Lord Moira’s Welcome To Scotland strathspey

Source: The Old Fireside Music by Mike And Mary Rafferty
Transcription: gmp

Galway flute player Sean Moloney recently recorded this tune as a fling called “Lord Moira.” According to the notes, he learned it from his father Eddie Moloney. It seems Flanagnan bothers also recorded it.

Unfortunately I’ve never heard Mike and Mary Rafferty’s playing, but a quick search shows they’re from Ballinakill! No wonder they share the similar repertoire of the Monoley family.

They’re based in the States and have appeared many times on the Internet TV programme “Comhaltaslive”

Oh, yes. I’ve just remembered I once tried to post this tune and held back in the last minute because of its very Scottishness. What I transcribed was Athlone box player Paul Brock’s playing of the tune in D on the first album of “Moving Cloud.” He calls it “Loudon’s Braes are Bonnie.” Further research showed me it also appears in Kerr’s Collection as “Loudon’s Bonnie Woods.” You’ll find Nigel Gatherer’s transcription of the tune in G. It’s basically the same as Gian Marco’s transcription.

I meant to say Nigel’s transcription of “Loudon’s Bonnie Woods” will be found in JC’s ABC tune finder.

We typically played this one in scotland as a strathspey - interesting to hear it at a different tempo!

Is a USA name for this tune….

“Joe Bane’s”
Key signature: F Major
Submitted on January 17th 2007 by cnfinley.
https://thesession.org/tunes/6654

K: F Major
|: FGFG Ac c2 | AGAF GFDC | DFFG Ac c2 | dfeg fdcA :|2 dfeg f3 ||
e |
fgaf fd c2 | defd cA A2 | fgaf fd c2 | dfeg f3 e |
fgaf fd c2 | defd cAAG | FGFG Ac ~c2 | dfeg f3 A ||

“I learned this tune from Eamon O’Leary. Joe Bann (Bane) wrote this tune in G, but I think he played on a C whistle so he played most of his tunes in C and F. There’s another barn dance by him that I learned to play before it, it’s also called Joe Bann’s (Bane’s) and is played in F. They’re both great tunes.”

# Posted on January 17th 2007 by cnfinley

Here’s the above transcription by cnfinley but transpsed to G for comparison (two changes only ~ GAGA has become G2 GA, and I’ve given a lead-in note for both parts:

K: G Major ( also played in A & D )
|: B |
G2 GA Bd d2 | BABG AGED | EGGA Bd d2 |1 egfa ged :|2 egfa g3 ||
f |
gabg ge d2 | efge dB B2 | gabg ge d2 | egfa g3 f |
gabg ge d2 | efge dBBA | G2 GA Bd d2 | egfa g3 ||

“It’s called Bonnie Scotland on Andrew & Mary MacNamara’s ”Open Hearth“, which is a collection of tunes learned from Joe Bane and Bill Malley (and from tapes of them made by Andrew & Mary’s father). Interestingly, they play it in D, which makes it go below the range of both the C and D whistle. Roughly half of the tunes on the CD are played a step lower than they would be outside of Clare.”

“Here’s Geoff Wright’s transcription from ”Open Hearth“ (which I may or may not have edited slightly - I can’t recall)” ( ~ which I did edit slightly ~ ‘c’ 😉 ):

T:Bonnie Scotland
R:schottische (highland fling)
M:4/4
L:1/8
D:“Open Hearth” Andrew & Mary MacNamara
N:Cut 8.1 on cd
Z:Geoff Wright
K:D
DCDE FAAA | GEFD EDB,A, |1 DCDE FAAA | Bdce d4 :|2 B,DDE FAAA | Bdce d4 ||
defd dBAA | BddB AFFF |1 defd dBAA | Bdce d4 :|2 DCDE FAAA | Bdce d4 ||

# Posted on January 18th 2007 by GaryAMartin

Also as a highland in Donegal -- Highland a’ Choille.

