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Dr. Kielly-O jig

Also known as Doctor Kielly-O, Dr. Keiley-O, Dr. Kelly-O, Laddie Dr. Keilly-O.

There are 4 recordings of this tune.

Dr. Kielly-O has been added to 2 tunebooks.

Download ABC

Two settings

1
X: 1
T: Dr. Kielly-O
R: jig
M: 6/8
L: 1/8
K: Dmaj
ABc|:d2A FGA|B2A ABc|dcd ede|g2d def|
gag fgf|efe d2A|BAG FGA|1 B2A ABc:|2 B2A A3||
K: Amix
|:a3 fef|g2f efg|a2f d2f|ecA A3|
a2a fef|g2f e2A|BAG FGA|1 B2A A3:|2 B2A ABc||
2
X: 2
T: Dr. Kielly-O
R: jig
M: 6/8
L: 1/8
K: Dmaj
|:d3 d2A|~B2A ABc|d3 ede|f2d def|
g3 f3|efe d2A|B2A FGA|1 ~B2A ABc:|2 ~B2A A2^g||
K: Amix
|:a3 f3|gfg efg|a3 f3|efe A2^g|
a3 f3|efe d2A|B2A FGA|1 ~B2A A2^g:|2 B2A ABc||

Seven comments

Dr. Kielly-O

Traditional Newfoundland jig. Nice key change in the B Part.

To end the tune, at the end of the B Part, play “B2A A3” again, rather than “B2A ABc”.

He plays it at speed twice, starting @ 57 s:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9RznR5Z28v8


D’Arcy Broderick plays it nicely on his album “By Request”. His jig-set is also on the album “Fiddle Me This One”.

Historical context: Petty sure it derives from a Dr. Kielly in the 1800’s, who was a musician and had some rhymes using his name.

See: “A History of Newfoundland: From the English, Colonial, and Foreign Records” by Daniel Woodley Prowse (currently free to read on Google books).

Quote: “Oh ! Did you see Dr. Kielly, oh ! With his boots and spurs and styly oh.”

Also see: http://ngb.chebucto.org/Articles/medicine.shtml : "He was somewhat of a musician as I discovered from the following rhyme published when he was at the pinnacle of fame:

Quote: “Oh did you see Dr. Kielly O! His boots all polished so highly, O! With his three cocked hat and his double bow knot, And his fiddle to coax the ladies, O!” It was a desperate fight to keep the hospital going in these times and as money could not be raised to build another institution the Insane were bundled in with the sick."

Re: Dr. Kielly-O

Funny thing is Rufus’s version is substantially different than 4209 -- different enough I’d argue it probably deserved to be listed as a separate tune. Makes me wonder where Rufus got it.

But I don’t have any source for Rufus’s version other than the Kelly Russell Collection, and I don’t want to mess with Kelly’s copyright by posting it here.

Re: Dr. Kielly-O

If it has actually been in Newfoundland since the 1800’s, then that’s plenty of time for it to have a different flavour than its‘ Irish counterpart. Perhaps that’s why Rufus’ setting is different, or, perhaps he made the changes himself.