Irish Flute Tunes

Joe Cooley's Reel 06.05.2007 2:09 ↓

This is another popular tune - named after the great Co. Galway box player.

The Boyne Hunt 06.05.2007 1:28 ↓

Here's a good standard reel which is very popular in sessions.

Will You Follow Me Down To Limerick? 06.05.2007 2:24 ↓

This is an entirely rhetorical question at this stage. Willie Clancy probably would have known more about it. It's a good tune in any case, I hope.

Barndance 06.05.2007 2:14 ↓

Here's a barndance. I haven't been in a barn for a long time but I hear that the dancing is great in them. (I think this tune may be called "Connolly's Barndance".  Here it is in a different key: http://irishflute.podbean.com/2008/08/08/connollys-barndance/ ).

Bundle and go 05.05.2007 2:15 ↓

Here's a nice march from the fiddle playing of John Doherty.

John Doherty's Highland (1) 05.05.2007 1:08 ↓

Here's a highland from JD. It's a bit on the tricky side in places. It puts the "High" back into "Highland".

James Byrne's Reel 05.05.2007 1:42 ↓

This is a reel from James Byrne's playing.  That's all I can tell you.

James Byrne's Jig 05.05.2007 1:43 ↓

I learned this from James Byrne who is a great fiddle player from Meenacross, near Glencolmbkille in Donegal.  I'm not sure whether it has another name.  It sounds a bit like a slide to me.  There are quite a few of these tunes which have ended up in Donegal.  They must have taken a wrong turn in Killarney one day.

The Concertina Reel 05.05.2007 2:04 ↓

Here's a reel I used to hear a lot.  It's also called "The Farting Badger".  It deserves to be played occasionally just for that reason.

Untitled Highland (1) 05.05.2007 1:33 ↓

Here's a highland.  I've no name for it, only a few notes.

Masúrca Gan Ainm 05.05.2007 1:54 ↓

I can't even remember who I learned this from, let alone its name.  I've called it "Masúrca Gan Ainm" as it looks a bit more exotic then "Untitled Mazurca".  It was nice of the committee in Dublin to take the trouble to make up an Irish word for "Mazurka".

John Doherty's Mazurka 05.05.2007 1:57 ↓

Here's a mazurka I learned from the playing of John Doherty.  I couldn't think of anything better to call it.

Roaring Mary 04.05.2007 2:10 ↓

Here's "The Skylark's" friend.

The Boy in the Boat 04.05.2007 3:11 ↓

A good old sort of a tune.

The Humours of Castlefinn 04.05.2007 2:17 ↓

A great reel.  I don't know it's usually played single or double.  I remembering it being on an LP of Noel Hill and Tony McMahon with a bit of galloping  in the background.

Dublin Porter 04.05.2007 2:45 ↓

Another drink related tune.  I've something on my mind.

The Glass of Beer 04.05.2007 1:47 ↓

This is a popular reel that could go with a Humours of Whiskey chaser.

The Kid on The Mountain 04.05.2007 3:09 ↓

Today seems to be slip jig day.  This is a very popular one.  It has four parts (I hope there weren't supposed to be more????) and I hope I remembered them OK here. It's good to have a tune which so popular without being as Capri-corny as this comment.

Hardiman The Fiddler 04.05.2007 1:57 ↓

Here's another slip jig.

The Humours of Derrycrosane 04.05.2007 1:39 ↓

Here's another traditional slip jig.

The Humours of Whiskey 04.05.2007 1:46 ↓

This is a nice slip jig.  There seem to be a lot of whiskey related humours cited in the nomenclature of traditional tunes.  I'm more a gin / Guinness / red wine / beer / poitín / vodka / white rum / brandy / white wine / sherry / green chatreuse type of person but each one to their own poison. Sláinte.

Slieve Russell 03.05.2007 2:18 ↓

Here's a piping jig which should be OK on the flute. All the best, Michael.

The Dream of Home 03.05.2007 1:43 ↓

I can't tell you much about this tune apart from that I like it.  I hope you do.

The Bells of St. Louis 03.05.2007 2:48 ↓

Here's a cheerful sort of reel.  I don't know a huge amount about it but being cheerful is a good start.

Speed The Plough 03.05.2007 2:06 ↓

Here's a great standard reel.  It's worth digging out a recording of Séamus Ennis playing this on the pipes to get an idea of how this tune can sound.