The Bank Of Ireland reel

John, do you play this one as a single reel, or a common reel? This is a favorite tune – I don’t really know why.

Zina

Greetings,

I’m afraid I’m a bit thick on these terms. What is the difference between a single reel and a common reel?

John Harvey
Rhodeirish.net

This is often played as a single reel (without the repeats) but I prefer it played double, particularly after hearing the superb version of the tune played by the late great Clare fiddler, Bobby Casey. Bobby follows it with The Woman of the House which makes for a great pair of reels.

Don’t know if this is the recording you heard, Bannerman, but on “Paddy in the Smoke”, Bobby Casey plays “Bank of Ireland” followed by “The Woman of the House” followed by “Morning Dew” (one of my favorite tunes). It is a fabulous set - the whole album is a fabulous. Definitely one to learn.

Try playing this tune after Spike Island Lasses and keeping them straight. NOt easy.

Good tune though,

Does anyone know what the origin of the name Bank of Ireland comes from? Is it the bank as in money or is it the bank of a stream?

I think it’s a bank as in money, but I’m not certain.

Given the fine Bank of Ireland building on College Green, Dublin, (many here will know it) that used to be the Irish Parliament until that voted itself out of existence, I think it’s a safe bet that that is what the tune is named after.

Banks rule anyhow!

As Jackie Daly has been saying for a few years now, The Bank of Ireland doesn’t have as many notes as it used to.

Nice to play C#s as in O’Neils

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OoJE_5K_z4M

play video

Etterem - Catching the Big Fish

(fusion warning - do not proceed if you have an allergy to modern arrnagements of traditional tunes)

Only one setting?? #2 is from the flute playing of Paddy Carty.

This was transcribed from a fiddle manuscript written by Francis Reynolds of Gaigue, Ballinamuck. Co. Longford c.1885. He entitles it “Follow me down to Carlow”.

I just listened to every tune on Spotify called “Follow Me Down To Carlow” and none of them were this tune. So maybe that was a mistake on old Francis’s part?

Another setting of a tune from the album Celtic Dance.This track is again played by Peter Miln and Daniel James. This is my transcription.

Setting in D Mixolydian (second part in D Major) with no ornamentation and with chords.

Are you sure about the F major chord in bar 4 with an F# in the melody?

heard this lovely tune played by Kevin Burke 198.. on the radio and recorded it at once on my cassette recorder. For the younger ones: we already had electricity then 🙂

Another slight variation.