The Torn Jacket reel

I learned this from the playing of Dearga — Matthew and Shannon Heaton playing with whatever fiddler they’re playing with at the moment (Jessica Ziegler, in this case).

They play this as the last in a set with Charlie Harris’s/Three Steps Forward (Two Steps Back)/The Torn Jacket. There’s a really lovely turn variation to get from the second tune to this tune that’s very characteristic of Shannon and Matt’s playing.

Zina

Zina, I learned The Torn Jacket at a session in the D.C. area a couple years ago…Brian Conway, Pat Mangan, Diarmuid Moynihan, Tom Doorley, and John Doyle. They all seemed to know the B Part with a variration the second time around: |:FAdf a2 af|g2 gf gfef|gfed cdef|gfed cAGE|…

What the heck — I added it in, Will, because Dearga does play that variation one or two times. For all I know, everyone plays it with that variation the second time every time. When I transcribed it, I just chose one of the repeats at random. 🙂 Hmm. That sounds like it was a helluva session!

zls

This is a composition by Connie O’Connell, a fiddler from Kilnamartyra, Co. Cork. You will hear him playing the tune in Hammy Hamilton’s "The Moneymusk" album. It’s also recorded on another fine flute recording "D Flute Album" by Kevin Crawford.

Anyway, I need to add it to my repertoire.

Several pipers have recorded in recent years. Brian MacNamara’s version on "A Piper’s Dream" is outstanding, so is Tommy Keane’s rendition on his solo CD, "The Piper’s Apron".

Sounds *great* on the concertina, too.

Also bounces along beautifully on the D row of my C#D button accordion. Would be a great little melodeon tune as well, I bet(a la Johnny Connolly http://www.iol.ie/~ronolan/connolly.html).

Just learned it after hearing Benedict Koehler’s rendition of the tune on the Jerry O’Sullivan charity auction chanter. Lovely tune, I like to play it after "The Old Torn Petticoat", a whole shredded clothing set…

Submitted on February 27th 2010 by Kazabayashi.
~ /tunes/10307

X: 2
T: Torn Coat, The
C: Connie O’Connell
M: 6/8
L: 1/8
R: jig
K: Dmaj
|: ~F3 A dfed | cA ~A2 cdeA | ~F3 A dfed | cAGE FD ~D2 |
~F3 A dfed | cA ~A2 cdeA|dcde fded | cAGE FD ~D2 :|
|: FAdf ~a3 f | ~g3 f gfed | cA ~A2 cdef | gfed cAGA |
FAdf ~a3 f | ~g3 f gfef | g2 ba gfed | cAGE FD ~D2 :|

I’ve enjoyed playing this reel before the Peeler’s Jacket: https://thesession.org/tunes/1343

Mike Rafferty, Willie Kelly, Damien Connolly, Margie Mulvihill & Felix Dolan playing Torn Jacket at Catskills Irish Arts Week 2010 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0InM4J8jrow

play video

Really feels like a much older tune!

Transcription of Tommy Guihen’s version from ‘The Torn Jacket’ CD, with phrasing.

A Cork friend of mine played this tune in A, as did Gerry Harrington & Eoghan O’ Sullivan on "The Smoky Chimney" album, followed by The Flowers of Limerick in D (or, technically Bflat and Eflat, I suppose); neither are flute friendly, and although both are playable in those keys (A & D) on the fiddle, they don’t necessarily gain from it. Any box players got any ideas about the benefits of the key change? Or is it possible Connie O’ Connell wrote it originally in A?

Hi Deborah - I’m pretty sure it was written in D.