I think that’s one of the names I’d heard it called, thanks LongNote…

Key signature: G Major
Submitted on June 25th 2001 by spoon.
https://thesession.org/tunes/156

This also bears things in common with the the transcriptions given here. It also was likely to have been played as a fling at some point in its travels, and which has been, as happens to flings, recycled as a single reel…

Goes back to the 1800’s at least.

# Posted on January 18th 2007 by Maryland Highlander

It also seems to be a variation on the English version:

K: G Major
M:4/4
|: gfed efge | dcBA Bc d2 | gfed efge | fgaf g2 :|
|: gabg af d2 | efge dB G2 | ABcA dBGB | cAFA G2 :|
|: BcdB cd e2 | ABcA Bc d2 | G2 GB cBAG | FDEF G4 :|

# Posted on January 18th 2007 by geoffwright

Key signature: A Dorian
Submitted on June 9th 2002 by kardshark87.
https://thesession.org/tunes/749

You can hear him here: http://www.rogermillington.com/tunetoc/shandonbells.html

# Posted on January 18th 2007 by kilfarboy

Joe Bane was a flute/whistleplayer from the Feakle area. You can (find another transcription of “Shandon Bells” and) hear him (play it) here:

http://www.rogermillington.com/tunetoc/shandonbells.html

# Posted on January 18th 2007 by kilfarboy

A brief commentary by Peter Laban, 11 August 2002:

“Introduction ~ Joe Bane (pronounced Bahn) was a flute and whistle player from the Feakle area. In a stylistic sense he is in the same bracket as fiddleplayer P. Joe Hayes and concertinaplayer John Naughton, both from very much the same area. The style is characterised by a sparse though efficient use of ornamentation and relies heavily on its rhythm and the precise phrasing of the music. This gives the style great ”lift“. Martin Hayes has named Bane as one of his prime influences.”

Damn, apologies, but what does the repeat hurt, eh, however ~ wrong tune… My backspace must have kicked in… 😏

X: 6
T: The Bundoran Highland
S: Danny O’Donnell, Donegal fiddler
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
R: highland schottische/fling
K: G Major
B>A |:\
G2 G>A B<dd>B | c>AB>G A>G (3FED |
G2 G>A B<d d2 |[1 (3efg f>a g>ed>B :|[2 (3efg (3fga g2 ||
g>d |\
g>ab>g a>g d2 | e>fg>d e>d B2 |
g>ab>g a>gf>d | (3efg f>a g2 g>d |
g>ab>g a>gf>d | e>fg>e d>cB>A |
G2 G>A B<d d2 | (3efg f>a g>ed>B |]

~ to finish ~ | (3efg f>a g>ed>B || G4 |]

“Milestone At The Garden: Irish Fiddle Masters From The 78 RPM Era”
https://thesession.org/recordings/8

track 11.) The Thistle And Shamrock

a.) “Polly Put the Kettle On”
Key signature: D Major
Submitted on February 16th 2008 by ceolachan.
https://thesession.org/tunes/8267
https://thesession.org/tunes/8267/comments

b.) “The Bundoran Highland ”~ the transcript just before this comment…

c.) “Neil Gow’s Wife”
Key signature: a minor
Submitted on July 17th 2003 by mandozouk.
https://thesession.org/tunes/1828
https://thesession.org/tunes/1828/comments

~ and I’m damned sure this is here already, maybe even by my hand. I’m sure there’s a name but it isn’t coming. I only tried two keys, G & A, but a lot of variations on several measures, no luck… I will be happy if someone finds it, or at least gives it a name. I have come across this one in numerous old tomes but learned it ages back. I was reminded of it and went looking for variations and discovered, it seems, that it might not be here… Let me know if you know…

I think I’ll send emails to a knowledgeable few… 😉

Previously submitted under the title “Bonnie Scotland”.
https://thesession.org/tunes/3262

Thanks LongNote, much appreciated… I’ll let dear Jeremy know it’s a duplication… I knew it was an old standard but my brain cells are doing a lot of misfiring lately, having lost some sleep… 😏

Hmmm… As a reel, so, not really a duplication… I’ll add the link from there to here… A lot of these highland schottisches/flings ended up doing later duty as single reels… At least now I can chase up other possible connections. I’m sure it is in the major collections, like the Athole / Skye….

