Farewell To Leitrim reel

This tune is popular with Donegal musicians, and no doubt Leitrim ones as well. It has been recorded by Altan and Dervish, and was/is played by the likes of John Doherty and Danny Meehan.

aka Lawson’s

X: 1
T: Farewell To Leitrim
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
S: Altan: Blackwater
R: reel
K: Dmix
d2AG FADF|Ec~c2 Ec~c2|dBcA BGAG|F2EF DEFA|
d2AG FADF|(3EFG AB c2Bc|dBcA BGAF|GFEG FDDe||
fd~d2 fdad|fd~d2 ^cdeg|fd~d2 fdad|^cdeg fdde|
fd~d2 adfd|ec~c2 gceg|afge fded|^ceaf g2fe||

Altan no doubt were drawn to the tune because it was recorded in New York in the 1930s by Donegal fiddler Hughie Gillespie. “Farewell to Leitrim” was Gillespie’s title, but it is “Lawson’s Favorite” in the O‘Neill collection. It is also a setting in a different key of the tune O’Neill had as “Maude Miller,” though that is a different tune than the one known as “Maude Miller” these days (the one recorded by James Morrison under that name).

Here is Johnny Henry’s version, who was a blind fiddler from Sligo, I believe (from Our Musical Heritage). This tune is titled Up Against the Buachallans. A bit different from the posted version. I hope it looks okay. I had to guess it’s a single reel, as it was played single from the B part, but half, one-and-a-half, and double for the A part.

X: 1
T: Farewell To Leitrim
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
R: reel
K: Dmix
|: d2 AG FGDG | Ec ~c2 Ec ~c2 | dBcA B/c/d AG | FGEF DAfe |
d2 AG FGDG | Ec ~c2 Ec ~c2 | dBcA (3Bcd AG | FGEG FD D2 ||
fd d/d/d fdgd | fd d/d/d ^cdeg | fd d/d/d fdgd | efge fdde |
fd d/d/d fdgd | ed^cd efge | afge fgef | abag fgfe |]

Submitted on December 24th 2011 by gam.
https://thesession.org/tunes/11658

X: 4
T: Kennaw’s
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
R: reel
K: Dmix
fe |:\
d2 AG FDDF | Eccc Eccc | (3dcB (3cBA BcAG | (3FGA EF Dgfe |
d2 AG FDDF | (3EFG AB c2 Bc | (3dcB (3cBA BcAG |[1 (3FGA EG FD D2 :|[2 (3FGA EG FDDg ||
fddd fdad | fddd (3Bcd eg|fddd fdag|faeg fdde|
fddd addd | eccc gccc | (3agf (3gfe fged | ^ceaf g2 |]

Kennaw’s reel - Taken from Paddy Cronin’s recording ‘Kerry’s Own’. The second part is not repeated, probably because of the unusual ending, which tends to lead back to the beginning. Paddy Cronin’s version is in C, but it sounds as though he has tuned his fiddle down a tone. Still a cracking tune.

# Posted on December 24th & 25th 2011 by gam

Oops! ~ I forgot to edit the link so it wouldn’t remain ‘live’… 😏

A coupla pretty tricky C natural rolls there!
Good flute or tin whistle practice!

… cheater’s option:
d2AG FADF | E2cE dEcE | dBcA

Name “Up Against The Buachalláns” from John Henry’s recording on “Our Musical Heritage”, https://thesession.org/recordings/3595