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Jimmy McNelis’s Highland strathspey

Also known as Jimmy McNelis’s Highland Fling.

There is 1 recording of this tune.

Jimmy McNelis’s Highland has been added to 2 tune sets.

Jimmy McNelis's Highland has been added to 12 tunebooks.

Download ABC

Three settings

1
X: 1
T: Jimmy McNelis's Highland
R: strathspey
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
K: Bmin
|:d<Bf>B d<fB>d|(3cBA e>A c>eA>c|d<Bf>B d<fB>d|(3cBA B>c d>AB>c:|
|:d2f>d a>df>e|d>ef>d c>eB>c|d2f>d a>df>d|c>eB>c d>AB>c:|
2
X: 2
T: Jimmy McNelis's Highland
R: strathspey
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
K: Bmin
|: B>c |d>Bf>B d<fB>d | c<Ae>A c<eA>c | d>Bf>B d<fB>d | c<Ae>c B2 :|
(3gfe |d2 (3fed a>d f2 | d>ef>d c<eA>e | d2 (3fed a>df>d | c<e (3ABc d2 (3gfe |
d>Af>d a>df<a | d2 (3fed c<eA>e | d<bf>b d<fb>f | c<ae>c B2 |]
3
X: 3
T: Jimmy McNelis's Highland
R: strathspey
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
K: Bmin
Bc |: d/B3/2fB d/f3/2Bd | c/B/AeA ceAc | d/B3/2fB dfBd | c/B/ABc dABc :|
|:d2fd adfe | defd ceBc |dgfd adfd | ceBc dABc :|

Ten comments

Jimmy McNelis’s Highland

This is one of many obscure Donegal tunes from Derek McGinley and Tara Connaghan’s beautiful fiddle duet album "The Far Side of the Glen." The notes inform that Jimmy McNelis played the melodeon, which used to be "common in South West Donegal in the early part of the 20th century, second only to the fiddle."

The recording is packed with gems. For the sound and video clips, visit their website: http://farsideoftheglen.ie/wp/

There’s a common reel that goes like this

Jimmy McNelis’s Highland

Has elements of a few tunes, including the hornpipe "The Marquis of Lorne" (aka The Sligo Fancy) and this reel found in Kerr’s Merry Melodies (but it is by no means either of these tunes):

X:1007
T:Mrs Webster
S:Kerr’s Merry Melodies, Book 3
Z:Nigel Gatherer
L:1/8
M:4/4
K:Bm
c | dBfB dBBd | cAeA cAAc | dBfB gBfB | cAec dBB :|
f | b2 fe dBBd | cAed cAAa | b2 fe dBBd | cAeA cBBf |
b2 fe dBBd | cAed cAAa | bfge fded | cAec cBB |]

"Jimmy McNelis’s Highland Fling"

X: 2
T: Jimmy McNelis’s Highland
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
R: highland fling
K: Bmin
|: B>c |\
d>Bf>B d<fB>d | c<Ae>A c<eA>c |\
d>Bf>B d<fB>d | c<Ae>c B2 :|
(3gfe |\
d2 (3fed a>d f2 | d>ef>d c<eA>e |\
d2 (3fed a>df>d | c<e (3ABc d2 (3gfe |
d>Af>d a>df<a | d2 (3fed c<eA>e |\
d<bf>b d<fb>f | c<ae>c B2 |]

"Mrs. Webster" ~ giving her the highland fling treatment -

using Slainte’s markings with slight adjustments for comparison:

X: 1
T: Mrs Webster
S: Kerr’s Merry Melodies, Book 3
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
R: highland fling
K: Bmin
|: c/ |\
d<Bf>B d<BB>d | (3cBA e>A c>AA>c |\
d<Bf>B g<Bf>B | (ecBA e>c d>BB3/ :|
|: f/ |\
b2 f>e d>BB>d | c>Ae>d c>AA>a |\
[1 b2 f>e d>BB>d | c>Ae>A c>BB3/ :|
[2 b>fg>e f>de>d | c>Ae>c c>BB3/ |]

Don’t forget to remove "Mrs. Webster" from the alternate titles list. I agree with Nigel, same A part really, and some strong similarities to the B part, but not the same tune. Someone should add that reel to the database now, as I don’t think it’s here yet and it’s a lovely tune.

~ | (3cBA e>c d>BB3/ :|

Poor Mrs. Webster, I missed a change for the A-part, bar 4, where a 3 should have been instead of that ‘e’… 🙁 😉

Here’s the lovely Mrs. Webster with her own place in this database:

Jimmy McNelis’s Highland, X:3

This is the setting played by Tara Connaghan and Derek McGinley on The Far Side of the Glen. The highland rhythm is hard to capture in notation, but I think this comes close.