The Mermaid Of Mullaghmore reel

Also known as John Doherty’s Fancy, The Maid Of Mullagh, The Maid Of Mullaghmore, The Maids Of Mullach, The Maids Of Mullagh.

There are 6 recordings of a tune by this name.

The Mermaid Of Mullaghmore has been added to 25 tunebooks.

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Four settings

X: 1
T: The Mermaid Of Mullaghmore
R: reel
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
K: Dmaj
FDDF ABAF|GAAF GFED|FGAF D2 (3efg|1 fdec dBBG:|2 fdec defg||
a2fa dafa|g2e=c Gceg|a2fa dafa|g2ag fdd2|
a2fa dafa|g2e=c Gceg|fage fdec|dBBG FDD2||
X: 2
T: The Mermaid Of Mullaghmore
R: reel
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
K: Dmaj
and the |a2fa dafa| phrases in the B-part get played |a2fd Adfa|.
X: 3
T: The Mermaid Of Mullaghmore
R: reel
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
K: Dmaj
FEDF AdAG|FdAF GFED|FAAF D2ge|fdec dABG|
FEDF AdAG| FdAF GFED|FAAF D2eg|1 fdec d3A:|2 fdec defg|: a2fa dafa|g2e=c Gceg|faaf Adfa|gbag fddg|
faaf dafa| g2e=c Gceg |fage fdec|dABG FDD2:|
X: 4
T: The Mermaid Of Mullaghmore
R: reel
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
K: Dmaj
AFDF A2AG|FGAF GFED|FGAF D2(3.e.fg|fdec AddA|
FEDF A3G|FGAF GFED|CEAF D2(3.e.fg|fdec defg||
a2fa dafa|f-ge=c Gceg|a2fa dafa|gbag fddf|
a2fa dafa|f-ge=c Gceg|fage fdec|dABG FDDF||

Seventeen comments

The Mermaid Of Mullaghmore

I have transcribed this from the Donal Lunny live album, where it is entitled "The Maids Of Mullach". This is the pipes setting. The flute setting is slightly different - the 1st couple of bars are
FEDF ABAG|FGAF GFED|…
and the |a2fa dafa| phrases in the B-part get played |a2fd Adfa|.
Mullaghmore is in County Sligo. Mullagh is in County Clare. According to net sources, John Doherty had the original title as "The Mermaid Of Mullaghmore" and a story to go with it about a mermaid being spotted in Mullaghmore harbour on Mayday morning.

I meant to transcribe bar 5 of the B-part as a2fa dafa. abc has been updated.

Hmmm…anyone besides myself hear a strong resemblance to Crib of Perches?

# Posted .

In the B part, definitely, less strongly in the A.

Or maybe it’s more like Out on the Ocean? *smirk*

Out on the Ocean

Every tune is ‘Out on the Ocean’… just the notes are all re-arranged. *smirk*

LOL — bad boy, Jack. Down. Sit. Stay. NO biscuit. LOL Were your ears burning this weekend, Jack? We talked about you at Richard and Aimee’s, and then again last night out at David Migoya’s while Emily was trying out flute after flute after incredibly ancient flute…my god, how do fluters find the face to twig fiddlers about *our* technical talk? Embouchures and touches and pads and head joints and, definitely not last, bores… ;)

Tommy Peoples plays the following setting on ‘The Iron Man’, with the title, ‘Johnny Doherty’s Fancy’:

L:1/8
M:4/4
K:D

FEDF AdAG|FdAF GFED|FAAF D2ge|fdec dABG|
FEDF AdAG| FdAF GFED|FAAF D2eg|1 fdec d3A:|2 fdec defg|: a2fa dafa|g2e=c Gceg|faaf Adfa|gbag fddg|
faaf dafa| g2e=c Gceg |fage fdec|dABG FDD2:|

No Will it sounds nothing like the Crib Of Perches, and no Zina it doesn’t sound anything like Out On The Ocean. If I ever hear you say that again I will kill you :-)

Did Tanya move to Oz?

# Posted .

It does so sound like Crib of Perches, but only in the B part. Ptthhhlllbbbbbblllllt. And I say so, so it must be true and there’s no more use talking about it. So there.

*smirk*

Flute condoms out on the ocean.

So you got an ear-full of flute talk eh? "Embouchures and touches and pads and head joints and, definitely not last, bores" You mean they didn’t discuss flute condoms? I guess way out in Montana they play flute without protection. It’s probably because all that single-malt scotch they drink washes away their good sense and better judgement.

LOL — no, David Migoya maintains his shop at his lovely house in Denver. But still no flute condoms. What the heck is a flute condom? Wait, never mind, I don’t want to know…

ok ok… to get back to the tune (sorry Jeremy) *ahem* … it sounds like Paddy Taylor’s reel.

I don’t think it sounds like Paddy Taylor’s at all, except for the first bar. I totally disagree with all of you, totally.

Well that’s what I meant — in the first bar. So I totally disagree that you totally disagree with me. :-)

The Maid Of Mullagh

Setting #4 (er… #3 actually) is from the Eithne Ni Uallachain album Cosa Gan Bhroga, played by Gerry O’Connor.
http://thesession.org/recordings/1040

I like this f-g twist instead of the usual g2 at the beginning of bars 10 and 14.