Plains Of Kildare jig

I have always thought this arrangement was one of the more creative outputs of the collaboration between Andy irvine and Paul Brady. For me it shines with that other classic on their self titled album, Arthur McBride. I have played it regularly for 20 or more years. Afte rthat much listening, I decided I should do my best at the whole transcription. Here is my attempt.

A,|[M:15/8] B,CD EFG ABd D2 E2zA,| B,CD EFG ABd D2 E2zA,
|[M:14/8] B,CD EFG ABd E2 E3|[M:6/8]AE D2 D2|[M:6/8] G2E FED
|E2E EFG|FE2 E2A|ABA GFE|D2E E2D
|E2E EFG|FE2 E2G|BdB AGF|GFE FED
|E2E EFG|F2E E2A|[M:9/8] BAG ABd e2e
|[M:6/8]fee e2d|BAB d3|D2E F2E|[M:3/8]FED
|[M:3/4]E2-E2-E2|D2-D2-D2|B,C D2 C2|A,4 B,2|
|[M:3/4]E2 F2 G2|G2 F2 E2|AA A2 A2|D2 E3D
|E2 E2 G2|F2 E2 G2|AB B2 A2|D2 E2 EE
|E2 E2 GG|F3 E A2|B2 A2 B2|d2-d2 de
|e2 d2 B2|d2 D2 DE|F3 E D2
|EA e2 A2|[M:3/4]DG d2 G2|[M:4/4](3Bcd cB AF DB,
|[M:3/4]E4 B,2 |E2 F2 G2|G2 F2 E2|AA A2 A2|D2 E3D
|E2 E2 G2|F2 E2 G2|AB B2 A2|D2 E2 EE
|E2 E2 GG|F3 E A2|B2 A2 B2|d2-d2 de
|[M:7/8]e2 d2 B2d|d2 d2 F2G|cde e2 e2|Bcd d2 d2
|Bcd c2 A2|G2F E2 E2|Bcd c2 A2|G2F E2E2|dcB c2A2|G2F D2 D2|Bcd c2 A2|G2F E2E2|
B,CD E2 G2|ABd e2 e2|gfe f2 d2|fed e2 e2|efd a2 g2|f2d e2 e2|b2-b a2 g2|f2d e2 e2|
efg f2 d2|fed e2 e2|
B,CD E2 G2|ABd e2 e2|gfe f2 d2|fed e2 e2|BAG A2 G2|F2D E2 E2|BAG A2 G2|F2D E2 E2|
efg f2 d2|fed e2 e2|Bcd c2 A2|G2F E2 E2|Bcd c2 A2|G2F E2 E2|dcB c2A2|G2F D2 D2
|[M:10/8]Bcd c2 A2 G2F |[M:13/8] E2-E D2D B,CD C2 A,2|E3 D3 B,CD C2 A,2|E3 D3 B,CD C2 A,2
|[M:3/4]E2-E2-E2|D2-D2-D2|B,C D2 C2|A,4 B,2|
|E2 F2 G2|G2 F2 E2|AA A2 A2|D2 E3D
|E2 E2 G2|F2 E2 G2|AB B2 A2|D2 E2 EE
|E2 E2 GG|F3 E A2|B2 A2 B2|d2-d2 de
|e2 d2 B2|d2 D2 DE|F3 E D2|EA e2 A2|DG d2 G2|
[M:4/4](3Bcd cB AF DB,|[M:3/4]E2-E G E2|D2-D F D2|
|[M:6/8]Bcd c2A|ABc B2G|G2E FED
|E2E EFG|FE2 E2A|ABA GFE|D2E E2D
|E2E EFG|FE2 E2G|BdB AGF|GFE FED
|E2E EFG|F2E E2A|[M:9/8] BAG ABd e2e
|[M:6/8]fee e2d|BAB d3|D2E F2E|[M:3/8]FED
|[M:15/8] B,CD EFG ABd D2 E2zA,|B,CD EFG ABd D2 E2zA,|[M:13/8]B,CD EFG ABd E2 E2|[M:7/8]DCD2 D2-D
|[M:11/8]GFE FED E2 E2-E|

I didn’t think that should be a standard submission, so I have stuck with the jig part and its book ends for the main tune submission. I can quite easily imagine that segment being played in a session. the full arrangement is another thing. I’m hoping there are a few of you out there who will enjoy this transcription.

Nice…..🙂

I sing and play on mandolin the full version of this song in my session, as you hear it on the LP - fair play to you Neil.

There are lots of funny rythmical things going on in there - search the discussions in here, I remember the topic causing quite a stir!

Well Snorre?

stefanpaz

How does the transcription compare with your session version? There are one or two places where I was unsure whether to add an extra note and change from 3/4 to 7/8. Thats in the transition between sections. I even went to the extent of measuring the time of notes and bars in those sections and the result was still ambiguous. I shouldn’t have been surprised by that I suppose. I heard Andy do a solo version and the balkan rythym part was quite different. When I asked him he said it was improvisational.
I checked out that discussion too. I think the stir was perhaps incidental to the track that started the thread!

Hi Neil…although i do a bit of the balkan and andy stuff,i cant read music so dunno how it compares!!actually learned alot of the stuff seeing the man himself play it around.

trust me though my version is exactly the same as the version on irvine brady album…ive changed it over time, and personalised it a fair bit now.
those bits are tricky but not too bad, its difficult to sing along to….but i still remember the album version, i did one balkan tune for the mighty craic site on my zouk but now that i listen to it its too fast and a little sloppy!

andy improvises alot when live…my friend kieron seamons has a site called china to galway with lots of andy material…he might be able to shine a light on it. although i have promised Kieron my version filmed….ll have to do it…
I speak to andy often, he always says he improvises, and in live versions, himself brady and lunny usually do, but that album version is definitely worked out and very particular.
maybe ill do it for you soon….take care.S

Yes, I would love to see a filmed version of the fingering!

I don’t know how much fingering you can make out in a YouTube sized vid, but here’s one…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D1l8hSBqS3E

play video

If you wish to have the full transcription for “Plains of Kildare”, just email me and I can provide a pdf with all the verses, the proper turn-arounds, and a D.S. al Coda for the outro. It is quite similar to the second posting above, but I found the post above was missing to eight counts on the turn-around for the first and fifth verse, and a couple of other small issues. like an entire bar missing after the last verse.

Any chance you’d be able to email to me? Feargalbarnes@gmail.com

Id be forever greatful!

Oh, I would be grateful to receive Plains of Kildare too. If you’re able, could you email me? janemetcalf@mac.com

thank you kindly!

Can anyone point me in the direction of a guitar chord chart for Plains of Kildare?

If still available I’d love a copy of Jan’s full version of The Plauins of Kildare.
nealhellman@gmail.com

Thank You,

Neal

Thanks for posting this! I’d like to get a copy Jan’s transcription as well if possible. ericmarkh@gmail.com
Thank you,
Eric