The Road To Glountane reel

‘Day all! Well, I submitted a tune about a week ago now (An tSean Bhean Bhocht), maybe a bit longer, and it didn’t quite work out. I was a bit sloppy with the ABC and ended up making a few mistakes, but I’ve ran through this one extensively to make sure it’s just right. I got the tune from a recording by Matt Molloy on The Chieftains’ "The Celtic Harp" (which, incidentally, I recently submitted in the Recordings section), where it was paired with an air, "The Parting of Friends". I have rendered the tune as closely as I could to Molloy and Moloney’s arrangement of it. I like it quite a bit; I hope you will as well.

Well done, Tommy.
My transcription of the same recording of the tune is a little bit different:
E2EF A2AB|ceec BAF2|f2 ec ABBA|ecBA FAAF|
E2EF ~A3B|ceec BAF2|f2 ec ABBA|1 ecBc A2AF:|2 ecBc A4||
|:e2ef a2 af|ecBA FAA2|cBAB cBBA|ceBA faaf|
e2ef ~a3f|ecBA FAA2|cBAB cBBA|1 ceBc A4:|2 ceBc A2AF||

—-Michael B.

K:A
|:AF|E2 EF A2 AB|c>ee>c B>A F2|(3fgf e>c A>Bc>A|e>cB>A F>AA>F|
E3 F A3 B|c2 e>c B>A A2|(3fgf e>c A>Bc>A|e>cB>c A2:|
|:(3agf |e2 e>f a2 a>f|e>cB>A F>AA>B|c>BB>A c>BB>A|c>eB>A F2 a>f|
1 e>ce>f a3 f|e>cB>A F>AA>B|c>BB>A c>BB>A|e>c (3BcB A2:|
2 E3 F A3 B|c2 e>c B>c A2|f2 e>c A>Bc>A|e>cB>c A2||

another slight variation…

From an old recording of Terry Teahan, very similar to Gian’s notation except definitely a Fling with that skip rhythm, and it is played as 16 bars in length. However, he starts it in the usual ‘dance’ fasion with one extra A part, 8 bars to give the dancers the beat, what some folks call ‘for nought’ - only once for that introduction. He then continues to play it as a standard 16 bar Fling, AABB (each part being 4 bars in length):

|:E2 E>F A2 A>B|c>ee>c B>A F2|1 (3faf e>c A>Bc>d|e>cB>A F>AA>F:|
|2 a>fe>c A>Bc>d|ec (3BcB A2 A>F|
|:e3 f a2 a>f|e>cB>A F>A A2|c>BA>B c>BB>A|1 (3cec B>A F>A A2:|
|2 c>eB>c A2 A>F||

Part 2, the 1st and 2nd endings which should have begun one bar earlier, or -

1 c>eB>A F2 a>f| e>ce>f a3 f|e>cB>A F>AA>B|c>BB>A c>BB>A|e>c (3BcB A2:|
2 c>eB>A F2 A>F| E3 F A3 B|c2 e>c B>c A2|f2 e>c A>Bc>A|e>cB>c A2||

Daft sneeze head - 16 bar, not 32 bar, it’s a fling, fling, fling…

Yeah, I know, get the ether, he’s talkin’ to himself again…

K: A Major
A>F |
E2 E>F A2 A>B | c>ee>c B>A F2 | (3faf e>c A>Bc>A | e>cB>A F>AA>F |
E3 F A3 B | c2 e>c B>A A2 | (3faf e>c A>Bc>A | e>cB>c A2 ||
|: (3agf |
e2 e>f a2 a>f | e>cB>A F>AA>B | c>BB>A c>BB>A | c>eB>A F2 A>F |
E3 F A3 B | c2 e>c B>c A2 | f2 e>c A>Bc>A | e>cB>c A2 ||

K: G Major
(3GFE |
D2 D>E (3GGG G>A | B<dd>B A>G E2 | (3ege d>B G2 (3BAG | d>BA>G (3EGE G>E |
D3 E G3 A | (3BcB (3dcB A>G E2 | e2 d>B G>AB>G | d>B (3ABA G2- ||
G>e |
d>Bd>e g2 (3gfe | d2 B>G E2 G>A | (3BcB A>G B2 A>G | B>d (3BAG E>GG>E |
D3 E G>FG>A | (3BcB (3dcB A>G E2 | e2 d>B G>AB>G | d>B (3ABA G2 ||

This tune appears on "Skin and Bow" by Declan Folan and Junior Davey. The other tune in the set entitled "Molloy’s Favourites" is Terry Teehan’s other fling https://thesession.org/tunes/444.

