T H E

S ESSION
An Phis Fhliuch
SLIP JIG

Also known as An Phis Fhiliuch, An Phis

Fhluich, An Phis Fliuch, An Phis Fluich, An
Phis Phliuch, An Ṗis Ḟliuċ, The Boy In The
Bush, The Bridegroom’s Delight, The Choice
Wife, Feathered Nest, The Good Wife,
O’Farrell’s Welcome To Limerick, The Perfect
Wife, Pis Fhliuch, The Ready Wife, The Ready
Woman.

There are 83 recordings of this tune.

This tune has been recorded together with

The Kid On The Mountain(lots of times),
Na Ceannabháin Bhána(a few times),
Hardiman The Fiddler(a few times),
The Humours Of Ballyloughlin(a few times) and
Redican’s Mother(a few times).
An Phis Fhliuch appears in 2 other tune collections.

An Phis Fhliuch has been added to 82 tune sets.

An Phis Fhliuch has been added to 810 tunebooks,

including your tunebook.

Seven settings

ABC SHEET MUSIC 1

# Added by Mark Cordova 18 years ago.

 ABC SHEET MUSIC 2

# Added by fynnjamin 12 years ago.

ABC SHEET MUSIC 3

3 3

3 3

# Added by JACKB 11 years ago.

 ABC SHEET MUSIC 4

# Added by swisspiper 8 years ago.

 ABC SHEET MUSIC 5

# Added by Vulpyne 5 years ago.

 ABC SHEET MUSIC 6

# Added by myles 3 years ago.

 ABC SHEET MUSIC 7

# Added by Michael Toomey 8 months ago.

Do you know another version of this tune?

Eighty-two comments
Good tune
I picked this up last year. It was self defense and a
truly late arrival to my tune lists. I am happy to
have learned it though. I never heard on a
recording nor have I heard it performed. It only
occasionally popped out at sessions.

The conversations on open string rolls are

extrememely helpfull for this tune. Look them up
and make the side by side rolls on the D string
meaningful.

# Posted by Mark Cordova 18 years ago.

Open String Rolls

Why force you to look -
https://thesession.org/discussions/718

# Posted by Mark Cordova 18 years ago.

Recordings
chieftans 2
Tommy Peoples and Paul Brady - High Part of the
Road

# Posted by donnchad 18 years ago.

Liam O’Flynn recorded it as well, I don’t know what

recording it’s on, though. Dirk plays a really nice
slow rendition of the thing, you can find an mp3 of
it on our website, http://www.askmyfather.com —
look under demos.

Of course, we don’t usually call it by the gaelic

name. We generally use O’Farrell’s. Dirk hates the
gaelic name. Will gave me the other names for
the tune.

Zina

# Posted by Zina Lee 18 years ago.

Oops, I meant http://www.askmyfather.net . I

always do that. Sorry.

zls

# Posted by Zina Lee 18 years ago.

Calling a spade a spade,or not
it’s on ‘the well below the valley’ and is paired with
‘kid on the mountain’,like the tommy peoples
version.
noel hill plays it on his album ‘the irish concertina’
but calls it ‘the boy in the bush’. i’ve also heard a
cracking version by willy clancy on cassette but
don’t know the details.
i think it’s a great tune and love hearing it on the
pipes especially.
i’m sure it’s got a fair few names and i think one of
them is n’t suitable to write down here (unless
someone was pulling my leg) but ‘the choice wife’ is
the euphemism used.
it’s played in the sessions i go to,i’m happy to say

# Posted by biggus dave 18 years ago.

Some spades are blacker than others…

I think I know exactly which name you didn’t want
to write down, Dave! The Chieftans used it on one
of their recordings, according to Dirk (he blushes
when he says it), and it’s certainly…er…blunt.
*grin* It’s the only one I didn’t put in the alternate
names list…
Zina

# Posted by Zina Lee 18 years ago.

P.s.
Will first told me the "boy in the bush" title, and I
think I snorted on and off for about half an hour. So
I’m easily amused. *snort*

zls

# Posted by Zina Lee 18 years ago.

For those that don’t know, the translation of the

title is unrepeatable in a respectable forum such as
The Session. Suffice to say, ‘The Good Wife’ is a
VERY polite version.

