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The Fairies’ hornpipe

Also known as An Leanbh Sidhe, The Faeries’, The Fairies, The Fairy Boy, The Fairy’s.

There are 31 recordings of this tune.

This tune has been recorded together with

The Fairies’ appears in 4 other tune collections.

The Fairies’ has been added to 23 tune sets.

The Fairies' has been added to 263 tunebooks.

Download ABC

Two settings

1
X: 1
T: The Fairies'
R: hornpipe
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
K: Gmaj
BAF|GFGA BdcB|AGAB G2Bc|dgfg edcB|cedB A2Bc|
dggf g2fe|dedc B2AG|ABcA dcAF|G2GF G2:|
|:Bc|dggf g2fe|dedc B2AG|ABcd edcB|Add^c d2B=c|
dggf g2fe|dedc B2AG|ABcA dcAF|G2GF G2:|
2
X: 2
T: The Fairies'
R: hornpipe
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
K: Gmaj
Bc|dBGB cAFA|~G3F GABc|dg~g2 eg~g2|dBGB A2Bc|
dBGB cAFA|~G3F GABc|dg~g2 ecAF|G2GF G2:|
|:Bc|dg~g2 eg~g2|dg~g2 edBc|dg~g2 eg~g2|dBGB A2Bc|
dBGB cAFA|~G3F GABc|dg~g2 ecAF|G2GF G2:|
z2|dBGD cAFD|~G3D GABc|dg~g2 effe|dGGB A2Bc|
dB~B2 cBBA|G2GD GABc|d2g2 ecAF|GBAF G2:|
|:z2|dg~g2 effe|dg~g2 effe|dg~g2 effe|d^c=cB A2Bc|
dB~B2 cBBA|~G3D GABc|d2~g2 ecAF|GBAF G2:|

Twelve comments

This tune is similar to McNamara’s Hornpipe (also in G)

Bc|dBGB cAFA|~G3F GABc|dg~g2 eg~g2|dBGB A2Bc|
dBGB cAFA|~G3F GABc|dg~g2 ecAF|G2GF G2:|
|:Bc|dg~g2 eg~g2|dg~g2 edBc|dg~g2 eg~g2|dBGB A2Bc|
dBGB cAFA|~G3F GABc|dg~g2 ecAF|G2GF G2:|
"variations"
z2|dBGD cAFD|~G3D GABc|dg~g2 effe|dGGB A2Bc|
dB~B2 cBBA|G2GD GABc|d2g2 ecAF|GBAF G2:|
|:z2|dg~g2 effe|dg~g2 effe|dg~g2 effe|d^c=cB A2Bc|
dB~B2 cBBA|~G3D GABc|d2~g2 ecAF|GBAF G2:|

This is a really infectious tune. That last turnaround sticks in my head for weeks after hearing it in a session.

The triplet at the start is best played as (3DEF.

Re: The Fairies’

Hi
Could anyone recommend any good three part set to put this lovely little tune into
Thanks

Re: The Fairies’

It’s linked to 28 recordings above - see what others have done. That could get you started, but isn’t it always better to come up with your own sets rather than getting them from others ?

Posted by .

Re: The Fairies’

Thanks, and appreciate the speedy reply Kenny. Just learning this hornpipe at the moment and I fully intend to do as you recommended, but would also like to hear any new suggestions as well (they don’t have to be ground-breakingly original or anything. I’d just like to read more opinions in general as I find it always helps personally).
Also I like to think this tune doesn’t have half the amount of comments as it fully deserves ( :
Thanks again

Re: The Fairies’

You’re welcome. I do seem to recall that Mick Moloney and Joe McKenna paired it with "Alexander’s" on a recording, which worked quite well.

Posted by .

Re: The Fairies’

Sound, I’ll check it out

Re: The Fairies’

X:1 and X:2 sound to me like quite different tunes. I’m pretty sure I’ve come across the first one under another title - which, of course, I can’t place right now but will remember at two in the morning. I’ve definitely come across the second one as Pretty Maggie Morrissey. There are several settings of it on this site with that name.

Posted by .

Re: The Fairies’

If you are looking for companion tunes, irishtune.info lists four which have fit that bill in the past:
Good-Natured Man, Alexander’s (mentioned in a post above), An tSean Bhean Bhocht, and Higgins’ Hornpipe.

Re: The Fairies’

Liverpool Hornpipe goes well in front of it, nice D to G key change