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The Four Courts reel

Also known as Na Ceithre Cúirteanna.

There are 39 recordings of a tune by this name.

A tune by this name has been recorded together with The Humours Of Tulla (a few times), Michael Kennedy’s (a few times), Tie The Bonnet (a few times) and Toss The Feathers (a few times).

The Four Courts has been added to 16 tune sets.

The Four Courts has been added to 209 tunebooks.

Download ABC

Seven settings

X: 1
T: The Four Courts
R: reel
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
K: Dmaj
AD D2 ADBD | AD D2 G2 FG | AD D2 BG G2 | Bd=cA G2 FG :|
E2 =cE dE=cE | E2 =cA G2 FG | E2 =cE dE=cE | Bd=cA G2 FG |
E2 =cE dE=cE | E2 =cA G2 FG | Ad d2 dcAc | dcAF G2 FG |
A3 d B3 d | ABAF G2 FG | A3 d B3 A | GBdB GBdB |
A3 d B3 d | ABAF G2 FG | Ad d2 dcAc | dcAF G2 FG |
# Added by Kenny .
X: 2
T: The Four Courts
R: reel
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
K: Dmaj
eA ~A2 eAfA | eA ~A2 d2 cd | eA ~A2 ~f2 fe |1 ~df ~f2 df af :|2 df ~f2 d2 cA|
B2 gB aB gB | ~B2 ge d2 cA | ~B2 Bg aBgB | fa ge d2 cA |
~B2 Bg aBgB | B2 ge d2 cd | ea ~a2 ag ea | ag ec d2 cd |
~e3 A ~f3 d | ~e3 c d2 cd | ~e3 A f3 e | d ~f3 dfaf |
~e3 A ~f3 d | ~e3 c d2 cd | ea ~a2 ag ea | ag ec d2 cd |
X: 3
T: The Four Courts
R: reel
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
K: Dmix
AD (3DDD ADBD | AD (3DDD ~G2 FG | AD (3DDD BG ~G2 | BdcA ~G2 FG :|
(3EEE cE dEcE | (3DDD AD BDAD |(3EEE cE dEcE | (3Bcd cA ~G2 FG |
(3EEE cE dEcE | (3DDD AD BDAD|(3EEE cE dEcE| dcAF ~0G2 FG |
~A3 d ~B3 d | ~A3F ~G2 FG | ~A3 d ~B3 A | GBdB GBdB |
~A3 d ~B3 d | ~A3F ~G2 FG | Ad fe dcAc | dcAF ~G2 FG |
X: 4
T: The Four Courts
R: reel
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
K: Amix
|:eA A2 eAfA | eA A2 d2 (3Bcd | eA A2 fd d2 | fage d2 (3Bcd |
eA A2 eAfA | eA A2 d2 (3Bcd | eA A2 fage | fage d2 (3Bcd ||
|:B2 gB aBgB | B2 ge d2 (3Bcd | B2 gB aBgB | fage d2 (3Bcd |
B2 gB aBgB | B2 ge d2 cd | ea a2 ageg | agec d2 (3Bcd ||
|:e3 a f3 a | efec d2 cd | e3 a f3 e | dfaf dfaf |
e3 a f3 a | efec d2 (3Bcd | ea a2 ageg | agec d2 cd ||
# Added by JACKB .
X: 5
T: The Four Courts
R: reel
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
K: Gmix
dG G2 dGeG | dG G2 c2 Bc | dG G2 ec c2 | eg=fd c2 Bc :|
A2 =fA gA=fA | A2 =fd c2 Bc | A2 =fA gA=fA | eg=fd c2 Bc |
A2 =fA gA=fA | A2 =fd c2 Bc | dg g2 gfdf | gfdB c2 Bc |
d3 g e3 g | dedB c2 Bc | d3 g e3 d | cege cege |
d3 g e3 g | dedB c2 Bc | dg g2 gfdf | gfdB c2 Bc |
# Added by JACKB .
X: 6
T: The Four Courts
R: reel
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
K: Dmaj
|:AD D2 ADBD | AD D2 G2 (3EFG | AD D2 BG G2 | BdcA G2 (3EFG |
AD D2 ADBD | AD D2 G2 (3EFG | AD D2 BdcA | BdcA G2 (3EFG ||
|:E2 =cE dE=cE | E2 =cA G2 (3EFG | E2 =cE dE=cE | BdcA G2 (3EFG |
E2 =cE dE=cE | E2 =cA G2 FG | Ad d2 dcAc | dcAF G2 (3EFG ||
|:A3 d B3 d | ABAF G2 FG | A3 d B3 A | GBdB GBdB |
A3 d B3 d | ABAF G2 (3EFG | Ad d2 dcAc | dcAF G2 FG ||
# Added by JACKB .
X: 7
T: The Four Courts
R: reel
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
K: Amix
||eA ~A2 eAfA | eA A2 d2 cd | eA ~A2 fd ~d2 | fage d2 af |
eA A2 eAfA | eA A2 d2 cd | eA A2 fd d2 | fage d2 dc ||
||B2 gB aBgB | B2 ge d2 cd | B2 gB aBgB | fage d2-d2 |
B2 gB aBgB | B2 ge d2 fg | a2-af ge ~e2 | fage d2 cd ||
||e3 e f3 f | efec d2 cd | e3 e fd ~d2 | fage d2 af |
e3 e f3 f | efec d2 fg | a2 af ge ~e2 | fage d2 cd ||

Ten comments

The Four Courts

Requested by grymater. "De Danann" used to follow it with "Paddy Taylor’s" aka "McCabe’s". A great reel.

Posted by .

The Four Courts

It seems related to "Within a Mile of Dublin," "Drowsy Maggie," and of course "Sleepy Maggie."

The Four Courts

The A part is very like a reel played by The Boys of the Lough; they called it "The Wild Irishman". It’s also called "O’Rourke’s". The B and C parts are a significant departure. "The Four Courts" can be found in The Northern Fiddler.

Closely Related Tune

Tinkerman’s Wife: https://thesession.org/tunes/4944

Sorry, I haven’t learned them yet. But "The Four Courts" is a rather well-known pipe tune, so I think I’m going to learn this first.

Toss the Feathers

Christy Dunne calls this tune Toss the Feathers on his pluckin’ good album but it is clearly a mistake so I will not make it an alternative title.

Transcription from Lunasa version on Kinnitty sessions (The Walrus)

X: 1
T: Four Courts, The
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
R: reel
K: Dmaj
eA ~A2 eAfA | eA ~A2 d2 cd | eA ~A2 ~f2 fe |1 ~df ~f2 df af :|2 df ~f2 d2 cA|
B2 gB aB gB | ~B2 ge d2 cA | ~B2 Bg aBgB | fa ge d2 cA |
~B2 Bg aBgB | B2 ge d2 cd | ea ~a2 ag ea | ag ec d2 cd |
~e3 A ~f3 d | ~e3 c d2 cd | ~e3 A f3 e | d ~f3 dfaf |
~e3 A ~f3 d | ~e3 c d2 cd | ea ~a2 ag ea | ag ec d2 cd |

four courts ree

the best version of this reel is on christy dunnes cd called plucking good he has it listed as toss the feathers great tune

The Four Courts, X:7

The Kilfenora Ceili Band version (from the video above). They play the 3rd part as an intro, which gives a great lift after the preceding Em tune.