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John Leary’s slide

Also known as The Barrel Organ, Cullen Slide #1, If I Had A Wife, If Only I Had A Womaneen, Johnny Leary’s, Johnny O’Leary’s, Johnny O’Learys, Mick Mahoney’s, Mick Mahony’s, The Next Wan, O’Keefe’s, O’Keeffe’s, Quarry Cross, The Quarry Cross, Sleamhnáin Chrosaire An Chairéil.

There are 21 recordings of a tune by this name.

A tune by this name has been recorded together with The Hare In The Corn (a few times), Dawley’s Delight (a few times) and Michael Russell’s (a few times).

John Leary’s appears in 1 other tune collection.

John Leary’s has been added to 2 tune sets.

John Leary's has been added to 61 tunebooks.

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Six settings

X: 1
T: John Leary's
R: slide
M: 12/8
L: 1/8
K: Dmaj
|:A,B,C |D2 B AFD C2 B, B,3 | CB,C A,B,C D2 F A,B,C |
D2 B AFD C2 B, B,3 |1 CB,C A,B,C D3 :|2 CB,C A,B,C D3 D2 ||
|: F | A2 F d2 F A2 G E2 F | GFG B=cB A2 F D2 F |
A2 F d2 F A2 G E2 d |1 cBA GFE D3 D2 :|2 cBA GFE D3 d3 ||
|: cBA G2 B {c}B2 A F2 A | cBA GFE D2 E F2 A |
dcB G2 B {c}B2 A F2 A |1 cBA GFE D3 d3 :|2 cBA GFE D3 ||
X: 2
T: John Leary's
R: slide
M: 12/8
L: 1/8
K: Gmaj
|: DEF |G2 e dBG F2 A E2 A | F2 A DEF G2 D DEF |
G2 e dBG F2 A E2 A | FAF DEF G3 :|
|: G2 B |d2 B g2 B d2 c A2 B | cBc e2 d B2 d G2 B |
d2 B g2 B d2 c A2 g | fed cBA G3 :|
|: d3 |fed c2 e e2 d B2 d | ded cBA G2 A B2 d |
fed c2 e e2 d B2 d | fed cBA G3 :|
X: 3
T: John Leary's
R: slide
M: 12/8
L: 1/8
K: Amaj
E | A2f ecA G2F F2A | GAB EFG A2c EFG | A2f ecA G2F F2A |
GAB EFG A3 A2 :: c | e/f/ec a2c e/f/ed B2c | c2d e/d/cd f2e c2d |
e/f/ec a2c e/f/ed B2a | gfe dcB A3 A2 :: a | gfe d2e f/g/fe c2d |
efe dcB A2B c2a | gfe d2e f/g/fe c2d | efe dcB A3 A2 :|
X: 4
T: John Leary's
R: slide
M: 12/8
L: 1/8
K: Gmaj
G2e dBG F2E E2G | FGA DEF G2B DEF | G2e dBG F2E E2G | FGA DEF G3 G3 :|
d2B g2B d2c A2B | cBA efe d2B g2B | d2B g2B d2c A2g | fed cBA G3 g3 :|
fed c2e dcd B2d | fed cBA G2A B2d | fed c2e dcd B2d | fed cBA G3 G3 :|
X: 5
T: John Leary's
R: slide
M: 12/8
L: 1/8
K: Gmaj
|: DD/E/F |G2 e dBG F2 A E2 A | FAF DEF G2 D DD/E/F |
G2 e d2 G F2 A E2 A | F3 DEF G3- :|
|: G2 B |d2 B g2 B d2 c A2 B | cBc e2 d B2 d G2 B |
d2 B g2 B d2 c A2 g | fed CBA G3 :|
|: g3 |fed c2 e e2 d B2 d | fed cBA G2 A B2 g |
fed c2 e e2 d B2 d | ff/e/d cBA G3 :|
X: 6
T: John Leary's
R: slide
M: 12/8
L: 1/8
K: Gmaj
|: DEF |G2 e dBG F2 E E2 G | FGA DEF G2 B DEF |
G2 e dBG F2 E E2 G |[1 FGA DEF G2 B :|[2 FGA DEF G3 ||
|: G2 B |d2 B g2 B d2 c A2 B | cBc efe d2 B G2 B |
d2 B g2 B d2 c A2 g | fed cBA G3 :|
|: G2 g |fed c2 e e2 d B2 c | ded cBA G2 B d2 g |
fed c2 e e2 d B2 c|[1 ded cBA G3 :|[2 ded cBA G2 B |]

Fifteen comments

From Kevin Burke’s "Learn to Play Irish Fiddle" video tape one (as a set with Micko Russell’s Slide). A beginner’s tune but still tasty, methinks.

It seems different from John O’Leary’s slide. Can anybody help me with any other recorded versions, tune origin etc?

Try the "Eavesdropper"

I’m sure this is on the Kevin Burke/Jackie Daly recording "The Eavesdropper" recording. There is a set with a "Johnny Leary’s" followed by "Miko Russell’s " slides on it.

Posted by .

Low?

Are you sure this isn’t " a string" too low?

Posted by .

Low?