# Posted by CreadurMawnOrganig 18 years ago.

That other title

All this coyness about the *other* title of this tune
gives new meaning to the phrase "beating around
the bush".
# Posted by Jeremy 18 years ago.

*groooooooaaaaannnnn* hehehe

# Posted by Zina Lee 18 years ago.

By the way, this slip jig is connected with Clare

piper Willie Clancy, it was apparently something of
a specialty with him. But I’ve no idea what tune title
he called it by.

David, the literal translation of the tune title isn’t so

bad, really…it’s what it MEANS that’s the trouble!

zls

# Posted by Zina Lee 18 years ago.

Willy Clancy
It was recorded by Willy Clancy on the 1969 Topic
recording "The Breeze from Erin" under the title
"The Choice Wife"
# Posted by milesnagopaleen 18 years ago.

A little Discussion?
I anticipated a little discussion on the title but you
all have certainly exceeded my expectations. I am
now wondering if everyone of you meant to post the
tune but couldn’t get over an internal debate of
what to call it. I battled with the issue myself. If I
puff out my chest I can say I was true to the tune. In
truth - I was probably influenced by a darker side
that day. I can still remember asking my friend if
she knew the translation. She turned red and said
"The Good Wife". If she was going to be that
embarrased - she should have never given me the
sheet music.

Peggy - If you ever see this - CHEERS Hun.

# Posted by Mark Cordova 18 years ago.

Mark, anyway thanks for the sheet music here. It

was played at this years fiddle recitals on willie
week. I heared it the first time and loved the very
exciting and very energetic way it was played…
heared it later at a session and asked the one who
played it for the name. he gave me a whole bunch of
abc

# Posted by crannog 17 years ago.

A hint to newish accompanists: This tune has a G

key signature, but the tonal centre is D, the fifth
degree of the G major scale, making this a D
mixolydian tune. DO NOT back it like a G major
tune!

Think in terms of modes, it helps to more

accurately identify the scale used in the
composition of the melody and thus select
appropriate the appropriate chords.

OK, I’m off my soapbox.

This tune first appeared in print in Maurice

O’Farrell’s collection of tunes for the Irish bagpipes,
published in 1804.

I LOVE the fourth part of this tune, it’s mostly

crans and "bent" C naturals-two of the most
characteristic sounds of the irish pipes.

# Posted by Hanley 17 years ago.

Recordings
Celtic Solstice by Paul Winter and friends.
It’s not exactly trad,at least not mostly.Some of the
"friends" are Joanie Madden,Jerry
O’Sullivan,Karen Casey,Eileen Ivers,and people like
that.Paul Winter plays the sax.There are maybe
three or four decent tracks out of twelve,I
think,although there is too much djembe.In my
humble opinion.

# Posted by seisflutes 17 years ago.

The Choice Wife

Richard Thompson recorded a cracking version
,played in DADGAD,on his album,"First Light".

# Posted by dafydd 18 years ago.

An Phish Fluck - Chords anyone?

Anyone know where I can find the music and guitar
chords for the excellent reel, An Phish Fluck. (OK,
my spelling may be a bit off - phonetically it’s: ‘on-
fish-fluk’). I can’t find it in the tunes section.

I’ve also seen it titled ‘The Woman in the Big House

- as on the ‘Moving Hearts’ compilation. But, for
reasons I won’t explain that is nothing close to the
actual translation of the Irish title (it’s a bit rude).

