Paddy Kelly’s reel

This is by no means the definitive version of this great Galway reel. It appears to be one of those which no 2 musicians play the same way. Although composed by Paddy Kelly, a fiddler, it is much favoured by box and concertina players. Paddy Carty did record it on flute, and I once heard Larry Nugent play it on a flute without any keys - the lad has class!

When did this fellow Paddy Kelly live and compose music? Does anyone know?

If it’s the same Paddy Kelly, he was born in Cree, County Clare in 1905. Fintan Vallely’s "Companion to Irish Traditional Music" says Patrick learned from his father Tim, and from Danny Mescall, both of whom learned from Kerry fiddler George Whelan. You can hear Patrick Kelly play in Ceol an Clair, a great compilation of the old Clare fiddlers.

I don’t think so, Will. I only recently discovered there were 3 Paddy Kellys, [ at least ! ] who were all fiddle players, and 2 of them composed tunes. This reel was by the Galway Paddy Kelly, who played with the "Aughrim Slopes" Ceili band. The Clare Paddy Kelly was another fella, who as you say, was on the "Ceol An Clair" Comhaltas fiddle LP, and there was also Paddy Kelly from Donegal, who composed "The Man From Bundoran". Galway Paddy was the most prolific composer of the 3 as far as I know, and most, if not all, of the tunes named "Paddy Kelly’s" would be his compositions.

That makes good sense, Kenny. The Clare Patrick Kelly on the Ceol an Clair recording is usually referred to as Patrick as well, so maybe there are only two famous Paddy Kelly’s. The Galway PK had slipped my mind—as you say, the more prolific composer.

Angela Carberry plays this one (on banjo) in D, and the first part is played in Dorian mode (rather than Major) (but would require additional work to do her version justice).

http://comhaltas.ie/music/detail/comhaltaslive_315_5_breda_shannon/

Watch East Galway duo Claire Keville and Liam Lewis play a beautiful version of this big reel: http://source.pipers.ie/Media.aspx?mediaId=24514&categoryId=912

Watch Liz Coleman and Mairead Hurley’s fiddle and concertina playing of the tune: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kZcqLwOsGMk

play video

Kenny’s right when he says no two musicians seem to play this the same way. It does seem like there are two "main" settings, though. The first is the one that appears on Paddy Carty’s recording, and this is close to the setting that Kenny has transcribed.

X: 2
T: Paddy Kelly’s
S: Paddy Carty & Mick O’Connor – Traditional Irish Music (1975)
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
K: Gmaj
G2dG BGdG|~G2dG GFDE|=F2cF AFcF|~=F2cF FECE|
G2dG BGdG|~G2dG GFDE|=FGAd =fefd|1 cAFA G3D:|2 cAFA G2Bd||
|:~g2dg gfdg|~g2af gfde|=f2cf Afcf|=fga^f gfd2|
g2af gfdg|~g2af gfde|=f2a^f gfdc|1 (3Bcd AF G2Bd:|2 (3Bcd AF G2GF||
|:GA_Bz cA=BG|~G2Bd gdBG|~=F2EF cFAF|~=F2GF DEFD|
GA_Bz cA=BG|~G2FD GABc|dg~g2 fdcA|1 (3Bcd AF G2GF:|2 (3Bcd AF GABc||
dg~g2 aggf|dggf dcBc|d=f~f2 gf~f2|de~=f2 dcAB|
dg~g2 afgf|dggf dcBc|de=fa g^fdc|(3Bcd AF G3A|
dg~g2 aggf|dggf dcAc|defg agfd|gbag fdcA|
dg~g2 afgf|dggf dcBc|defa gefd|cAFA G3D||

Joe Burke seems to have helped to popularise the 2nd main version, which is a bit more straight-forward.

X: 3
T: Paddy Kelly’s Four Part
S: Joe Burke – The Morning Mist (1999)
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
K: Gmaj
~G2dG (3BAG dG|~G2dG GdDE|~=F2cF AFcF|~=F2cF FECD|
~G2dG (3BAG dG|~G2dG G=FDE|=FG (3ABc =fefd|1 cAFA GDEF:|2 cAFA G2Bd||
|:(3gbg dg Bgdg|~g2bg afdg|~=f2cf Afcf|~=f2af gfdg|
~g2dg Bgdg|~g2bg afdg|~=f2af gfdc|1 (3Bcd AF G2Bd:|2 (3Bcd AF GDEF||
|:~G2Bd cABG|DGBd gdBG|~=F2CF dFcF|~=F2AF CFAF|
GABd cABG|~G2DG GABc|de=fd ~g2 (3fed|1 cAFA GDEF:|2 cAFA G2 (3ABc||
|:dg~g2 bg~g2|dg~g2 dcBd|c=f~f2 afgf|d=f~f2 dcAc|
dg~g2 bg~g2|dg~g2 dcBc|de=fd ~g2 (3fed|1 cAFA G2 (3ABc:|2 cAFA GDEF||