Can’t say as to Eavesdropper version but this is pretty much as he teaches it on the video. Moving it over/up a string is a great idea though.

Thanks for the memories ‘fidkid’ - a dear old favourite:

I have it not so low, and the following transcript is just bare bones.

K:Gmaj
|:DEF|G2e dBG F2A E2A|F2A DEF G2D DEF|G2e dBG F2A E2A|FAF DEF G3:|
|:G2B|d2B g2B d2c A2B|cBc e2d B2d G2B|d2B g2B d2c A2g|fed CBA G3:|
|:d3|fed c2e e2d B2d|ded cBA G2A B2d|fed c2e e2d B2d|fed cBA G3:|

That’s just now, right off the top of my head. I haven’t trolled my old notes yet so I’m not sure where I first picked this up or where I played it, but I’ve spend some time in the Sliabh Luachra area, including with the O’Leary’s and friends, dancing too it as well. I find I play it a few different ways, not just variations and ornamentation, but always this key. I’ll do a search and come back with anything if I luck out, including any alternate keys or names I might come across.

"Johnny O’Leary of Sliabh Luachra"

The Lilliput Press, Dublin, 1994
ISBN 1-874675-42-2
Page 52, Tune 90: If I Had a Wife / Mick Mahony’s
K: Gmaj

"John Leary’s Slide" / "If I Had a Wife" ~ Kevin Burke

You can also find Kevin Burke teaching ths in the key of D, similar to this transcript, on DVD #1 of a pair:

"Learn to Play Irish Fiddle: Polkas, Jigs & Slides" ~ 90 minutes
Homespun Videos / DVDs
ISBN: 1-932964-44-4

https://thesession.org/recordings/display/2060

"Johnny O’Leary’s" / "If I Had a Wife"

K: G Major
|: DD/E/F |
G2 e dBG F2 A E2 A | FAF DEF G2 D DD/E/F |
G2 e d2 G F2 A E2 A | F3 DEF G3- :|
|: G2 B |
d2 B g2 B d2 c A2 B | cBc e2 d B2 d G2 B |
d2 B g2 B d2 c A2 g | fed CBA G3 :|
|: g3 |
fed c2 e e2 d B2 d | fed cBA G2 A B2 g |
fed c2 e e2 d B2 d | ff/e/d cBA G3 :|

"Learn to Play Irish Fiddle: Polkas, Jigs & Slides"

For clarity of credit ~ the transcription given here by fidkid is note-for-note from the insert of notations that comes with the Kevin Burke / Homespun video / DVD #1…

ISBN: 1-932964-44-4

https://thesession.org/recordings/display/2060

"Johnny O’Leary’s Slide" / "The Next Wan"

Submitted on July 26th 2006 by Ptarmigan.

~ a transcription taken from the recording "The Ballydesmond Polka", Dan Herlihy & John Drew…

T: The Next Wan
M: 12/8
L: 1/8
R: slide
K: G Major
DEF |:
G2 e dBG F2 E E2 G | FGA DEF G2 B DEF |
G2 e dBG F2 E E2 G |1 FGA DEF G2 B DEF :|
2 FGA DEF G3 G2 B ||:
d2 B g2 B d2 c A2 B | cBc efe d2 B G2 B |
d2 B g2 B d2 c A2 g |1 fed cBA G3 G2 B :|
2 fed cBA G3 G2 g ||:
fed c2 e e2 d B2 c | ded cBA G2 B d2 g |
fed c2 e e2 d B2 c|1 ded cBA G3 G2 g :|
2 ded cBA G B DEF ||

Submitted on July 26th 2006 by Ptarmigan.

Johnny O’Leary’s Slide

Here’s a version in A from Niamh Ni Charra:

X:981
T:Johnny O’Leary’s
S:CD, Niamh Ni Charra, From Both Sides (2007)
Z:Nigel Gatherer
L:1/8
M:12/8
K:A
E | A2f ecA G2F F2A | GAB EFG A2c EFG | A2f ecA G2F F2A |
GAB EFG A3 A2 :: c | e/f/ec a2c e/f/ed B2c | c2d e/d/cd f2e c2d |
e/f/ec a2c e/f/ed B2a | gfe dcB A3 A2 :: a | gfe d2e f/g/fe c2d |
efe dcB A2B c2a | gfe d2e f/g/fe c2d | efe dcB A3 A2 :|

O’Keeffe’s (If Only I Had A Womaneen)

I found this among a stack of written tunes I was sorting. It had the title "If Only I had a Womaneen" and I couldn’t find a reference to it under that title. Dargai (a Session member) located it in Henrik Norbek’s site (http://www.norbeck.nu/abc/index.asp) where it was identified as yet another of O’Keefe’s slides. I’d appreciate any info anyone could provide about how it got the name "If Only I had a Womaneen".

Re: John Leary’s

On the album Eavesdropper, Jackie Daly and Kevin Burke play this in the key of Bb, presumably to suit the accordion Jackie is playing.

X: 5 “Johnny O’Leary’s” / “If I Had a Wife”

# Posted by ceolachan - June 21st, 2006

X: 6 “Johnny O’Leary’s Slide” / “The Next Wan”

Submitted by Ptarmigan - July 26th, 2006