Out On The Ocean jig

Also known as Across The Sea, Amaċ San Ḟarraige, Amach Ar An Aigéan, The Banks Of Ahasnagh, Clare Jig, A, Mick Mulcahy’s, O’Connel’s Jig On Top Of Mount Everest, O’Connell’s Jig On Top Of Mount Everest, O’er The Ocean, O’er The Sea, Out In The Ocean, Out Of The Ocean, Over The Ocean, Portroe, The Portroe, The Rock And The Wee Pickle Tow, The Rok And The Wee Pickle Tow, Split The Whisker, Tierney’s, The Wee Pickle Tow, The Wind Is Over The Ocean.

There are 162 recordings of this tune.

This tune has been recorded together with

Out On The Ocean appears in 6 other tune collections.

Out On The Ocean has been added to 683 tune sets.

Out On The Ocean has been added to 3,289 tunebooks.

Download ABC

Twenty-three settings

1
X: 1
T: Out On The Ocean
R: jig
M: 6/8
L: 1/8
K: Gmaj
|:GE|D2B BAG|BdB A2B|GED G2A|B2B AGE|
D2B BAG|BdB A2B|GED G2A|BGE G:|
Bd|e2e edB|ege edB|d2B def|gfe dBA|
G2A B2d|ege d2B|AGE G2A|BGE G:|
2
X: 2
T: Out On The Ocean
R: jig
M: 6/8
L: 1/8
K: Gmaj
|:F/E/|D2 B BAG|B/c/dB ABA|GED G2 A|BcB AGE|
D2 B BAG|BdB A2 B|GED G2 A|BGF G2:|
d|efe edB|ege edB|ded dBA|ded dBA|
G2 A B2 d|ege dBA|GED G2 A|BGF GB/c/d|
e2 e edB|e/f/ge edB|d2 d dd/e/f|gfe dBA|
G2 A B2 d|e/f/ge dBA|GED G2 A|BGF G2||
3
X: 3
T: Out On The Ocean
R: jig
M: 6/8
L: 1/8
K: Amaj
E2c cBA|cec BcB|AFE A2B|cBc BAF|
E2c cBA|cec BcB|AFE A2B|1 cAA A2F:|2 cAA Ace||
~f3 fec|faf fec|efe ece|a2f ecB|
A2B c2e|faf ecB|AFE A2B|1 cAA Ace:|2 cAA A2F||
4
X: 4
T: Out On The Ocean
R: jig
M: 6/8
L: 1/8
K: Gmaj
|:FE|D2 B BAG|B/c/dB ABA|GED G2 A|BcB AGE|
D2 B BAG|BdB A2 B|GED G2 A|BGF G:|
Bd|efe edB|ege edB|ded dBA|d>ed dBA|
G2 A B2 d|ege dBA|GED G2 A|BGF GB/c/d|
e2 e edB|egf edB|d2 d dd/e/f|gfe dBA|
G2 A B2 d|e/f/ge dBA|GED G2 A|BGF G||
5
X: 5
T: Out On The Ocean
R: jig
M: 6/8
L: 1/8
K: Gmaj
B3 BAG|BdB A2B|GED G2A|BAB GED|
BAB BAG|BdB A2B|GED G2A|BGG G3:|
ege edB|ege edB|ded dBA|ded dBA|
G2A B2d|ege dBA|GED G2A|BGG G3|
ege edB|ege dBA|ded def|gfe dBA|
G2A B2d|ege dBA|GED G2A|BGG G3||
6
X: 6
T: Out On The Ocean
R: jig
M: 6/8
L: 1/8
K: Gmaj
DBB BAG|BdB AAA|GED G2A|BBB AGE|
DBB BAG|BdB AAA|GED G2A|1 AGF G3:|2 AGF AB/c/d||
|:e2e edB|e2e edB|d3 def|gfe dBA|
