Homeward Bound reel

Also known as Clarkson’s, Gem Of Ireland.

There are 17 recordings of a tune by this name.

Homeward Bound has been added to 42 tunebooks.

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Two settings

X: 1
T: Homeward Bound
R: reel
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
K: Dmaj
A,2|:D2 DE FEDF|A2 AF ABde|faed B2 dB|AFEF DB,A,B,|
D2 DE FEDF|A2 AF ABde|faed B2 dB|AFEF D3 g:|
fdfg afdf|e/2e/2e ed efg2|fdfg afdf|edef d/2d/2d dg|
fdfg afdf|e/2e/2e ed efg2|f/2g/2a ed B2 dB|AFEF D4:|
# Added by t-rex .
X: 2
T: Homeward Bound
R: reel
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
K: Dmaj
A,|D/D/D DE FEDF|A/A/A AF ABde|faed B2 dB|AFEF DB,A,B,|
D/D/D DE FEDF|A/A/A AF ABde|faed B2 dB|AFEF D/D/D D:|
g|fdfg afdf|e/e/e ed efg2|fdfg afdf|edef d/2d/2d dg|
fdfg afdf|e/e/e ed efg2|faed B2 dB|AFEF D/D/D D:|
# Added by Tate .

Five comments

Homeward Bound

Gem of Ireland

Mmm, Gem of Cape Breton more like……

Homeward Bound

Yes, it is in ‘Coles’ (Ryan’s Mammouth)1000 Fiddle Tunes as The Gem of Ireland. Some Cape Bretoner’s have credited Dan R MacDonald for the tune but because it’s in (with a few slight differences) a 19th century collection it cancels that possibility out.

Cape Breton version

I feel that even though the Cape Breton version ‘Homeward Bound’ is not that dissimilar from the ‘Gem of Ireland’, it certainly has become a unique tune in it’s own right. As a fiddle tune, the syncopated bowing style that can be used, makes it quite different.