Thanks for any help,

Dave

# Posted by man_dola2 16 years ago.

that is such a great tune

# Posted by BTCpz 16 years ago.

A cat’s a cat and that’s that

"ding dong bell, pussy in the well"
and more (mostly dry, English) pussy folklore at:
http://www.sniksnak.com/folklore.html
Can I add that "phis" and "fhliuch" were my first
introduction to the Irish language! I had come
across the words on the jacket of Planxty’s album
and tried to decipher them with the help of an old
dictionary (with a little detour through a grammar
book to find out about the ph- / fh- structure). In
truth, the translation came as a bit of a shock at the
time!… and amused me much, So it is with renewed
pleasure that I read the above discussion today !
but … hey, c’m’on guys! judging by some of the
comments here, a lot of people still seem to find it
difficult to call a spade a spade these days ! (or a cat
a cat as the French have it) what’ s wrong with
youse? are you’s all American or totally
GayByrnised/BBCised, ie: addicted to bland
euphemism?
It’s arse not ass you lot!
for f… sake, wise up! It’s time to shed the sad part
of your puritanical /Victorian/catholic heritage !
Brian (in Crannog’s 14july03) seems to imply that
the gaelic speakers of today might find this title
offensive but is it really so? It was the introducton
of English that turned the bold Irish into a mostly
meek flock: defecation, sex and related taboo
subjects were nothingmuch to the rural (pre-
famine) Irish (see Tim Robinson’s work on
topology or Seamas Mac an Iomaire’s on the "bod
gorm" for instance) A lot of water has passed under
the bridge since the banning of Tailor and Ansty
and it’s time to acknowledge again the very facts of
life (see Courbet’s Origin of the World)(yes: enter
courbet l’origine at google’s image search and
blush!)
Athbhliain faoi mhaise daoibh, best wishes for
2005!

# Posted by birlibirdie 16 years ago.

Because this is a family site, mainly, and our only
rule (‘Be Civil’) is a good one. I’ve never really been
accused of shyness too often, though! (And I AM an
American. Er, only I just realized that there’s two
things that Americans are slammed for regularly —
being prudish and being rude. Strange, that.) And I
note that you haven’t called that particular spade a
spade either… ;) Probably smart. OBD might have
decided to rouse…

# Posted by Zina Lee 16 years ago.

Zeens, he has a point though. Saying wet pussy isn’t

being uncivil. However, if I actually *call* someone
a wet pussy, with no hint of irony in my voice, that
*would* be uncivil. As for the "family site" thing - if
a kid’s streetwise enough to know what it means
then it’s not going to damage them. I don’t think
there’s any need to go around effin’ and blindin’ on
this site, but in the end, this is just the name of a
tune. Maybe the American wavering between being
prudish and downright rude is down to a confusion
as to the meaning of "uncivil". It’s interesting to
note at this point that in American films it’s ok to
show the detail of someone having their head blown
off with a shotgun in slow motion, but sex and
people’s bits and pieces are a no-no, except if it’s a
porno. This is just accepted now, but think about
what that actually means about what it’s natural
and right for human beings to be doing to each
other.

Anyway I thought you were supposed to be

Chinese.

# Posted by Dr. Dow 16 years ago.

BTW a wet one is preferable instead a dry one.

# Posted by gian marco 16 years ago.

Kind of ironic this tune has been added to 69

tunebooks.

# Posted by Avery 16 years ago.

Why is the contraversial title entered twice?

# Posted by Phantom Button 16 years ago.

Davy Spillane does a version of this on the Atlantic
Bridge album but it’s called "Tribute to Johnny
Doran." Sounds great though.

# Posted by wormdiet 16 years ago.

2nd & last parts

Are both really necessary? Do people play them as
written out?

# Posted by wormdiet 15 years ago.

This is hilarious - can’t believe the language in the

‘alternate names’ list… ha. Brilliant. Gets me every
time…like ‘touching cloth’

# Posted by Lizzy 14 years ago.

Twin Sister
An Phis Thirim (aka. O’Farrell’s Farewell to
Limerick): https://thesession.org/tunes/4130

# Posted by slainte 14 years ago.

Great ‘other meaning’
haha can you imagine this irish guy on telly who is
introducing a piper on a music channell…

"and now ladies and gentlemen, Shan O’Shannasey

with ‘the wet eejit’!"

haha i love it

But on the other hand, it was one of the first slip

jigs - let alone tunes - i learnt to play on the pipes
thanks to daby spillane, i play it closer to his
version though, but when the time calls for it in a
session i’ll play the ‘trad.’ version.

