Walter Sammon’s Grandmother reel

I got this from a session in Cambridge, but there it was played in G. I have a feeling it’s usually in D, so that’s how I’ve transcribed it here. The G setting had a 2nd part exactly like “The Primrose Lass”, so someone may have got them mixed up. Not a very common session tune really, but I like it for its simplicity. It’s be nice to hear more of it.

“It’s be nice?” They don’t say it like that in Cambridge 🙂

I’ve heard it played in A, at banjo player Mick O’Connor’s sessions. I think this comes from a set by Four Men and a Dog.

I might go back to playing it in G then, if people commonly mess about with the key. It would sound brighter in G or A.

I believe that this is a version of the tune known as Moneymusk.
Mick Mulcahy recorded this tune after McDermotts reel on a Gael Linn LP.

This tune is on Patrick Street’s eponymous first CD, although it’s called Walter Sammon’s Granny.

Con

T:Walter Sammon’s Grandmother
T:Mary Staunton’s
M:4/4
L:1/8
S:Patrick Street
R:reel
Z:gm
K:Dmaj
FAAB A2dB|AFDE FE~E2|FAAB A2dB|AFEG FDD2:|
FAdA BAdA|FAdA BE~E2|FAdA BAdB|AFEG FDD2|
FAdA BAdA|FAdA BE~E2|dcBA BcdB|AFEG FDD2||
% ABC2Win Version 2.1 09/09/2004

Wondering if Walter Sammon’s Grandmother is also related to Stumpie https://thesession.org/tunes/3526, or whether the likeness around the eyes and cheekbones is purely coincidental.

I enjoy spending time with her, but does anyone know who Walter Sammon is and why his Granny is a nifty reel?

This is how it is played in Manchester:

T:Reel No.1
L:1/8
M:4/4
R:reel
|: FAAF A2dB | AFDE FEE2 | FAAF ABdB | AFEA FDD2 :|
| FAdA BAdA | FAdA BEE2 | FAdA BAdB | AFEA FDD2 |
FAdA BAdA | FAdA BGBc | dcBA BcdB | AFEA FDD2 |]

The tune sounds like it should be in G.

X: 1
T: Mary Staunton’s
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
R: reel
K: Dmaj
|:FAAB A2 dB|AFDE FE E2|FAAF A2 dB|AFEG FD D2|
FAAB A2 dB|AFDE FE E2|FAAF A2 dB|AFEG FD D2||
|:FA A2 BAdA|FAdA BE E2|FA A2 BAdB|AFEG FD D2|
FAdA BAdA|FAdA BE E2|dcBA BcdB|AFEG FD D2||

X:1
T: Walter Sammon’s Grandmother / Mary Staunton’s
M:4/4
L:1/8
R:reel
K:G Maj
Bdde d2ge|d2BG BEED|Bdde dege|dBAc BGGA:|
Bdgd edgd|Bdgd eAAc|Bdgd edgd|edBG AGG2|
Bdgd edgd|Bdgb aAAa|gfed efge|dBAG BGG2||

Note: the ‘dip’ down to EED in the first part is a variation brought about by the shift to G Major.

actually, the version above has little to do with what I do: it seems I got distracted by the other versions. This is more like it:
X:1
T: Walter Sammon’s Grandmother / Mary Staunton’s
M:4/4
L:1/8
R:reel
K:G Maj
Bdde d2ge|d2BG BAAc|Bdde d2ge|dBAc BGGA|
Bdde d2ge|dGBG BAAd|Bdde degG|dBAd BGGA||
Bdgd edgd|Bdgd eAAc|Bdgd edge|~dBAc BGGA|
Bdgd edgd|Bdga baac’|b/a/gf/e/d efge|dBAc BGG2||

Version #7 comes from the duet playing of Donegal fiddlers, Derek McGinley and Tara Connaghan: https://soundcloud.com/farsideoftheglen/jimmy-mcneliss-highland

I think that this melody as a ‘highland’ would be best represented as a separate submission, as a highland…

My transcription of Patrick Street’s version