G2A B2d|efe dBA|GED G2A|1 AGF AB/c/d:|2 AGF G3||
7
X: 7
T: Out On The Ocean
R: jig
M: 6/8
L: 1/8
K: Gmaj
|:GE|"G"D2B BAG|BdB A2B|"C"GED G2A|"D"B2B AGE|
"G"D2B BAG|BdB A2B|"C"GED G2A|"D"BGE "G"G:|
|:Bd|"Em"e2e edB|ege edB|"Bm7"d2B def|"C"gfe dBA|
"G"G2A B2d|"C"ege dBA|"G"GED G2A|"D"BGE "G"G:|
8
X: 8
T: Out On The Ocean
R: jig
M: 6/8
L: 1/8
K: Gmaj
|:E|D2 B BAG|BdB A2 B|GED G2 A|BcB AGE|
D2 B B2 G|B/c/dB A3|GED G2 A|BGG G2:|
d|e2 e edB|e2 e edB|d2 d dBA|d2 d dBA|
G2 A B2 d|ege d2 B|GED G2 A|BGG G2 d|
e2 e edB|egf edB|d^cd def|gfe dBA|
G2 A B2 d|e2 e dBA|GED G2 A|BGG G2||
9
X: 9
T: Out On The Ocean
R: jig
M: 6/8
L: 1/8
K: Gmaj
GAA BAB|Bgg B2A|GED G2A|BAA AGE|
GAA BAB|Bgg B2A|GED G2A|BGG G2D|
GAA BAB|Bgg B2A|GED GAc|BAA AGE|
GAA BAB|Bgg B2A|GED GAc|BGG GBd|
|:e2g e2d|efg edB|d2e d2B|ded dBA|
B3 Bcd|efg B2A|GED G2A|1 BGG GBd:|2 BGG G2D||
10
X: 10
T: Out On The Ocean
R: jig
M: 6/8
L: 1/8
K: Gmaj
|:G2 A BAB|Bgg B2 A|GED G2 A|BAA AGE|
GAc B2 A|Bgg B2 A|GED GAc|1 BGG GED:|2 BGF GBd||
|:e2 g e2 d|efg edB|d2 e d2 B|ded dBA|
B2 B Bcd|efg B2 A|GED G2 c|1 BGG GBd:|2 BGF G3||
11
X: 11
T: Out On The Ocean
R: jig
M: 6/8
L: 1/8
K: Amaj
|:e|A>AA ABc|cac B2 a|cAB c2 B|c>AA A2 e|
A>AA ABc|cac Bcd|ecA c2 B|c>AA A2:|
|:a|f2 a f2 a|faf fec|e>ee ece|fac cBA|
[1 dcd e>ee|fac B2 a|cAB c2 B|c>AA A2:|
[2 dcd e>ee|fac Bcd|ecA c2 B|c>AA A2||
12
X: 12
T: Out On The Ocean
R: jig
M: 6/8
L: 1/8
K: Gmaj
|:G|GAA BAB|Bgg B/c/BA|GED G2 A|BAA AGE|
GAA BAB|Bgg B/c/BA|GED G2 A|BGG G2:|
|:d|e2 g e2 d|efg edB|d2 e d2 B|dee dBG|
{c/}BBA Bcd|efg B/c/BA|GED G2 A|BGG G2:|
13
X: 13
T: Out On The Ocean
R: jig
M: 6/8
L: 1/8
K: Gmaj
D|DBB BAG|BdG A3|GED G2A|Bdd GED|
DBB BAG|BdG A3|GED G2A|BGF G2E|
D3 BAG|BdG A3|GED G2A|Bdd GED|
DBB DBB|BdG A3|GED G2A|BGG GBd||
e3 edB|e3 edB|ded dBA|ded dBA|
G2A B2d|e3 dBA|GED G2A|BGF GBd|
e3 edB|e3 edB|ded dB/c/d|gfe dBA|
G2A B2d|.e.e.e dBA|GED G2A|BGF G2E||
# Added by JACKB .
14
X: 14
T: Out On The Ocean
R: jig
M: 6/8
L: 1/8
K: Amaj
E|Ecc cBA|ceA B3|AFE A2B|cee AFE|
Ecc cBA|ceA B3|AFE A2B|cAA A2F|
E3 cBA|ceA B3|AFE A2B|cee AFE|
Ecc Ecc|ceA B3|AFE A2B|cAA Ace||
f3 fec|f3 fec|efe ecB|efe ecB|
A2B c2e|f3 ecB|AFE A2B|cAA Ace|
f3 fec|f3 fec|efe ece|a2f ecB|
A2B c2e|.f.f.f ecB|AFE A2B|cAA A2F||