One of my all time favourites! THUMBS UP

# Posted by Scrappy the Godo 14 years ago.

Whats the deal?

what the hell? they’ve got c words here and there on
the alternate titles but when i write c**t here it
changes it to eejit?

eejits!

# Posted by Scrappy the Godo 14 years ago.

Maybe a chance of deleting some of those alternate
titles??

# Posted by patrickcumminsmusic 14 years ago.

Aww.. the alternate titles have been deleted..

# Posted by cabers 13 years ago.

First bar of the last system (the E part I suppose),

second C should be natural, no?

# Posted by fynnjamin 12 years ago.

Second C in the 1st bar of E part

Should be a sharp.

# Posted by tin_whistler 12 years ago.

O’Farrell’s Welcome to Limerick

Published in O’Farrell’s National Tutor (1801 or so)
with 6 parts.
The 2nd and 5th are close, but thankfully *not*
always identical. (See Willie Clancy, Matt Molloy,
for instance)

Pretty much the same as usually played in sessions

otherwise though!

# Posted by Nico 12 years ago.

Second C in the 1st bar of E part

(i.e. bar 21), the second C should actually be natural
- I have never heard it played any other way.

|:d^cd ege =c2A|d^cd fdf ~g3|~a2 f ged c2A|BAG

F/G/AF GED:||

# Posted by fynnjamin 12 years ago.

Oh, that was me earlier saying it should be natural.

It still is, tinwhistler.

# Posted by fynnjamin 12 years ago.

Better Piping Version

X: 1
T: An Phis Fhliuch
M: 9/8
L: 1/8
R: slip jig
K: Gmaj
|:A|(3D/E/F/GA AFA c2A|BAG F3 GED|
(3D/E/F/GA AFA d2A|dg/f/e dcA GED:|
|:dB/c/d ege d2A|dB/c/d fef g3|a3 ged c2A|BAG F3
GED:|
|:(3D/E/F/GA AFd AFd|AFd AFd GED|
(3D/E/F/GA AFA c2A|BAG F3 GED:|
|:D3 D3 c3|c2B c2A GED|D3 D3 d2A|dg/f/e dcA
GED:|
|:dB/c/d ege c2A|dB/c/d fef g3|a3 ged c2A|BAG
FG/A/F GED:||

# Posted by JACKB 11 years ago.

An Phis Fhliuch
Nicely played here by Zoe Conway and Meabh
O’Hare.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hzi7OhSzysw
# Posted by bogman 11 years ago.

An other ‘splendid notion’:

https://thesession.org/tunes/1398

# Posted by birlibirdie 10 years ago.

an phis fliuch or whaa?

i have just fallen in love with this tune its wonderful
cannot play it yet i cant even spell it an phis an fish
flook i think i may choose one of the other names
offerd in the details page one of the titles apeals to
my sense of humour when asked after learning and
performing this at my session i would sit back and
wait for someone to ask what was that one called ?
the c>/t in the morning im not a prude but im sure
i would blush
go on check if you like

# Posted by KieronF 10 years ago.

Re: an phis fliuch or whaa?
"The Choice Bride".
Of course, gaelic is so wonderfully idiomatic, I
heard someone explaining that the big sun sticker
with the "Nuclear power, no thanks" slogan in the
gaelic could also be translated as "Actually, red-
haired men are rather sexy !"
Does this help to explain all the different titles you
have been given ?
Of course, when an old language is being pushed
out by a newer one, often the last thing the old one
is used for is vulgarity you don’t want the posh
people to hear or understand.

# Posted by Guernsey Pete 10 years ago.

Re: an phis fliuch or whaa?

Why don’t you call it by it’s English translation
then, I’m sure you wouldn’t blush then!

# Posted by bogman 10 years ago.

Re: an phis fliuch or whaa?

then, then, then, argh, knackered

# Posted by bogman 10 years ago.

Re: an phis fliuch or whaa?

