Handsome Sally reel

Also known as Molly On The Shore.

There are 10 recordings of this tune.

Handsome Sally appears in 1 other tune collection.

Handsome Sally has been added to 5 tune sets.

Handsome Sally has been added to 61 tunebooks.

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Five settings

1
X: 1
T: Handsome Sally
R: reel
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
K: Edor
E2 BE GEBE|E2 BE AFDF|E2 B,E GBdB|AFDE FEED|
E2 BE GEBE|E2 BE AFDF|E2 B,E GBdB|AFDE FE E2|
fedB A3 f|fedB AF D2|e2 ef gefe|dBAG FD D2|
fedB A3 f|fedB AF D2|e2 ef gefe|dBAG FEDF|
# Added by Kenny .
2
X: 2
T: Handsome Sally
R: reel
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
K: Edor
E2BE GEBE|E2BE FAAF|E2BE GEBE|1 BdAG FDDF:|2 BdAG FDDe||
fedc d3e|fede fgag|fedc d3A|1 BdAG FDDe:|2 BdAG FDDF||
3
X: 3
T: Handsome Sally
R: reel
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
K: Edor
|:E2BE GEBE|E2BE AFDF|~E3F ~G3B|1 AFDE FEED:|2 AFDE FEE2||
|:fedB ~A3e|fedB AFD2|edef ~g3e|1 dBAF FEDe:|2 dBAF FEDF||
4
X: 4
T: Handsome Sally
R: reel
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
K: Edor
|:~E2BE ~E2BE|~E2BE AFDF|~E2BE GBdB|AFDE FE{G}ED:|
|:fedB A4|fedB AFD2|e3f gfec|dBAG FDD2:|
5
X: 5
T: Handsome Sally
R: reel
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
K: Edor
|:E2BE EDBE|EDBF AFDF|E2BE GBdB|1 AFDE FEED:|2 AFDE FEE2||
|:fedB ~a3e|fedA AFDB|~e3f gfef|1 dA AG FDD2:|2 dBAG FEDF||

Sixteen comments

Handsome Sally

Played by Noel Hill & Tony Linnane - Glasgow Folk Festival 1984.
I’ve only ever heard this reel played after “John ”Watt“ Henry’s” , which I posted the other day. It’s a close relation to “Drowsy Maggie”. Recorded by Matt Molloy on his “Stony Steps” LP.

Posted by .

Handsome Sally

This tune appears as an unusual setting of “The Man of the House” on Catherine and John McEvoy’s “The Kilmore Fancy.”

Handsome Sally

Here’s the transcription of the tune mostly based on Pat McManus’s tasteful fiddle playing:

K: Edor
E2BE GEBE|E2BE FAAF|E2BE GEBE|1 BdAG FDDF:|2 BdAG FDDe||
fedc d3e|fede fgag|fedc d3A|1 BdAG FDDe:|2 BdAG FDDF||

I prefer this haunting Fermanagh setting. Or is this a Fermanagh tune? Anyway, this is one of my current favourite tunes. It goes nicely with Mrs. McLeod.

practically is drowsie maggie!!!

Just had a workshop today with John Carty, and he gave us this tune (note it’s on one of the At The Racket cds). He said that he got it from the McDonagh brothers from Sligo, and that there’s a CCE cd of them, so now I’ve got to go looking for that!

McDonaghs

Zina - The McDonaghs CD was brought out by Comhaltas a few years back, Catalogue No.CL53, and is of re-mastered recordings made in the 1960s. The only reason I haven’t posted it in the recordings is laziness. There are 37 tracks in all, with most of them being tunes played on their own rather than sets. The sleeve notes contend that these recordings of the brothers give a glimpse of what Sligo music was like before the enormous influence of Coleman and Morrison, etc, and their recordings. I’ll try to post it in the next week . If you do get hold of it, I’d be interested to hear what you think.

Posted by .

Gort Tape

Another enigmatic tune that shows up on the now famous Gort Tape.

The third setting is mostly based on Catherine and John McEvoy’s version. A friend of mine, who spent 5 years in Dublin, occasionally plays almost the same version of the tune.

This tune appears to be very closely related to the reel The New Potatoes appearing in O’Neill (ON1850 #1505).

Posted by .

Handsome Sally, X:4

This setting appears - under Drowsy Maggie - in the Traditional Tune Archive, where it is denoted as a “County Clare setting”. Which may add some controversy as to the origin of the tune…

Slainte, don’t know if it’s a Fermanagh tune as such, but it is in the Gunn ms 1865, and that is where Pat McManus’ version is from.
Kenny, the McDonagh’s CD is one of my all-time favourites! Let me know if you’re too busy and I’ll put it on the site myself

Re: Handsome Sally

Gerry Harrington taught this tune in a class in Drumshanbo as ‘The Sligo version of Drowsy Maggie’ - presumably learned with that name from Peter Horan.

Re: Molly on the Shore

In 1990 Matt Molloy appeared on The Pure Drop and referred to this tune as “Molly on the Shore.”

Re: Handsome Sally

And yet he recorded it on “Stony Steps” as “Handsome Sally”. Second tune on final track. Heresy it may be, but I would suggest Matt Molloy made a mistake with his introduction on the programme you watched, PB.

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Handsome Sally, X:5

First turn of Matt Molloy’s version on “Stony Steps”, played in the set after “Johnny ‘Watt’ Henri’s Favourite”