# Added by JACKB .
15
X: 15
T: Out On The Ocean
R: jig
M: 6/8
L: 1/8
K: Amaj
|:c3 cBA|cec B2 c|AFE A2 B|cec BAF|
E2 c cBA|cec B2 c|AFE A2 B|1 c/B/AA AGF:|2 cAA Ace||
|:f2 f fec|f/f/ff fec|e2 e efg|agf ecB|
A2 B c2 e|faf ecB|AFE A2 B|1 cAA Ace:|2 cAA AGF||
16
X: 16
T: Out On The Ocean
R: jig
M: 6/8
L: 1/8
K: Gmaj
|:B3 BAG|BdB A2 B|GED G2 A|BdB AGE|
D2 B BAG|BdB A2 B|GED G2 A|1 B/A/GG GFE:|2 BGG GBd||
|:e3 edB|e2 e edB|dcd def|gfe dBA|
G2 A B2 d|efe dBA|GED G2 A|1 BGG GBd:|2 BGG GFE||
17
X: 17
T: Out On The Ocean
R: jig
M: 6/8
L: 1/8
K: Gmaj
D2B BAG|BdB ABA|GED G2A|~B2B AGE|
D2B BAG|BdB ABA|GED G2A|BGF G3:|
|:e2e edB|e2e edB|d3 def|gfe dBA|
G2A B2d|~e3 dBA|GED G2A|BGF G3:|
18
X: 18
T: Out On The Ocean
R: jig
M: 6/8
L: 1/8
K: Gmaj
E|:DBB BAG|BdB A2B|GED G2A|BAB AGE|
DBB BAG|BdB A2B|GED G2A|1 BGF G2E:|2 BGF GBd||
|:e3 edB|efe edB|ded dBd|gfe dBA|
G2A B2d|ege dBA|GED G2A|1 BGF GBd:|2 BGF G3||
19
X: 19
T: Out On The Ocean
R: jig
M: 6/8
L: 1/8
K: Gmaj
|:D2B BAG|BdB A2B|GED G2A|B2B AGE|
D2B BAG|BdB A2B|GED G2A|1 BGE G2E|2 BGE GBd:|
|:e2e edB|eee edB|d2B def|gfe dBA|
G2A B2d|ege d2B|AGE G2A|1 BGF GBd|2 BGF G3:|
# Added by Abram .
20
X: 20
T: Out On The Ocean
R: jig
M: 6/8
L: 1/8
K: Gmaj
|:D2B BAG|BdB A2B|GED G2A|B3 AGE|
D2B BAG|BdB A2B|GED G2A|1 BGF G2E:|2 BGF GBd||
|:e3 edB|e3 edB|d3 dBd|gfe dBA|
G2A B2d|e3 dBA|GED G2A|1 BGF GBd:|2 BGF G2E||
# Added by JACKB .
21
X: 21
T: Out On The Ocean
R: jig
M: 6/8
L: 1/8
K: Gmaj
|:"G"d2b bag|bd'b aba|"C"ged g2a|"D"bd'b age|
"G"d2b bag|bd'b aba|"C"ged g2a|1 "D"agf "G"gfe:|2 "D"agf "G"gbd'||
|:"Em"e'2e' e'd'b|e'g'e' e'd'b|"Bm7"d'e'd' d'e'f'|"C"g'f'e' d'ba|
"G"g2a b2d'|"C"e'g'e' d'ba|"G"ged g2a|1 "D"agf "G"gbd':|2 "D"agf "G"g3||
22
X: 22
T: Out On The Ocean
R: jig
M: 6/8
L: 1/8
K: Gmaj
d|:d>BB BAG|BdBA2B|GEEG2A|GBA GED|
d>BB BAG|BdBA2B|G>EE GAB|AGEG2d:|
|:e>fe edB|efe edB|d>ed dBA|Bge dBA|
G2AB2d|g2e dBA|G>EE GAB|1 AGEG2d:|2 AGEG2||
23
X: 23
T: Out On The Ocean
R: jig
M: 6/8
L: 1/8
K: Gmaj
|:GE|"G"D2B BAG|BdB "D"A2B|"C"GED G2A|"Em"B2B "D"AGE|
"G"D2B BAG|BdB "D"A2B|"C"GED G2A|"Csus2/D"BGF G:|
Bd|"Em"e2e edB|ege edB|"Bm"d2B def|gfe dBA|
"G"G2A B2d|"C"ege dBA|"Em"GED G2A|"Csus2/D"BGF G:|
# Added by Ben L .