What’s so blush-inducing about The Cat in the
Rainbarrel?

# Posted by Jon Kiparsky 10 years ago.

Re: an phis fliuch or whaa?

The old Nice Title that it was changed to is -

” O’Farrell’s Welcome to Limerick ”

And the 10 year old who taught me it Right —

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fgVA0tVsKUw
jim,,

# Posted by FIDDLE4 10 years ago.

Re: an phis fliuch or whaa?

"The Wet Front Bottom".
Doesn’t have the same ring to it at all.

# Posted by Guernsey Pete 10 years ago.

Re: an phis fliuch or whaa?

Rainbarrel?

# Posted by bogman 10 years ago.

Re: an phis fliuch or whaa?

no i have decided i am going to learn the proper
gaelic spelling now i love the name as much as the
tune and nearly as much as what it seems to be
about excuse me there i go blushing again

# Posted by KieronF 10 years ago.

Re: an phis fliuch or whaa?
thank you very much fiddle4 or jim hes brill i
suddenly feel iwill get there with this boys help hes
solid when i grow up i want to be half as good as
him

# Posted by KieronF 10 years ago.

Re: an phis fliuch or whaa?

When I’ve played this tune at gigs, or even been
asked in sessions, as regards the title "as gaelige",
I’ve answered that using some loosely translated
vowels might translate as "The White Volvo"

Best

Brian x

# Posted by briantheflute 10 years ago.

Re: an phis fliuch or whaa?

One of the two beautiful fiddlers playing it here
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hzi7OhSzysw
announces the title so clearly that you could learn
to say it correctly. They follow it with Will You
Come Home With Me? Dream on, I think!

# Posted by ArtBlakeney 10 years ago.

Re: an phis fliuch or whaa?

Can I just point out that I think Red haired men are
sexy too

# Posted by bazouki dave 10 years ago.

Re: an phis fliuch or whaa?

Brian x
"The White Volvo" —- That’s one I must remember
that last word though I’d have to be Careful ,, lol .
When asking that young Piper to play it, I just Call
it - ” The Virgin Mary ” One of is Southern Slang
Name’s — But the wee lad Simle’s alot first,, as He
and his Father are Pretty Fair at the Irish,,, Kid’s
are not so Stupid ,, Now-a-Day’s,,,
jim,,,

# Posted by FIDDLE4 10 years ago.

Re: an phis fliuch or whaa?

"One of the two beautiful fiddlers playing it here…"
Beautiful she is, but she doesn’t pronounce it very
well!

# Posted by amhrán 10 years ago.

sorry!

# Posted by rob_heron 10 years ago.

Re: an phis fliuch or whaa?

Well, if you put "an phis fliuch" into Google
Translate, it comes out with "the wet nut"…

# Posted by Joe CSS 10 years ago.

Re: an phis fliuch or whaa?

Last word Joe —

Starts with a C — sounds like Runt — lol

jim,,,

Only Joking Now !!!!

# Posted by FIDDLE4 10 years ago.

Re: an phis fliuch or whaa?

How does one pronounce ‘an phis fliuch’?

# Posted by Yhaal House 10 years ago.

Re: an phis fliuch or whaa?

The Cat In The Well

# Posted by CreadurMawnOrganig 10 years ago.

Re: an phis fliuch or whaa?

"Wet Front Bottom…" Oh, stop it! I think I shall
die!

# Posted by Steve Shaw 10 years ago.

Re: O’Farrell’s Trip to Limerick
(discussed by Chavs)
Yet another misogynistic set of rants is taking place
here,
about the tune originally called O’Farrell’s Trip to
Limerick, also named The Choice Wife (and later
renamed by intinerant musicians in line with their
level of respect for women). I’m sure many here
would be happier if chav-style misogyny was kept
down, so as not to discourage female participants in
what is after all Gaelic music, from the Gaelic
tradition where hatred of women was always
dispised.

