John Brosnan’s reel

This was requested a while ago. I’ll have to comment later.

John Brosnan is a box-player , I think from either Cork or Kerry. I was told that this is less a composition of his, but more a “re-working” of “The Corner House” in Bm. I first heard it played by John Skelton with “The House Band”. Begley & Cooney recorded it with didgeridoo.

From the online Fiddler’s Companion, “John Brosnan is an accordion player from Kilcummin, between Killarney and Castleisland, County Kerry, who composed the tune in 1974. In addition to playing boxes, Brosnan tunes and repairs them, as well as deals in new instruments.

From Paul DeGrae comes that John Brosnan originally composed this tune in A minor.

Here is how I have it with some variations:
K:Ador
E~A3 EABd|egdB cBAG|E~G3 EGDG|E~G3 dGBG|
E~A3 EABd|egdB cBAG|~e2dB cBAG|1 EAAG ~A3G:|2 ~A3G ~A2 (3Bcd||
|:e~A3 eA (3Bcd|~e2 af gedg|e~A3 eAge|~d2BG DG (3Bcd|
e~A3 eA (3Bcd|~e2 af gedg|~e2 dB cBAG|1 EAAG ~A2 (3Bcd:|2 EAAG ~A3G||

This is linked to from Lunasa’s recording “Redwood”. Wrong tune - that one’s a polka. (sounds familiar, but I can’t think which one it is - just heard it on Pandora, so I can’t replay!)
Most will probably figure that out, but stating the obvious isn’t always a bad idea.

This tune sounds great in A minor.
I head it played by Kathleen Doyle on the uilleann at the SE tionol. Awsome!!!!

“Kathleen” Doyle on the “uilleann”?

Maybe you meant *Kara* Doyle on the uilleann pipes! (Uilleann in this case is an adjective, not a noun.)

Yes Nico you are right. I should not post when I am sleepy.
I don’t know why I thought Kathleen?
I had the best time learning from Kara. I love how she plays this tune. I have a recording of her playing that I am learning from.
I woke-up thinking that I put Kathleen instead of Kara, so I checked this post. I think kathleen Doyle is an actress?
The tired mind is a scarry thing. :(

Sorry Kenny– I have it from Padraig Buckley (a director of the Killarney School of Music), who plays with John Brosnan from time to time) that the proper key for the tune is Am- that is how John B. plays it.
LH’s version of the tune, above, is a bit of a hodge-podge. The final line of the tune in both parts is distinctive and should be:
e~A3 eA (3Bcd|~e2 af gede|~e2de ceBe|FAAG A3||

This phrase appears in the first part as well and is very distinctive. You can hear John play the tune on his lovely CD, “The Cook In The Kitchen.” That’s how he plays it, and how we play it, at any rate.

I stand corrected, David, but it works in both keys. I could only go by the version I first heard - see above. I’m aware of the “Cook In The Kitchen” recording, but have never heard it. Would it still be available somewhere ?

Only direct from John Kenny… He still has some in the a box in a closet… It’s worth chasing up…

David, why not a full transcription in Am added here? ~ as you play it?

Cooley’s reel followed by John Brosnan’s reel makes a heck of a set.

Watch Fermanagh box player Annette Owens play the reel: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1xBdo2uYTaI

play video

She plays a lovely set of hornpipes on one of Hidden Fermanagh CDs.

On The House Band’s 1992 album ‘Stonetown’ they play a nice setting of this reel and call it “Hernon’s” because they learned it from the flute player Marcus Hernon in London. (Thanks to slainte for deducing it as “Brosnan’s”.)

John was about 14 (I think) when he composed this reel. Catch him in Killarney, where he plays most weeks - winter and summer !!

Corker of a reel!

transcribed from John Brosnan’s playing on the “Cook in the kitchen” album

Love it

First tune of the set here : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xj-tsOcFlrE

play video