Fifty-three comments

This is one of those tunes that sound equally good if played as a slow, gentle jig or as a rollicking, fast session tune.

Out on the Ocean - key of…..?

Deario’s,

Got a Boys of the Lough album which opens with a jig called “Out on the Ocean”. It’s in A major and I’ve found some scores in the very same key.
But I also did find some versions in the G major key. Both can be played on my instrument (flute) but I do wonder why it appears in different key’s.
Does it have to do with instruments, regions, or is it merely coincidental?

Bart

Posted by .

Re: Out on the Ocean - key of…..?

I believe it’s usually played in G (goes to E minor for the turn) at the sessions I attend. Whatever works for you is the best key, yes?

Re: Out on the Ocean - key of…..?

It is often played in either key, it all depends on the feel ie what key the tune played before or after it is in. It happens a lot with other tunes too eg. Boys of Ballisodare can be played in F or G The Foxhunters reel can be played in G or A.

Re: Out on the Ocean - key of…..?

One of our favourite jigs which is liked to be played in G for 2 or 3 times and then switches to A (or D) . It gives a very interesting note.
So the tune makes a good set by its own. See CD of Paddy Keenan: na keen affair

Ruediger

Posted by .

Re: Out on the Ocean - key of…..?

In Chicago it is usually played in G but fiddlers and banjos like it in A.

As far as it being “coincidental”, I’d say it is more “accidental” (that is, 1 sharp or 3 sharps 🙂

Re: Out on the Ocean - key of…..?

I’ve mostly heard it and prefer it in G. G gives it a more comfortable layed back feel, like waves rolling on the ocean/a boat rolling on the swell…. whereas often tunes in A are slightly more “aggressive”sounding/feeling (for want of a better word to describe it).

Posted by .

Re: Out on the Ocean - key of…..?

Thank you all!

Boy, is this a great site.

Bart

Posted by .

Tommy Peoples Plays it in A

On his Iron Man album. Just for reference. Who cares?

Any good tunes to make a set?

One of my favourite jigs, actually sat on a yacht in the middle of the Atlantic ocean last year and played it - seemed kinda appropriate!!

Does anyone know any good tunes to make this into a good set - maybe a reel to follow or a durge to begin, I dunno - just something interesting and a little different would be nice!!

Cheers all.

Out on the Ocean

Our session usually play this last in the set “Geese in the Bog (Key of C) and Connachtman’s Rambles” - a nice threesome.

Origins

The Islands - the islands.

It is an island.

Hence the name.

Set suggestion

Our ceili band usually plays Out on the Ocean last in a set with Connaughts Man’s Rambles and Lilting Banshee

A different take on the tune - 2nd ending:

T: Out On The Ocean
M: 6/8
L: 1/8
R: jig
K: Gmaj
|: F/E/ |D2 B BAG | B/c/dB ABA | GED G2 A | BcB AGE |
D2 B BAG | BdB A2 B | GED G2 A | BGF G2 :|
|: d |efe edB | ege edB |1 ded dBA | ded dBA |
G2 A B2 d | ege dBA | GED G2 A | BGF G2 :|
[2 ded dd/e/f | gfe dBA | G2 A B2 d |
e/f/ge dBA | GED G2 A | BGF G2 :|

also - another 2nd ending for the A-part, eight bar, and the B-part first ending would mirror this:

| BGF G :|
|: B/c/d |

Another Set

Deby plays this on her album with Jacky Tar and the Full-Rigged ship, and that’s how our session plays it

Somebody did a really slow version of this - I seem to remember a guitar accompaniment with maybe a bass guitar in the background. It’s disappeared from the brain cells though and no amount of searching through the CD collection turns it up - any clues what I’m on about?

