The Coast Of Austria reel

This tune was was apparently written by Sean Ryan (the whistle player) and is a particularly cool tune for the whistle. Although a simple tune overall, it goes up to the high C#, which for the whistle is pushing the enveloped but works well here i think. I’ve attempted to highlight two nifty variations which spice things up; the idea with the variations is that you sort of dip into the quarter notes, giving the phrase a little lift. Enjoy!

Funny name, since Austria hasn’t a coast at all. It’s said Sean Ryan composed that tune on a boattrip after having had a few drinks. He wanted to name that tune the Coast of Australia but couldn’t manage the right pronounciation anymore. So it ended up as the Coast of Austria. Nice tune, anyway!

On his solo album, Kevin Griffin plays this tune in D, so he doesn’t have to bother with the monster reach for C# on his 19-fret tenor banjo.

this tune was indeed composed by the whistle player sean ryan. he told me he composed it while driving home from a session one night . when he awoke in the morning he could not remember how it went but thankfully his wife had recorded it in the car with him!
sean’s friend gave it the humorous title !

Brill tune!! I have been to a few workshops with sean ryan!!! :P

‘a particularly cool tune for the whistle’
Jawoll! Bend it like Bregenz!

Wi learn from Vikipedia that Bregenz is twinned with Bangor in Northern Ireland and that a regular ferry service links the two ports (the main export from Austria is contraband Szwiss chocolade, while North Down sends unclaimed golf balls) .
The cliffs there rise to 1,401 ft above the water (which itself lies at a pretty konstanz (ha ha) 1,399 ft) which make them some of the highest in Europe. (Darwin can be seen from there on a clear day)

The simpler ABC version was the way I learned it from an old whistle cassette, made by, if I recall, Sean Ryan; although I may be wrong. It was entitled "Chosta na Hostaire" in the sleeve notes.