The Ballinamore reel

This tasty tune comes from the repertoire of the Leeds Ceili Band. Having picked up some phrases, I’ve been itching to learn it for long, but finally I could record some people playing it tonight.

Actually nobody recalls the title of the tune, but I found a different version of it is listed in Richard Moon’s tune database. I personally think this Leeds version is better.

The second part of the tune is almost identical to that of Roscommon, so the two tunes may be related to each other.

Sean McGuire recorded this under a wrong name on one of his many Outlet LPs (which I haven’t got at hand. His version included some great double-stopped chords.

I don’t know if it’s the right or common name for this tune. I just found Richard Moon’s tune database lists it as Ballinamore. But good to know it appears in the recording.

Sean McGuire recorded this twice as `the Gatehouse Maid`

It goes by that title on Altan’s “Blackwater”. Their version is as follows:

|:G2BG E2AG|FDFA dAFA|G2BG FGA=c|1 ~B2AF GEEF:|2 ~B2AF GEgf||
eB~B2 efge|fede f2gf|eB~B2 efge|fedf efgf|
eB~B2 efge|fedf afgf|eB~B2 dBAB|d3e fdAF||

I don’t this tune’s title, so I am not sure it has never been submitted…Be careful:second part is very similar to second part of a reel called Roscommon, but they are not the same!
If you know the title, tell me. I think it’s a Donegal tune, as I learnt it there.

Goes under a couple of names but i know it as the Gatehouse maid from Sean McGuire.I`m sure its not a Donegal tune.

https://thesession.org/tunes/2594

I think that this tune is played on that great album by ronan browne and peter o’loughlin and if my memory is right, as i don’t have the cd with me at this moment, they call it the doonagore. Anyone to concur with me on this one?

Yeah, I posted it. Great tune.

ok i go that completely wrong thus the lack of concurment! on the cd touch me if you dare it is played (this tune) but it is not named the doonagore, thats a completely different one (track 8) They call it the Sword in Hand and it is played after a two part Lord Gordon’s, itslef played after Touch me if you dare. There is nothing about it in the notes by pat mitchell so no info there. Now, that reel (sword in hand) is in here https://thesession.org/tunes/1425 and it is not the same tune as the one played on the cd although it has some vague similarities. Whats the deal?

Deal is, they got the name wrong.

ah so thats what happened. thanks for clearing that up your a legend, who would have thought…

There you go, you don’t have to wonder anymore 🙂

Check out tune ‘gan ainm’ posted by ‘errik’ on 18/01/05
from Altan’s Blue Idol. Maybe the Donegal tune you’ve heard

Probably not. Northern tunes aren’t popular in Leeds, and Altan play a lot of tunes from outside Donegal.

Perhaps I should have said the ‘Tune that ’Leleflute’ learnt / heard in Donegal; as Altan attribute the unnamed reel to the playing of John Doherty on the sleeve notes.This was merely an observation and a pointer to a variation-nothing more .I’m not so sure of the reference to Leeds!!

Some people wrote this may be a Donegal tune, then I replied it can’t be. I think I should have conceded. As I already wrote, this tune is closely related to The Roscommon Reel, or Master Crowley’s: https://thesession.org/tunes/637 It seems the popular tune is often associated with Donegal fiddlers, so this tune called Ballinamore can also have some Donegal connections.

There is another tune with the almost identical second part: https://thesession.org/tunes/884 Another title of the tune suggests it’s Scottish in origin.

The tune with the almost identical first part: https://thesession.org/tunes/4121 It seem from another recording of Altan.

I’m now puzzled….

This is “The Ballinamore Reel” after Ballinamore, Co. Leitrim, although it has also been recorded under different titles by Sean McGuire and the McNamara family of Aghavas, Co. Leitrim. It was published in Ed Reavy’s “Music of Corktown” collection. It’s currency in the north is due to the influence of Sean McGuire, whose setting starts with two chunky double-stopped chords. His title “The Gatehouse Maid” belongs really to a different reel made famous by Paddy Killoran.

john plays it differently i think he adapted the tune HUMOURS OF KESH instead. the version is available on bbc radio2 virtual session. the web address is: www.bbc.co.uk/radio2/r2music/folk/sessions/
hope this is of help to john mccusker fans!

Yes, this tune is misnamed on Peter O’Loughlin and Ronan Browne “Touch Me If You Dare” CD. Their version is similar to Altan’s version transcribed by N.B.

Shown to me by Denis Lanctot, brilliant fiddler, friend and fan of the late, great Sean himself:
X: 1
T: Ballinamore
T: Sean McGuire’s
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
R: reel
K: Edor
|:G2BG E2AG|FDFA dAFA|G2BG EFGA|1 BGAF GEEF:|2 BGAF GE E2||
eB~B2 eBge|fede fgaf|eB~B2 bgaf|gfe^d efgf|
eB~B2 eBge|fede fgaf|eB~B2 =cBFD|d3e fdAF||

It’s called Hickey’s in the Terry Moylan’s “Johnny O’Leary of Sliabh Luachra” book (it’s the #2 one):

http://www.capeirish.com/webabc/working/source.folders/jol/jol_table.html

As heard and played at sessions in Austin, TX.

Also known as Hickey’s