Alternative arrangement

Ian Carr (with the Kathryn Tickell Band) did a version of this where he plays the tune on harmonics the first time through and then normally for a couple of times. It’s played fairly slowly and has a bass in the background. He plays it in Gmaj.

A major version for keyless flute

K: Amaj
E2c cBA|cec BcB|AFE A2B|cBc BAF|
E2c cBA|cec BcB|AFE A2B|1 cAA A2F:|2 cAA Ace||
~f3 fec|faf fec|efe ece|a2f ecB|
A2B c2e|faf ecB|AFE A2B|1 cAA Ace:|2 cAA A2F||

Very nice Kieran, skillfully done. A good addition to tunes in Amaj for keyless flute, and one to add to my short list. Thanks!

Posted .

A Major

After first hearing this tune done by Planxty on After The Break, I must say it sounds beautiful in A Major. Though it looks like if one were compelled, they could pick up an E whistle and use the “g major” fingering to bring it back in A major… However I always like knowing the same tune in different keys on one whistle if possible, simply just fun, so I’ll use the D.

OOps sorry, I should have said The Woman I Loved So Well…!!

yeah…

“Out On The Ocean”

Seeing the mistakes of the earlier submission, here it is again with corrections and some other possibilities. Like with any tune, it could be rolled to death, like taking a steam roller over a bunny, but I wouldn’t recommend that, as there’d be nothing left to barbecue afterwards…

X: 2
T: Out On The Ocean
M: 6/8
L: 1/8
R: jig
K: Gmaj
|: FE |\
D2 B BAG | B/c/dB ABA | GED G2 A | BcB AGE |
D2 B BAG | BdB A2 B | GED G2 A | BGF G :|
Bd |\
efe edB | ege edB | ded dBA | d>ed dBA |
G2 A B2 d | ege dBA | GED G2 A | BGF GB/c/d |
e2 e edB | egf edB | d2 d dd/e/f | gfe dBA |
G2 A B2 d | e/f/ge dBA | GED G2 A | BGF G |]

Set

I am learning Octave Mandolin and find this tune awesome when played on it in G as a slow jig…. I play Sporting Pitchfork (D) before it. Makes for a nice laid back pair.

Bob

Set

BTW, I also pair Out On The Ocean to follow the song Farewell To Tarwathie (sung in D, tune in G - makes a nice transition and appropriate finish) - all on Oct Mando.
Bob

Yet another version:
X: 1
T: Out On The Ocean
M: 6/8
L: 1/8
R: jig
K: Gmaj
B3 BAG|BdB A2B|GED G2A|BAB GED|
BAB BAG|BdB A2B|GED G2A|BGG G3:|
ege edB|ege edB|ded dBA|ded dBA|
G2A B2d|ege dBA|GED G2A|BGG G3|
ege edB|ege dBA|ded def|gfe dBA|
G2A B2d|ege dBA|GED G2A|BGG G3||

Chords for those that like to accompany - see X:7

I just added a version of the tune that is much the same as X1 but I have added chords for accompaniment. For those not familiar with ABC nototion the chords are in double quotes and precede the note where the chord should be struck.

Out on the ocean - key?

I’ve played it in G, I’ve played it in A, and I have the preference for A, where the key seems to lift the tune more, especially if it’s the second tune in a set after the first tune in G etc.. A great example of this is a live session set of Tom Ward’s (G)/Out on the ocean (A) on the Ceol Tigh Neachtain CD on Gael-Linn record label. For me, this just goes up into the stratosphere!

about the tune

who wrote this tune? any story behind it, aside being out on the sea?

Setting X:9

This setting comes from this clip of Francie Mooney http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OoK4TtH2dUE , posted in discussions by IamFrench and identified by ceolachan as a version of Out On The Ocean. It’s probably the most different setting here, and sounds almost like an intermediate stage between the common version of Out On The Ocean and its probable ancestor, the Scottish march The Rock And The Wee Pickle Tow, also related to O’Sullivan’s March https://thesession.org/tunes/2204.