That told me more, I’d added most of those… I said it was ‘old’ and familiar… I suppose this transcription might be different enough to allow to remain? Time will tell.

Key signature: F Major
Submitted on January 17th 2007 by cnfinley.
https://thesession.org/tunes/6654

ey signature: G Major
Submitted on July 21st 2008 by ceolachan.
https://thesession.org/tunes/8731

X: 2
T: The Bundoran Highland
S: Danny O’Donnell, Donegal fiddler
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
R: highland schottische/fling
K: G Major
B>A |:\
G2 G>A B<dd>B | c>AB>G A>G (3FED |
G2 G>A B<d d2 |[1 (3efg f>a g>ed>B :|[2 (3efg (3fga g2 ||
g>d |\
g>ab>g a>g d2 | e>fg>d e>d B2 |
g>ab>g a>gf>d | (3efg f>a g2 g>d |
g>ab>g a>gf>d | e>fg>e d>cB>A |
G2 G>A B<d d2 | (3efg f>a g>ed>B |]

# Posted on February 16th 2008 by ceolachan
~ from the ‘comments’ for “Bonnie Scotland” ~ reel…

Danny O’Donnell’s set of 3 highland flings:

“Milestone At The Garden: Irish Fiddle Masters From The 78 RPM Era”
https://thesession.org/recordings/8

track 11.) The Thistle And Shamrock =

a.) “Polly Put the Kettle On”
Key signature: D Major
Submitted on February 16th 2008 by ceolachan.
https://thesession.org/tunes/8267
https://thesession.org/tunes/8267/comments

b.) “The Bundoran Highland ”~ the transcript just before this comment…

c.) “Neil Gow’s Wife”
Key signature: a minor
Submitted on July 17th 2003 by mandozouk.
https://thesession.org/tunes/1828
https://thesession.org/tunes/1828/comments

# Posted on February 16th 2008 by ceolachan
~ from the ‘comments’ for “Bonnie Scotland” ~ reel…

I did try searching for it swung and straight as well ~ but never a hit… It is good to have it here now with the swing and the snap in it…

Watch Limerick flute player Francis O’Connor play this tune as a single reel: http://comhaltas.ie/music/detail/comhaltaslive_222_4_francis_oconnor

First one is called “Bush in Bloom,” I believe. See: https://thesession.org/tunes/2472

Johnny O’Leary of Sliabh Luachra played this tune, and it can be found in his collection from 1994 under the title “Little Ark”.

Johnny O’Leary of Sliabh Luachra played this tune, and it can be found in his collection from 1994 under the title “Little Ark”.

108 Bonny Woods and Braes
“Known only as ”The Highland Fling“ this cheerful tune has served for that purpose as long as the editor can remember. For its name as above printed, we are indebted to Officer William Walsh whose memory in such matters is phenomenal.” [O’Neill, Waifs and Strays, 1922]

I did some research on this tune after I found it on the CD “The Whitchurch Hornpipe” by Neil Brookes and Tony Weatherall as “Richard Hughes’s Reel”. According to The Fiddler’s Companion it was composed as “Lord Moira’s Welcome to Scotland” by Duncan MacIntyre, a late 18th century Scots dancing master living in London. Lord Moira was a British MP and an Irish peer with a Scottish sea, and this is a good tune by a Scotsman living in London, so it is hardly surprising that every constituent part of Ireland and the United Kingdom lays claim to it, often in different versions and under different titles. Three cheers for it!

Called Jimmy McGettrick’s in the album “Out of the Ashes” by John Carty & Matt Molloy.

This is the setting from The Winders of Wyresdale ( HSJ Jackson ms)
www.andyhornby.net/Winders.http