From Galway To Dublin hornpipe

Source: Andy Mcgann & Paul Brady_It’s a Hard road to travel
Transcription: Gian Marco Pietrasanta

The first part of this tune is somewhat akin to the air of The Star of the County Down, which might explain the title (“From Bantry Bay down to Derry Quay, From Galway to Dublin Town…”).

Come to that, it’s also of the family of tunes that includes Boneparte Crossing the Rhine (‘Black Asphalt’) and one of The Peacock’s Feathers(‘The parting Glass’).

The Ador version of this is here https://thesession.org/tunes/7. I’ve heard both in sessions.

“Bonaparte Crossing The Alps”
Submitted on May 22nd 2004 by slainte.
https://thesession.org/tunes/3056

“The Battle Of Waterloo” - march
Submitted on July 1st 2006 by davarm.
https://thesession.org/tunes/5915

“The Battle Of Waterloo” - march
Submitted on March 6th 2011 by Joe CSS.
https://thesession.org/tunes/11103

X:8
T:First Sign of Light
N:Johnny Cronin and Joe Burke
M:4/4
L:1/8
K:G
B,D | E4 EDB,D | GFGB A2 GA | Bdge dBAF | GE (3EEE D2 B,D |
E4 EDB,D | GFGB A2 GA | Bdge dBAF | GEFD E2 B,D |
E4 EDB,D | GFGB A2 GA | Bdge dBAF | GE (3EEE D2 B,D |
E4 EDB,D | GFGB A2 GA | Bdge dBAF | GEFD E2 Bd |
(3efg ed BcBA | GFGB d2 gf | eged BcBA | GE (3EEE DEB,D |
E2 B,D EDB,E | DEGB A2 GA | Bdge dBAF | GE (3FED E2 (3Bcd |
eged BcBA | GFGB d2 gf | eged BcBA | GE (3EEE DEB,D |
E4 EDB,D | GFGB A2 GA | Bdge dBAF | (3GFE FD E2 |

Mike Rafferty calls this tune “The First Light of Day” in the ‘Second Wind’ collection.

This is the name given to this hornpipe in the ‘Trip to Sligo’ book by Bernard Flaherty. I just stumbled across it this evening.

This is a transcription I stumbled across online that was wrongly title “Napoleon Crossing The Rhine”. There was no information given as to who had made it. It was close to one way I’d known and played this with others in the past.

This is how we play the tune at my local session.

Johnny Cronin and Joe Banjo Burke’s version of this is on my Tune Vault site (http://www.capeirish.com/tune_vault/). As previously mentioned by another poster, it’s called “First Sign of Light” on that recording (undoubtedly a name inspired by Cronin’s usual departure time from the Bunratty - God be with the days!)

Setting in A Dorian with chords. The ornaments I added are rolls and triplets.

This is also known as Bonaparte Crossing the Rhine (The Listowel Hornpipe) in
the Miles Klassen edition of O‘Neill’s. It’s incorrectly called “Bonaparte’s Retreat” in the original O’Neill’s. A group called Dan Sullivan’s Shamrock Band recorded it in New York on March 12, 1929 as a Texas-style narrative train trip Irish tune (honestly) called “From Galway to Dublin”. It’s available on a CD of the same name, Rounder Records #1087. James Mullan (The Singing Insurance Man) recorded a song with the same melody, called “Let Mr Maguire Sit Down”, also in New York, January 1932. There are many songs with, and different names for, this melody. I like to follow it with “Harvest Home”, then “The Fairies’ Hornpipe”, then “The Green Mountain Reel”(The Maid Behind the Bar").

That is correct, the Dan Sullivan’s humorous skit was rereleased by Rounder Records in 1993.

You can find it here;
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m-_DoAUmB84

play video

On the subject of kindred hornpipes, check Junior Crehan’s Caisleán an Óir
https://thesession.org/tunes/2170
which is remarkably similar in all but small detail and, of course, atmosphere.

There is a recording of Jr Crehan playing Caisleán an Óir in E.
Dan Sullivan’s Shamrock Band recorded ‘From Galway to Dublin’ in E.

Transcription from:

Nathan Gourley and Laura Feddersen

https://nathanandlaura.bandcamp.com/track/from-galway-to-dublin-the-harp-and-shamrock

Transcribed to E Dor (1 semitone lower than the recording)

A friend just introduced me to this lovely hornpipe. It’s a fun one to play!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G6T7JuTufKA

play video