I cannot vouch for the accuracy of the transcription, as there is talking going on over the music in the video. I have written out the A part in full (i.e. without repeat marks), to include a small variation on the repeat.

Tommy Peoples‘ recording of Out on The Ocean on ’The Iron Man’ https://thesession.org/recordings/596 , although much closer to the standard version overall, contains some echoes of Francie Mooney’s setting in the variations.

@Anna Rachel McDonald
I doubt this tune has a known composer - it’s part of a very old family of tunes, in my opinion. You might be interested to read the comments on O’Sullivan’s March (see above).

I can’t believe I’ve let it slide that long… 😏 We’ve known this one in several guises from numerous sources, including Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia, and elsewhere in Canada and North America; Northumberland, Scotland, the Shetlands ~ and, heading South, Australia & New Zealand ~ and Playford too… 😀

X: 11 ~ T: The Rock and the Wee Pickle Tow

A lovely A Major setting courtesy of gam: “Thanks, ceolachan, for resolving the strange ‘deja vu’ that comes over me whenever I play Out on the Ocean. I used to play The Rock and the Wee Pickle Tow years ago on the pipes, and never realised they were practically one and the same tune — ” - # Posted by gam - 24/02/2013

Boys Of The Lough - from Jean Carignan

Going back to Bart’s comment 10 years ago - that unusual A major setting that the BOL played, they learnt from the Canadian fiddler Jean Carignan. It’s different enough to be a REAL variant, not just an alternative phrasing here and there.

The Boys of the Lough - my haven’t they changed, at the start of the 70s they had Dick Gaughan and a bodhranist/ singer Robin Morton, no Richardson brothers. Now you wouldn’t know the line-up at all, only Cathal remains from the run-on side. No disrespect to the new members of course.

Same with Battlefield Band. Even Alan Reid’s gone. Like grandfather’s axe, eh ?

Nigel Kennedy - Recital

Out In The Ocean is one of the tracks on Nigel Kennedy’s album, Recital. I have been learning fiddle since November and it is my favourite out the tunes that I have tried so far.
Mark Mulherin

Paddy Keenan’s Version

The G major and A major setting closer to Paddy Keenan’s version.

Posted by .

“Out on the Ocean” which one emulates best to Matt Molloy’s setting

From these fourteen arrangements of “Out on the Ocean” which one emulates best to Matt Molloy’s setting on Heathery Breeze CD? Realizing he is playing a Bb flute, I think, so the key is probably different.

Can anyone help

Kit

Re: Out On The Ocean

Wow, the 2nd part (at least setting #1) is very similiar to setting #1 of The Cowboy Jig. Can’t play them both as I keep confusing and mixing-matching them and don’t get either one right!

Re: Out On The Ocean

Hello! Im wokring on a big project with recording all tunes I know in slow tempo togehter
with som tools and flute exercises for anyone to use and learn and practice along with.
Hope you find good use of it!

TUNE:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vwZ9bsOl-gE


BODHRÁN METRONOME PLAYLIST:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLeBSuVJgG93QKA8HBk0mJVjAmi50G52T7

DRONES PLAYLIST:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLeBSuVJgG93QgET4g19H-QkC49uOA77wv

Irish Flute Course | 10 Essential Exercises:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xOyp6L0urhw


Website:
https://jonantonsson.wixsite.com/tunes

Out On The Ocean, X:21

Setting for mouth whistling in the original key of G Major but one octave higher.

I’m very happy to discover that this well known session standard can be whistled in the original session key without any change of octave. This setting is just one octave higher. This doesn’t happen very often. These high notes are the best for mouth whistling.

The chords are the same as in the setting X:7, I love them, thanks for them. Interesting to see that Bm7.

The melody is the one I am more familiar to, I suppose I got it from the sessions in Galway city.

Re: Out On The Ocean

Martin Hayes plays Carraroe (or The Carraroe Jig) going into Out on the Ocean. Works well. On his Album Live in Seattle.

Out On The Ocean, X:22

From Ancient Irish Airs & Dances: 201 Classic Tunes Arranged For Piano By George Petrie.
In the book the tune is called The Banks Of Ahasnagh.