The Shaskeen

reel

Key signature: Gmajor

Submitted on March 23rd 2002 by Josh Kane.

This tune has been added to 131 tunebooks.

Also known as Shaskeen.

Recordings of a tune by this name:

• 1891-1945 Disc 1 by Michael Coleman
• 40 Years Reunion by The Dubliners
• An Exciting Session With One Of Ireland's Leading Traditional Fiddlers by Tommy Peoples
• As I Carelessly Did Stray... by Harry Bradley
• Bean Chairdin by Dympna O'Sullivan
• Call Of The Wild by Wild Asparagus
• Champions Of Ireland Concertina by Denise Shiel
• Citternalia by Joseph Sobol
• Collection Of Jigs And Reels by Shaskeen
• Continental Reel by Birkin Tree
• Farewell To Evening Dances by Colm O'Donnell
• Fiddler's Fancy by Tommy Peoples
• Foinn Seisiun 2 by Ceoltóirí Cultúrlainne
• Folk Dance Music Of Ireland by Johnny Powell And His Band
• Folktrax 154 - The Sligo Fiddler: Michael Coleman by Michael Coleman
• Folktrax-173: Willie Clancy And Bobby Casey by Willie Clancy And Bobby Casey
• From West To East - Live Sessions by Various Artists
• Greenfire by Greenfire
• In Good Hands by Paddy Murphy
• In Praise Of Lissycasey by Various Artists
• Ireland's Best Session Tunes CD 1 by Waltons Recording
• Irish Dance Music - Folkways LP by Various Artists
• Irish Traditional Music And Song by Shaskeen
• Irish Women Musicians Of America by Cherish The Ladies
• Leitrim's Hidden Treasure by McNamara Family
• Lively Steps by Jerry Holland
• Masters Of Irish Music by Martin Byrnes
• Music Of A Champion by Brendan McGlinchey
• Music Of Sligo by Peter Horan And Fred Finn
• Notes From The Heart by Mick, Louise And Michelle Mulcahy
• Part II: Fire In Our Hearts by Na Connerys
• Past Masters Of Irish Fiddle Music by Various Artists
• Round The House: Music For The Sets Volume 1 by Various Artists
• Sean Reid's Favourite by Jimmy O'Brien-Moran
• Set Dances Of Ireland, Volume III by Various Artists
• Shaskeen Irish Pub Session by Shaskeen
• Slán Le Loch Eirne by Seamus Quinn And Gary Hastings
• Speed 78 by Mike Rafferty
• Temple House 1 by Temple House Ceili Band
• The Best Ever Traditional Irish Pub Session Volume Two by Various Artists
• The Best Of Seamus Tansey by Seamus Tansey
• The Coleman Country Ceili Band by The Coleman Country Ceili Band
• The Dangerous Reel by Mike And Mary Rafferty
• The Enduring Magic by Michael Coleman
• The Fiddlesticks Collection by Jerry Holland
• The Gallowglass Ceili Band by The Gallowglass Ceili Band
• The Godfather by Brian Rooney
• The Lark In The Clear Air by Various Artists
• The Mason's Apron by The Madden Brothers
• The Merry Love To Play by Peter Horan And Gerry Harrington
• The Morning Mist by Joe Burke
• The Mountain Road by Various Artists
• The Phantom Shadows Of A Connaught Fire (2 Of 3) by Seamus Tansey
• The Piping Of Patsy Touhey by Patsy Touhey
• The Road From Ballinakill by Mike And Mary Rafferty
• The Salmon's Leap by Randal Bays
• The Sound Of Coleman Country by Various Artists
• The South West Wind by Ronan Browne And Peter O'Loughlin
• The Spirit Of West Clare by Bobby Casey
• The Wyndy Turn by Dan Healy And Ciaran O'Raghallaigh
• There Was A Maid by Dolores Keane
• Traditional Irish Music (traditional Music Session From Belfast) by Various Artists
• Traditional Irish Music Played On The Uilleann Pipes by Robbie Hannan
• Traditional Music Of Ireland by Joe And Antoinette McKenna
• Uilleann Piper by Tommy Martin
• Uilleann Pipes And Whistles - Traditional Music From Co. Monaghan by Martin McCormack
• Wet Your Whistle by Wet Your Whistle

X: 1
T: Shaskeen, The
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
R: reel
K: Gmaj
E | DG~G2 AGAB | cded cAAc | BG~G2 AF~F2 | GBAG FD~D2 |
DG~G2 AGAB | cded cAAg | f2fe fdcA | BGAF G~G2 :|
B | dggf g2fg | abag fddc | BG~G2 AF~F2 | GBAG FDD |
|1 B| dggf g2fg | abag fddc | BG~G2 AF~F2 | GBAF G~G2 :|
|2 A | BG~G2 cA~A2 | d^cde dcAg | ~f2fe fdcA | BGAF G3 ||

This is a tune I learned off "The Mountain Road: A Compilation of Tunes Popular in South Sligo" CD. It's one of my most favorite tunes.

# Posted on March 23rd 2002 by Josh Kane

Shaskeen

I agree with Josh - one of the most melodic reels ever composed, and one which plays well on any traditional instrument. Also one of the few tunes which I have never heard called by any other name.

# Posted on March 24th 2002 by Kenny

Yepp...

With a name like "Shaskeen," who'd want to call it by another name?

# Posted on March 24th 2002 by Josh Kane

An Seasguin (which, of course is pronounced Shaskeen) - apparently it's a river, or at least a tributary of the River Shannon.

# Posted on February 24th 2004 by Key Maniac Lad

In the third last bar, something about that C# makes me want to play the other C in that bar as a C natural, instead of waiting for the next bar. Does anyone play it this way?

# Posted on February 25th 2005 by treecipitation

The Shaskeen

The very first bar of the tune is rarely played as in Josh's transcription. Here's another version, inspired by Mike Rafferty's flute playing:

K: Gmaj
E|DG~G2 ABcA|dfed cA~A2|BdBG ~A3F|GBAG FDDE|
DG~G2 ABcA|dfed cAAe|f2de fdcA|AGFA ~G3:|
B|dggf g2fg|~a3g fdde|~f3d egfg|abag fddc|
dggf g2fg|~a3g fdde|f2de fdcA|AGFA ~G3B|
dggf g2fg|~a3g fdde|~f3d egfg|abag fddc|
~B3G ~A3F|GBAG FDDe|f2de fdcA|AGFA ~G3||

The second part sometimes has a different structure like this:

B|dggf g2fg|abag fddc|BdBG ~A3F|GBAG FDDB|
dggf g2fg|~a3g fdde|f2de fdcA|AGFA ~G3B|
dggf g2fg|abag fddc|BdBG ~A3F|GBAG FDDA|
BG~G2 AF~F2|dfed cAAe|f2de fdcA|AGFA ~G3||

# Posted on March 22nd 2007 by slainte

Shaskeen Reel

Slainte's setting is the one I'm also most familiar with, and it is a great reel whichever way it's played. My Love is in America follows it very well - I think it's a Miltown thing as I remember the combination being played a few times at Willie Clancy some years ago.

# Posted on March 22nd 2007 by Bannerman

Watch and listen to Tansey play this reel and the New Copperplate: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=abi-lhnXoSY

# Posted on June 16th 2007 by slainte

Another lovely playing of this tune: http://comhaltas.ie/music/detail/comhaltaslive_244_4_fergus_mcgorman_with_two_old_reels_on_flute

# Posted on March 3rd 2008 by slainte