I really like Alan Costello’s version - it keeps the best of both worlds…

X: 4
T: Paddy Kelly’s
S: Alan Costello (Accordion) – The Friday Night Sessions, Traditional Music From Glasgow
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
K: Gmaj
G2dG BGdG|~G2dG GFDE|~=F2cF AFcF|~=F2cF FECD|
G2dG BGdG|~G2dG GFDE|=FG (3ABc =fefd|1 cA=FA GDE^F:|2 cA=FA G2Bd||
|:g2dg Bgdg|~g2bg afde|~=f2cf Afcf|~=f2af gfd^f|
~g2dg Bgdg|~g2bg afde|=fefa gfdc|1 (3Bcd AF G2Bd:|2 (3Bcd AF GDEF||
|:GA_B=B cABA|GdBd gdBG|~=F2EF cFAF|~=F2AF CFAF|
G2(3A_B=B cABA|GB~B2 GABc|de (3=fed gdfd|1 cA=FA GDE^F:|2 cA=FA GABc||
|:dg~g2 bg~g2|dg~g2 dcBc|d=f~f2 af~f2|d=f~f2 dcBc|
dg~g2 bg~g2|dg~g2 dcBc|de (3=fed gdfd|1 cA=FA GABc:|2 cA=FA GABA||

And a transcription of the video posted above - it’s a very straight session setting.

X: 5
T: Paddy Kelly’s
S: Liz Coleman & Mairead Hurley
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
K: Gmaj
G2dG BGdG|~G2dG GFDE|~=F2cF AFcF|~=F2cF FECD|
G3A (3BAG dG|~G2dG GFDE|=FG (3ABc ~=f3d|1 cA=FA G2 (3DE^F:|2 cAFA GABd||
|:g2dg Bgdg|gabg afde|~=f2cf Afcf|=fgaf gfd^f|
~g2dg Bgdg|gabg afde|~=f3a gefd|1 cA=FA GABd:|2 cA=FA ~G3^F||
|:GABd cABA|G2 (3Bcd gdBG|=F2AF cFAF|~=F2AF cFAF|
GABd cABA|GB~B2 GABc|de=fd gefd|1 cA=FA ~G3^F:|2 cA=FA G2 (3ABc||
|:dg~g2 bg~g2|dg~g2 dcBc|d=f~f2 af~f2|d=f~f2 dcBc|
dg~g2 bg~g2|dg~g2 dcBc|de=fd gefd|1 cA=FA G2 (3ABc:|2 cA=FA ~G3F||

http://comhaltas.ie/music/detail/comhaltaslive_419_12_ciara_ni_bhriain/

Current All Ireland U18 fiddle champion

Serious reel playing

very class and difficult tune to play it right … some other well know composition of Paddy kelly:
- the corner house
-st ruth bush
- the new custom house
- the daisy field
- the chattering magpie
- the mullingar lea….
.

Is based on an old Scottish tune, if I’m not mistaken, and does not come from Paddy Kelly. It was recorded by Hugh Gillespie in the 20s or 30s. Brian Conway plays an excellent version, as do Matt Molloy and Sean Keane.

This tune I posted above is not "Mullingar Lea". The above comments are irrelevant to this tune, and should be posted here :
https://thesession.org/tunes/1657
PS - Where did Molloy and Keane record "Mullingar Lea" ?

Kenny, that comment about Mullingar Lea was in response to JB’s comment above, where he attributed composition of that tune to Paddy Kelly, which I think is incorrect.

Also, I must be mistaken. Could have sworn I heard them do a version, but must have been John Winne and John McEvoy. My apologies for the error.

No problem Daniel. By the way, I’ve just emailed you that Donegal fiddle radio programme I told you about. Check your email and let me know if it’s OK. Regards, Kenny.

Just posted on "Youtube" a few days ago, very well played by Colin Nea :
https://youtu.be/Bx9zoPy6aSc

play video

Never played better [IMHO] - RIP, Joe :
https://youtu.be/YaA65r9VALg

play video

From Finbarr Dywer at Dolan’s in Limerick 2007.
I’m pretty sure that the second reel he plays (starting at 5:22) is his version of
Paddy Kelly’s 4-part. Finbarr is playing a D/D# box with B/C fingering so the tune
comes out in A#. I’ve transcribed it in in Amix for playing on C#/D (might be good on fiddle?).

Not only does Finbarr play it differently from anyone else, he plays every repeat differently.
I’ve picked my favorites from the ways he goes at it, but I had to show a couple of the variations
(marked with *1 and *2).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iVNV-p-hc-o

play video