The Ceilier reel

I first heard this Ed Reavy reel on an LP called “Fathers & Daughters” on the Shanachie label. It was all of young female traditional Irish-American musicians playing tunes with their fathers, who were also musicians. Some well-known names on that recording. I next heard it on a tape which Belfast flute player Davy Maguire made for me, and have since heard it played by John McSherry, and also recently Jason O’Rourke. I realised when posting this , that I have therefore never heard the tune played by a musician born in the Republic of Ireland. A tricky tune on flute, with the f-naturals.

Considering that you`ve heard three of Ed.Reavys fellow Ulstermen playing the tune!

This tune was recorded on “Fathers and Daughters” by Martin Mulhaire of Eyrecourt, Co. Galway and, now, Pearl River, NY.

Transcription by slainte:

X: 1
T: The Ceilier
C: Ed Reavy
D: Calico: Celanova Square
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
R: reel
K: Gmaj
|:Bc|dGBd cAAc|~B3d gfde|c2de ed e/f/g|fdcB cAAc|
~B3A ~G3B|DGBd cAAc|d3e fdeg|fdcA G2:|
|:Bc|dgbg ~g2bg|~g2bg dcBc|de=fe d3c|de=fe dcBc|
dg f/g/a g2fg|abag fdde|=f2ed cA~A2|BdcA G2:|

Cheers, Dow.

“The Ceilier”
Key signature: G Major
Submitted on January 13th 2008 by slainte.
~ /tunes/8143

From the group Calico’s first album. There’s no info in the notes ~ Funny, I’ve been listening to the Ceilier on a different recording but didn’t notice this is the same tune. I think Kenny’s transcription is closer to the original version. This sounds like a version adapted for the pipes.

# Posted on January 13th & 14th 2008 by slainte

Here’s my own transcription of what I hear on the Calico recording. It’s slightly different from Slainte’s (mine’s better) 😉

X: 1
T: The Ceilier
C: Ed Reavy
D: Calico: Celanova Square
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
R: reel
K: Gmaj
dGBd cAAc|A~B2d gfde|Bcde ed e/f/g|fdcB cAAc|
B2DA ~G3B|DGBd cA~A2|d3e ~f2eg|fdcA G2Bc:|
|:dgbg ~g2bg|~g2bg dcBc|de=fe d3c|de=fe dcBc|
dg f/g/a g2~g2|abag fdde|=f2ed cA~A2|B/c/d cA G2Bc:|

I won’t be against you.

X: 1
T: The Céilíer
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
R: reel
D: Jason O‘Rourke & Ruadhrai O’Kane - Roguery Road
K: Gmaj
d3B c2dc|BGBd gedc|Bcde =fA^cd|gedB cedc|
BGGF ~G3B|d^cdB cABc|d^cde =f^ffg|fdcA G2Bc:|
|:dggf ~g3e|dc~c2 dcBc|d=ffe ~f3e|dc~c2 dcBc|
dggf gfga|bgag gfde|=f3d cA~A2|BdcA G2Bc:|

I first came across this tune from a recording by Calum Stewart and Heikki Boulgaurt 🙂

As played by Calico in their album “Celanova square”.

The Ceilier - https://thesession.org/tunes/4525

Sounds French to me

“But what The Hell is a Ceilier ?” Somebody who goes to a ceili.
Sounds Irish to me. Who are you listening to playing it ?

PS - OK - I see what you mean. Ignore the second line.

Céilitheoir in Irish, which really means “person fond of social visits; sociable person.”
“The Ceilier” would be An Céilitheoir.

Thanks Siúlóir. ( the ramblin Siúlóir ? )

Yes, that’s where I took the name, from the song performed by Planxty.

On flute, by Calum Stewart [ in the happy days when he was playing flute ] :
https://youtu.be/_R_YLmuPEmw

play video