# Posted by dsndfkjasf 10 years ago.

An Phis Fhliuch
I’ve just come across a clip of a friend of mine
playing the tune on the pipes:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F3rskAEMJp4
I’ve seen her start sets with the tune a couple of
times in sessions, so it’s probably among her
favourite tunes. I daren’t ask her if she knows what
the title means! Or should I?

# Posted by slainte 9 years ago.

X:4
I learned this version from Liam O’Flynn’s
recordings

# Posted by swisspiper 7 years ago.

Zina Lee
both sites are down FYI

# Posted by A.R. Sweet 7 years ago.

sixth part…
in the original publication there is a sixth part, why
does no one play it now?

# Posted by Fuxter 5 years ago.

An Phis Fhliuch, X:5

Transcribed by ear from this rendition (on flute):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=wrX4xyeMpSY

I made two changes from how it was played in that

video: I changed the second half of the second time
through the 4th section and I changed the ending.
In both cases, it was played the same as the
previous section.

As a relative beginner with Irish music, it’s really

helpful for me to see the sort of variations more
experienced players use and I have quite a bit of
trouble picking them out by ear. I hope others find
this useful too.

# Posted by Vulpyne 5 years ago.

An Phis Fhliuch
On the record "Transatlantic Sessions - Series 4,
Vol. One" (Aly Bain & Jerry Douglas),
https://thesession.org/recordings/3521, this tune
appears as "O’Farrell’s Farewell To Limerick (The
Bride’s Delight)". I suppose they think the change
in names (from Welcome/Bridegroom) is a funny
joke, I have to say I find it bloody irritating.

# Posted by aidriano 5 years ago.

Re: An Phis Fhliuch

https://comhaltas.ie/music/detail/comhaltaslive_
393_7_brian_mcnamara_and_grainne_hambly/

One of the nicest versions I have heard on Uilleann

pipes.

# Posted by GBJ2015 4 years ago.

An Phis Fhliuch (The Choice Wife)
On the Whistle
https://youtu.be/bJzMwL47sJ4

# Posted by keyedup 4 years ago.

Re: An Phis Fhliuch

I really do like this tune, but I don’t think I’ll play it
at sessions because the name is quite crude and I’ll
have to deal with that. Are there any less crude
names for this tune? I quite like "The Cat In The
Well" still seems slightly crude. (probably just my
teenage mind)

# Posted by Kellie 4 years ago.

Re: An Phis Fhliuch

O’Farrell’s Welcome to Limerick
# Posted by Tonypib 4 years ago.

Re: An Phis Fhliuch

2nd vote for, O’Farrell’s Welcome (to Limerick) too
good a tune not to play ^ Kellie.

# Posted by Solidmahog 4 years ago.

An Phis Fhliuch, X:6

A few nice ideas from C. Talty’s piping.

# Posted by myles 3 years ago.

Re: An Phis Fhliuch

I particularly like the variation introduced in the
middle of the second bar of the A part by replacing
the usual "FAF" with "EFG".

As far as the above comments about the name go,

"O’Farrell’s Welcome to Limerick" is the older
name of the tune by at least a century, so that’s the
one I use.

# Posted by myles 3 years ago.

Re: An Phis Fhliuch
O’Farrell marked the tunes that he composed in his
National Tutor and Pocket Companions. This one is
marked as such in the former, so I’m going to
suggest that ‘O’Farrell’s Welcome To Limerick’ is
the "correct" name from the composer. I still like
the 6th part.

It’s a bit *overplayed* in sessions, anyway, and

comes up at most sessions in the area.

# Posted by Nico 2 years ago.

Re: An Phis Fhliuch

…this tune strongly resembles Snug in the
Blanket…perhaps the Scottish version?

# Posted by robin t one year ago.

Re: An Phis Fhliuch #7

Pretyy much the version of Liam O’Flynn

# Posted by swisspiper 7 months ago.

Re: An Phis Fhliuch
An Ṗis Ḟliuċ is a sexual innuendo. An Ṗis refers to
"the pea." Ḟliuċ means wet.

# Posted by brendankeane 3 months ago.

Re: An Phis Fhliuch

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dPZU57ggeFk

# Posted by fluther 2 months ago.

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