The Session >> Tunes >> The Killavil (reel)

Details ABC Sheetmusic Comments

The Killavil

reel

Key signature: Dmajor

Submitted on June 4th 2003 by gian marco.

This tune has been added to 88 tunebooks.

Also known as Cil Abhaill, The Farewell , Fred Finn's, Mick Finn's, Tilly Finn's, Tom Billy's, Tom Steele.

Recordings of a tune by this name:

Details ABC Sheetmusic Comments

X: 1
T: Killavil, The
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
R: reel
K: Dmaj
D2AD BDAD|D2AD BDAD|E2BE cEBE|E2Bc dBAF|
D2AD BDAD|D2AD BDAF|GFEF GABc|1 d2fd BdAF:|2 defd BdAB||
d2fd Adfa|g2fg egfe|d2fd Adfa|g2fg ~e3f|
d2fd Adfa|g2fg edBc|dBBA Bcde|f2ed BdAB|
defd adfa|gefd edBc|defd adfa|gefd ~e3f|
defd adfa|g2fg edBc|dBBA Bcde|f2ed BdAF|

Details ABC Sheetmusic Comments
The Killavil sheetmusic
Details ABC Sheetmusic Comments

Tune requested by carrie

# Posted on June 4th 2003 by gian marco

I play the Killavel but it's not this tune...

The Killavel that I play is listed on "JC's ABC Tune Finder" - http://trillian.mit.edu/~jc/music/abc/FindTune.html. Search for Killavel to find it.

regards,

Pamela

# Posted on June 8th 2003 by rudall

Mick or Fred?

While this tune was recorded as Mick Finn's on "Molloy/Brady/Peoples," many people often associate it with Sligo fiddler Fred Finn like Dervish do. Does anyone know who is Mick Finn? Is he Fred's brother?


I play the second part like this:

d2fd Adfd|g2fg edBc|d2fd Adfd|g2fg e3A|
d2fd Adfd|g2fg edBc|dBBA Bcde|1 f2gf edBc:|2 f2gf edAF||

I think the bars 1, 3, 5 are more often played as I post here.

# Posted on July 14th 2004 by slainte

Mick Finn

Mick Finn is/was [?] a well-known fiddler who lived in Galway. No relation to Fred as far as I know.

# Posted on July 15th 2004 by Kenny

Thanks again, Kenny. I've just found Fred Finn was from Killavil: http://homepage.eircom.net/~fredfinn/home_cont.htm So, it's more sensible to associate the tune with Fred, not Mick.

# Posted on July 15th 2004 by slainte

Maybe not....

Not sure about that, slainte - I've always associated this reel with Mick Finn, never Fred.

# Posted on July 15th 2004 by Kenny

Fred's father !

I'd never thought of the Killavil connection until you'd mentioned it , slainte, but I did remember that this reel is in Ceol Rince na hEireann Vol.1 as "Cill Abhaill". I looked up Fred Finn in Fintan Vallely's "Companion To Irish Traditional Music", and found that Fred Finn's father's name was Michael, so it could well be Mick Finn's, but nothing to do with the Galway fiddler.

# Posted on July 15th 2004 by Kenny

Another name

This tune is called "Tom Steele" in the Peter Horan section of Trip to Sligo. Though I see the Fiddler's Companion has a different but similar tune listed for that name (and claims that tune is the one in Trip to Sligo, but it's definitely not). Very confusing.

# Posted on March 13th 2005 by Sol Foster

This tune in C

I know a very close rendition of his tune on Hugh & Colm Healy's Macalla Na Hoige CD track 7 but it is called Tom Billy's and they play it in key of C with a few minor varioations here and there. Nice set with this tune played after "The girl who broke my heart"

# Posted on June 29th 2005 by kiwi

"Naomh Padhraic" version

X:1
T:Mick Finn's
T:The Killavil
S:"Naomh Padhraic," the winner of the senior ceili band competition in 2004
Z:Jack Gilder
M:4/4
L:1/8 R:Reel
K:D
D2AD BDAD|D2AD BDAD|E2BE dEBE|BABc dBAF |
D2AD BDAD|D2AD BDAD|GFEF GABc|1 dfed BAFE:|2 dfed BAFA||
d2fd adfd|g2fg edBc|d2fd adfd|g2fg e2fe|
d2fd adfd|g2fg edBc|dBBA Bcde|1 fdec dBAB:|2 fdec dBAF||

# Posted on June 27th 2006 by Phantom Button

Mick Finn, Galway fiddler

I saw him in a session in Galway in 1978 playing with the piper Jackie Small and others; he was an exceptional fiddle player, and I noticed he played by holding the bow maybe as much as half-way down its length instead of at its handle. People called him Mickey. Sadly, he was alcoholic and some time ago I read he had died. I was told he came from Loughrea in Co. Galway. I do not remember hearing him play this tune.

# Posted on August 12th 2006 by nicholas

As Kenny has written, "Mick Finn" in question was probably Fred Finn's father. "Mick Finn" is in fact mentioned on the sleeve notes of Peter Horan and Gerry Harrington's recent duet album as Fred's father.

# Posted on August 13th 2006 by slainte

You heard the Galway Mick[ey] Finn, nicholas. This reel is associated with the Sligo Mick Finn. They were not related as far as I know.

# Posted on August 13th 2006 by Kenny

I made the same mistake myself - see above.

# Posted on August 13th 2006 by Kenny

Not a member yet? Sign up!

forgotten your password?

Frequently Asked Questions

cancel

Enter your email address to have your password sent to you.