisin Ban (A)

D

Chieftains

4
4
A

90

First Flight of Geese

D

Gerald Trimble

F#m

4
4

Em

F#m

Em

Em3

F#m

Em

Em

Em

Em

A3

Em

A3

A3

A3

A3

91

F#m

The Rolling Wave

Bm

Bm

6
8
Bm

Bm

Em

The Star Above the Garter

G

6
8
G

92

The Humours of Ballyloughlin

D

(D)

6
8

C\Am

2 D

1 A

1 D

(G)

2 A

C\Am

93

Garrett Barry's
G

Am

Chieftains

6
8
D\Bm

Am

D\G

A\Em

Em 3

G 3

Em\A

D\G

(D)

G\D

Bryan O'Lynn
C

Em

Am

Steeleye Span

6
8
C(\F)

Em

Am

Dno3

94

Am

Am

Am

Snug in a Blanket
D

Dave Swarbrick

6
8
D

95

(G)

Caliope House
G

Cobblestone

Am

6
8
1

Em

Am

Em

96

O'Farrell's Welcome to Limerick

9
8

97

Chieftains

Comb Your Hair and Curl It

Em

(Bm) A

Chieftains

Em

Am

(D)

9
8

Em

Em

Am

Am

(D)

(D)

98

Em

Ano3

(Am)

(D)

99

Elizabeth Kelly's

Chieftains

Fraher's

Chieftains

9
8

9
8

100

Dinny Delaney's
9
8

101

Chieftains

Humours of Whiskey

Chieftains

9
8

Hardiman the Fiddler

Chieftains

9
8

102

Em

Sock in the Hole

Em

Bm

DLiz Carroll

Bm

2
4
D

A/D

D/A

Bm

(D)

Em

(D)

Bm

Em

(G)

HoleAin the Sock

2
4
G

Bm

Bm

Em

Em

Em/G

Em

Em/G

103

LizDCarroll

My Rovin' Eye
Dm\G

Dm\G

4
4
Dm\G

Am

Dm

Dm

Dm

2
4

Am

Dm

4
4

Blackwell Court
C

F C

Dm

4
4
Am

DmF

Dm

Am

Am

Dm

Dm

104

Am

Dm

Dm

Dm

Em

Dm

Mrs. Carroll's Strathspey

G

Em

6
8
G

Em

Em

Em

Em

105

Liz Carroll

Rogues in a Nation
Dm

Bb

Dm

4
4

2
4
F

Dm

2 Dm

Dm

4
4
Dm

Bb

1 Dm

Bb

Dm

Dm

2
4

Cam ye o'er frae France

Am

Am

Am

6
4
Am

Am

(C)

Am

4
4
Em

6
4

106

Morgan Magan
G

Am

4
4
G

Ano3

C/Am/D

1 G

Gno3

Am

Am

Cno3

2 G

Dno3

C/Am/D

107

Lord Mayo's March

2
4
1

108

The Hunt
G

Boys of the Lough

6
8
G

Am

Am

Am

Am

Am

109

Suil Ghorm
Dm

(Gno3)

Am

Altan

Dm

9
8
F

(Gno3)

1 Am

Bb

Dm

3
8
2

Em

Dm

6
8

Am

Bb

9
8
F

Dm

(Gno3)

(Gno3)

Dm

Am

Bb

G(no3)

Am

Am

Dm

Bb

Dm

3
8
Dm

Em

Dm

Em\C

Dm

110

Em

6
8
Dm

The Trees They Do Grow High

Em

Bm

6
8
D

Em

Bm

Em

Em

D\Bm

Em

111

Martin Carthy

The Sound of Sleet

D

Glayva

G A

Bm

G A

4
4

Bm

Em

Bm

Bm

Em

Bm

Em

112

Em

Bm

G A

The Trowie Burn (Am)

3
4

113

Boys of the Lough

The Trowie Burn (Dm)

3
4

114

Boys of the Lough

 Revision History
8 July 1999 Major update
Added Steve Glass transcribed tunes
Changed Pinch of Snuff to version closer to what Ive heard Peter Damachek play.
Added version of Madame Bonaparte in key of A
3 July 1999
Added Maudabawn Chapel set
7 June 1999 Major update
Reformatted most songs for easier readability.
Fixed harmonies on several tunes.
Replaced Smash the Windows reel with jig.
Replaced Battering Ram with Black Rogue.
Replaced Yellow Tinker with Drunken Tinker as per Nishis suggestion.
Replaced Farewell to Ireland with correct version.
Repaginated for proper left/right orientation for bound tune books.
Added hornpipes: Home Rule, Rights of Man, King of the Fairies, Boys of Bluehill, Harvest Home
Added Ashokan Farewell, Southwind, Sheebeg Sheemore, Tell Her I Am.
5 June 1999
Added Tam Lin, Hand Me Down the Tackle, Queen of the Rushes, Pinch of Snuff
Also added Preface page.
Fixed problem with The Battering Ram formatting.
3 June 1999
Fixed problems with Lucy Campbell and Teetotallers. Both had extra parts.
31 May 1999
First release for review

115