I think this tune works better as a 32-bar barndance than a 16-bar fling.

If one were to play this in a set, what would go good with it?

Yeah, those held notes give it a very barndance / schottische feel to it, especially the opening bars, basically ~

| N2 N>N N2 N>N | ~ for example:

A-part ~ | E2 E>F A2 A>B | ~ & ~ B-part ~ | e2 e>f a2 a>f |

This tune is played on the BBC Virtual Session. It’s listed as "Slow Barn Dance" and is played at a very moderate tempo.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio2/r2music/folk/sessions/

‘twould be nice if the Details page listed the key as A major rather than D major.

This is in 2 sharps …. Honest.
The first two bars remind me of Flowers of Edinburgh
|A2AB d2de|fdfa gfed|

T:Cuz Tehans
M:4/4
L:1/8
K:D
dB|:A2AB d2de|faaf edB2|b2 af defb|afed BddB|
A2AB d2de|!faaf edB2|b2 af defb|afef d2:|
|:afab d’2 d’b|afed Bdde|feed feed|!fded Bddb|
afab d’2 d’b|afed Bdde|feed feed|faef d4:|

The tale went, he worked on the railway in Chicago and Irishmen were told to apply for a job and say they were his cousin.
So many cousins got jobs that he was know as Cuz.

As far as dance, and my opinion, this works best for flings rather than as a barndance, but it can work there too. The melodic structure, like the differences between single and double reels, speaks to that as well.

csharpd ~ the transcription given here, the first one, is in A. Any crossing you would do picking up the G would be a G#… Here’s a good example of doing just that, the lead-in given to start instead of in the last bar and the first 4 bars of the A-part. G natural would not work ~

X: 1
T: The Road To Glountane Highland Fling
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
R: highland fling
K: Amaj
|: (3AGF |\
E2 E>F A>GA>B | c<ee>c B>A F2 | (3faf ec A>G (3ABc | ecBA FGAF | ~

Why not change the listed key sig to A major?

It would make it easier for people who don’t know the name of it to find it.

Just a thought.

X: 1
T: Kerry Fling
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
R: reel
K: Dmaj
|:E3F A3B|ceec BcAe|f2 ec ABcA|ecBA FAAF|
E3F A3B|ceec BcAe|f2 ec ABcA|1 ecBc A2AF:|2 ecBc A4||
|:ecef a2 af|ecBA FAAB|cBBA cBBA|ceBA FAAf|
ecef a2 af|ecBA FAAB|cBBA cBBA|1 ceBc A4:|2 ceBc A2AF||

X: 3
T: Road To Glauntane, The
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
R: barndance
K: AMaj
|: A>F |\
E2 E>F A2 A>B | c>ee>c B>A F2 | (3fgf e>c A>Bc>A | e>cB>A F>AA>F |
E2- E>F A2- A>B | c2 e>c B>A A2 | (3fgf e>c A>Bc>A | e>cB>c A2 :|
|: (3agf |\
e2 e>f a2 a>f | e>cB>A F>AA>B | c>BB>A c>BB>A |
[1 c>eB>A F2 a>f | e>ce>f a2- a>f | e>cB>A F>AA>B | c>BB>A c>BB>A | e>c (3BcB A2 :|
[2 c>eB>A F2 A>F | E2- E>F A2- A>B | c2 e>c B>c A2 | f2 e>c A>Bc>A | e>cB>c A2 |]

X: 4
T: Road To Glauntane, The
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
R: highland fling
K: AMaj
A>F |\
E2 E>F A2 A>B | c<ee>c B>A F2 | (3faf e>c A>Bc>A | e>cB>A F<AA>F |
E2- E>F A2- A>B | c2 e>c B>A A2 | (3faf e>c A>Bc>A | e<cB>c A2 ||
a>f |\
e2 e>f a2 a>f | e>cB>A F<AA>B | c>BB>A c>BB>A | c<eB>A F<A (3AGF |
E2- E>F A2- A>B | c2 e>c B<A F2 | f2 e>c A>Bc>A | e<cB>c A2 |]

