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An Siocán Sneachta jig

By Joe Carey

Also known as An Siochán Sneachta, The Fieldfare, Siocán Sneachta, Snowy Drifts.

There are 6 recordings of this tune.

An Siocán Sneachta has been added to 14 tune sets.

An Siocán Sneachta has been added to 38 tunebooks.

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Three settings

1
X: 1
T: An Siocán Sneachta
R: jig
M: 6/8
L: 1/8
K: Edor
B,CD E3|FEE FEE|B,CD EFG|FEE E2F|
GBG FAF|EFE DB,A,|B,2E EDE|1 FEE E2D:|2 FEE E3||
|:efe dBA|BdB AFD|efe dBA|Bcd e2f|
gee fed|edB AFd|DFA dAF|1 FEE E3:|2 FEE E2=c||
|:BGG AFF|GAG FED|BGG AFF|GAF E2=c|
BGG AFF|GAG FED|B,2E EDE|1 FEE E2=c:|2 FEE E2D||
2
X: 2
T: An Siocán Sneachta
R: jig
M: 6/8
L: 1/8
K: Edor
B,CD ~E3|FEE FEE|B,CD ~E3|FED ~E2F|
GEE FDD|EFE DB,A,|B,2E EAG|FED EGD|
B,CD ~E3|FEE FEE|B,CD EAG|FED ~E2F|
~G2A ~F2D|EFE DB,A,|B,2E EAG|FED E3||
e2f dBA|B/c/dB AFD|Eee dBA|Bcd ~e3|
gee fdd|edB AGA|DFA dAF|FED E3|
e3 dBA|B/c/dB AFD|Eee dBA|Bcd e2e|
gee fdd|edB AGA|DFA dAF|FED EGA||
BGG AFF|GFE FDD|~B2d AGF|GAF E2A|
BGG AFF|GAG FED|B,2E EAG|FED EGA|
BGG AFF|GEE FDD|BGG AFF|GAF EFA|
~B2d ~A2F|GAG FED|B,2E EAG|FED E3||
3
X: 3
T: An Siocán Sneachta
R: jig
M: 6/8
L: 1/8
K: Edor
|:B,CD ~E3|FEE FEE|B,CD ~E3|FED E2F|
~G3 ~F3|~E3 DB,A,|B,2E EDE|1 FED E2A,:|2 FED E2e||
|:eBe dBA|~B3 AGF|E2e dBA|Bcd e2f|
~g3 ~f3|edB BAF|DFA dAB|1 FED E2e:|2 FEE EGA||
|:~B3 ABA|GBG FED|~B3 ABA|GED EGA|
~B3 ABA|GBG FED|B,EE EDE|1 FED EGA:|2 FED E2A,||

Eleven comments

Gan Ainm

Transcription is a composite of two YouTube videos. The Internet has been looking for the name of this jig for a couple of years now. Maybe a new composition with hints of Winnie Hayes’ Jig and The Old Grey Goose? Style-wise, I’m also reminded of Doorus Mill. I’d be willing to bet it’s a Jackie Daly composition that’s been picked up by other box players.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ny0wqN98Af4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wX1BTQtgwIY

Re: Gan Ainm

I think I know this as Anthony Fawley’s Jig

Re: Gan Ainm

The last one in Siobhan Peoples’ set in the video is Anthony Frawley’s, but this first one is something else.

Re: Gan Ainm

Gorgeous video!!

Posted by .

Re: An Siocán Sneachta

This tune was written by accordionist Joe Carey from Geesala, Co. Mayo. He wrote it one cold January some years ago, the title referring to the fieldfare bird common to Mayo in the winter.

https://www.birdwatchireland.ie/IrelandsBirds/Thrushes/Fieldfare/tabid/1139/Default.aspx

Siocán / shuck-awn / instead of the dictionary form “sacán” is the West of Ireland name for the bird. For details see under fieldfare here:

http://gofree.indigo.ie/~cocaomh/English-Irish%20Dictionary.htm

Re: An Siocán Sneachta

Thanks for the name. My apologies to the composer. I see it’s on SoundCloud here https://soundcloud.com/liamo13/an-siocan-sneachta so I transcribed it as X:2. This tune is now popular as far away as Australia and it deserves more recordings and session airtime under its proper name. The Fieldfare is a beautiful bird and somehow suits the tune.

play

Re: An Siocán Sneachta

Thanks to LiamMacC for the pronunciation of Siocán, do you have any hints on pronunciation of Sneachta? From a tiny knowledge of Scottish Gaelic (mainly from placenames) I believe it may mean ‘snowy’ or ‘in the snow’, or at any rate having something to do with snow; I’ve a fair idea of how to pronounce its equivalent in Scottish Gaelic, but Irish gaelic is no doubt a bit different!