Sounding Majorish, but with a raised 4th, so the two keys this tune is more commonly played in -

A - but not Major, Lydian - A / B / C# / *D# / E / F# / G# / A
G - but not Major, Lydian - G / A / B / C# / D / E / F# / G

X: 11
T: Road To Glauntane, The
T: Terry ‘Cuz’ Teahan’s
S: Johnny Connolly
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
R: Barndance
K: A Lydian
|: E>DE>F A>GA>B | c>ee>c B>AF>A | a>fe>c A>Bc>A | e>cB>A F>GA>F |
E>DE>F A>GA>B | c>ee>c B>AF>A | a>fe>c A>Bc>A |[1 e>cB>c A>BA>F :|[2 e>cB>c A2 f>c ||
|: e>de>f a2 a>f | e>cB>A F>AA>B | c>BB>A c>BB>A | c>B (3cBA F>AA>f |
e>de>f a>ef>a | e>cB>A F>AA>B | c>BB>A c>BB>A |[1 c>eB>A A2- A>f :|[2 c>eB>c A>GA>F |]

X: 12
T: Road To Glauntane, The
T: Terry ‘Cuz’ Teahan’s
S: Johnny Connolly
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
R: Barndance
K: G Lydian
|: D>CD>E G>FG>A | B>dd>B A>GE>G | g>ed>B G>AB>G | d>BA>G E>FG>E |
D>CD>E G>FG>A | B>dd>B A>GE>G | g>ed>B G>AB>G |[1 d>BA>B G>AG>E :|[2 d>BA>B G2 e>B ||
|: d>cd>e g2 g>e | d>BA>G E>GG>A | B>AA>G B>AA>G | B>A (3BAG E>GG>e |
d>cd>e g>de>g | d>BA>G E>GG>A | B>AA>G B>AA>G |[1 B>dA>G G2- G>e :|[2 B>dA>B G>FG>E |]


Having a longer 2nd ending for the B-part, the last 4-bars of the A-part, wouldn’t be unusual for a tune like this ~

K: A Lydian
[2 E>DE>F A>GA>B | c>ee>c B>AF>A | a>fe>c A>Bc>A | e>cB>c A4 |]

K: G Lydian
[2 D>CD>E G>FG>A | B>dd>B A>GE>G | g>ed>B G>AB>G | d>BA>B G4 |]

But - I still think it makes a better fling than a barndance, or as some people take it, flat and quicker, as a double reel… :-P

Terry Teahan, except for starting it as for a dance, repeating the A four times, plays it as a fling afterwards, each part being 4 bars, AABB, 16 bars in total…

I also love and tend to play this with ‘snaps’ (<)…

R: highland fling
K: G Lydian
|: (3GFE |\
D2 D>E G2 G>A | B<dd>B A<GE>G | g>ed>B G>AB>G |[1 d<BA>G E>G :|[2 d<BA>B G2 || ~ etc…

http://www.irishtune.info/tune/2576/
http://www.ibiblio.org/fiddlers/ROA_ROB.htm#ROAD_TO_GLOUNTANE

"Terry Teahan & Gene Kelly: Old Time Irish Music In America"
https://thesession.org/recordings/display/3058
Track 25 of 26: “The Road to Glauntane” – as a fling, played, 4 bars per part, a 16 bar fling, the usual –
AAAABB/AABB/AABB…

This is an important classic, but sadly this album has long been unavailable and it doesn’t look like anyone has any intention of re-releasing it. However, there is an MP3 compression of it you can download here. Here’s hoping that one day someone might release something better. We do have it on vinyl, but not here.

Available to download courtesy of Ceol Állain:
http://ceolalainn.blogspot.com/2010/03/terry-teahan-gene-kelly-old-time-irish.html

with John Dunson
tune transcriptions and copying by Ann & Chuck Heyman
production coordination by Justin O’Brien
Published in Chicago, Illinois - 1980 - 91 pages
tunes, tales, photos and poetry…

Sadly this seems to be long out of print. Over time I’ve tried to secure other copies of it for friends, to give as a gift, but haven’t seen an available copy in years.

Page 71: "The Road to Glountane" - highland

X: 1
T: Road To Glauntane, The
C: Terence "Cuz" Teahan - 1964
S: Terence "Cuz" Teahan
B: "The Road to Glountane", page 71
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
R: highland fling
K: AMaj
F |\
E2 E>F A2 A>B | c>ee>c B>A F2 | f2 e>c A>Bc>d | e>cB>A F<AA>F |
E2 E>F A2 A>B | c>ee>c B>A F2 | f2 e>c A>Bc>d | e<cB>c A2 A2 ||
e2 e>f a2 a>f | e>cB>A F>A A2 | c2 A>B c>BB>A | c2 B>A F>A A2 |
e2 e>f a2 a>f | e>cB>A F>A A2 | c2 A>B c>BB>A | c>eB>c A2 A |]

& that in a reduced form:

K: AMaj
|: A>F |\
E2 E>F A2 A>B | c>ee>c B>A F2 |
f2 e>c A>Bc>d | e>cB>A F<A :|
|: A2 |\
e2 e>f a2 a>f | e>cB>A F>A A2 |
c2 A>B c>BB>A |[1 c2 B>A F>A :|[2 c>eB>c A2 A |]


From this lovely book, page 71, in Terry "Cuz" Teahan’s own words:

This is the title of the book and it is written in 1964. This was a year I did go to Ireland. Of all the tunes in my book I like this one the best of any one of them. It is a different set up and my son-in-law, Mike Heneghan, is forever whistling it.

The road to Glountane is the road from Castleisland straight out through Cordal and Glountane and in through Knocknabowl and Ballydesmond. It continues through Kiskeam, where O’Keeffe’s mother is from, and into County Cork. It is really not a main highway. (this is an understatement, the route is beautiful. - ‘c’)

It is the road I would take to get home from Castleisland. O’Keeffe lived right on the side of the road and I lived off the road. He lived at the crossroads where the two of them went towards Cork and one of thme went to Scartaglen and the other one went back to Castleisland.

O’Keeffe’s house is as good today as the day it was built. The picture of a decrepit house that is used in articles by Alan Ward is the abandoned home of Thomas Murphy. Thomas Murphy was locally known as "The Kaiser". Padraig O’Keeffe’s dwelling is two stories and in perfect condition. There is a man paid to keep fire in it two or three times in the summer and all through the winter by his brother Michael in Chicago.

* Me again, ‘c’ here, wondering if the house is still standing or if it is now occupied?

Having fun with flings today I was winking in and out of Lydian and occassionally taking the d as natural, as in the A-part of this, and it works just fine that way, but I still favour raisng the Ds up to D#… Here follows some other ways with this one, including the d natural. You can easily avoid any G#s and D#s, but you can also dip our toes into those places if you choose, as shown also in the following ABC transcription.

X: 21
T: The Road to Glountane
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
R: highland fling
K: ALydian
|: E2 E>F A2- A>B | c<ee>c B>A F2 |
(3faf e>c A>Bc>=d |[1 e>cB>A F>AA>F :|[2 e>c (3BcB A2- A>f ||
|: e2 e>f a2 a>f | e>cB>A F<A A2 |
c>BB>A c2 B>A |[1 c>AB>A F>AA>f :|[2 c>eB>c A2 A2 |]

X: 22
T: The Road to Glountane
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
R: highland fling
K: ALydian
|: E>DE>F A>GA>B | c2 e>c B>A (3FGA |
f2 e>c A2 (3Bcd |[1 e>cB>A F2 (3AGF :|[2 e>cB<G A2- A>f ||
e>de>f a2 (3agf | e>cB>A F2 A>B |
c2 B>A c2 A>B | (3cBA B>A (3FAF E>f |
e2- e>f a2- a>f | e2 (3cBA F<AA>B |
(3cec B>A c>AB>A | (3cec B>c A>GA>F |]

I’ve just come across a clip of a friend of mine and her dad play this tune: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0eCBeKk_gl0

play video

I didn’t know her dad also play this music!

You need to teach them the dance Hiro… ;-)

Isn’t this in A major?

Chiming in on the "key" debate for this tune. The main melody is a pentatonic scale, so only 5 distinct notes, that never touch on D or G - so from a music theory perspective, it’s ambiguous. That being said, the comments above are right - it’s most closely tied to A Major (I disagree with the folks saying that it’s Lydian, with a D# - I think if you add that in, it sounds terrible). If you were to harmonize the opening melody with a D chord, it wouldn’t sound great, and it definitely ends on an A chord.