The Abbey reel

~A3B A2GE|A2GA BGDB|~A3B AGEF|G2GA BGDB|
~A3B A2GE|A2GA BGDB|A2dB AGEF|G2GA Bdd2||
eg~g2 a2ba|gabg aged|eg~g2 a2ga|bgef ged2|
eg~g2 ag~g2|a2bg aged|eg~g2 a2ga|bgea gedB|

Yet another interpretation of this little tune:

K: Ador
~A3B A2GE|A2GA BedB|~A3B AGEF|1 G2GA BedB:|2 G2GA Bddg||
eg~g2 a2ba|gabg aged|eg~g2 a2ga|bgaf gedg|
eg~g2 agbg|agbg aged|eggb a2ga|bgaf gedB||

This is mostly based on Davy Spillane and Kevin Glackin’s duet playing, but I took the last two bars from Kevin Burke’s fiddle playing. I myself play a mixture of all the versions.

As I wrote somewhere before, Abbey is a placename in East Galway. Master fiddler Maeve Donnelly hails from there. Considering Paul McGrattan learned the tune from Mary MacNamara, I guess it was originally played around East Clare and East Galway. Well, it’s now popularised as one of Lunasa tunes all over the world though.

I remember Dervish recorded a completely different tune as “The Abbey Reel,” but does anybody have another title for it?

The major version of Scotch Mary.

More specifically the tune Dervish play are the last 2 parts of Johnny Doherty’s 3 part version of Scotch Mary (see ‘The Northern Fiddler’, where it is listed under francie and Mickey Byrne)

I believe J. Doherty’s 3 part version of Scotch Mary is recorded on Altan’s “Runaway Sunday.”

Can someone please transcribe the 3-parter?

Well, you don’t have to buy any tunebook. Just refer to “Fiddle Music of Donegal”: http://misaok.hp.infoseek.co.jp/fmod/d_sakuin/do_saku.html

Thanks.

Here’s some of my variations:

A3 B A2 GE|~A3 G B (3ded B|A2 AB AGED|DEGA B (3ded B|
~A3 B A2 GE|A2 AG BddB|A3 B AGED|DEGA Bddg||
eg~g2 a2 ba|gabg ageg|degb a2 ga|bgaf gedg|
eg~g2 ag~g2|agbg ageg|degb a2 ga|(3bag af gedB||

Picked this up at a recent session in O’Neills in NY. It has three nice variations on the B part.

X: 1
T: The Abbey Reel
T: Transcribed from an O’Neills Session , NY 11/12/07
M: 8/8
L: 1/8
Q: 400
R: Reel / Barn dance
K: Dmix
|: A3 (BA2) GE | A2 GABd3 | A3 (BA2) GE |GEDE GAdB :|
| efge a4 | gabg aged |efge a2ga | b2af fgfd |
| efge agbg | agbg ageg |d^deg a4 | agef gedc |
|: A3 (BA2) GE | A2 GABd3 | A3 (BA2) GE |GEDE GAdB :|
| efge a4 | gabg aged |efge a2ga | b2af fgfd |
| efge agbg | agbg ageg |dege a2ge | gfeg fdcB|
|: A3 (BA2) GE | A2 GABd3 | A3 (BA2) GE |GEDE GAdB :|
| efge a4 | gabg aged |efge a2ga | b2af fgfd |
| efge agbg | agbg ageg |dege a2ga | bgaf gedB|

X: 1
T: Abbey, The
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
R: reel
K: Ador
| A3B A2GE | A2GA BedB | A3B AGED | G3A BedB |
| A3B A2GE | A2GA BedB | AGAB AGED | G3A Bddg |
| eggg gaba | gabg aged | egg2 a2ga | bgef gedg |
eggg agbg | agbg aged | eggg gaga | bgef gedB |

This tune appeared first in Breandán Breathnach’s ‘Tacar Port’ during the early sixties. It appears under the name ‘Ríl Roideacáin’ . Redican’s Reel. This would strongly suggest the tune was in fact composed by Larry Redican. There are other indications the tune came from the US: it has appeared several times as ‘The Irish American Reel’.

Breathnach’s source for the tune was accordeonplayer Sonny Brogan who was part of Seán O Riada’s Ceoloiri Cualann. The tune was a favourite of the members of the group and it was used in their performances in The Abbey Theatre in Dublin for which they named the tune.

Regarding the East Clare/Galway argument above : newly composed tunes were greatly popular in the areas, there were great pockets of Reavey, Redican and other ‘new’ tunes in the repertoire. One of Martin Rochford’s msot wellknown tunes, often named for him, was in fact a Larry Redican composition, ‘Forget Me Not’ .

The resemblance between the first part of the Abbey and the version of the Dusty Miller got from Colm O’ Cathain (and often played himself) is striking by the way. Leaves you wondering about a connection.

do you mean something like this here great, ‘squared up’ version of the Dusty Miller, Prof? https://thesession.org/tunes/4323

The usual version (in 12/8) has an ascending 2nd part that the ‘squared up’ version hasn’t (retained), which is closer to the Abbey’s 2nd part…
https://thesession.org/tunes/28

Anyhow, I like all of these ‘angry’ or at least adamantine tunes; they’ve the sacred fire in them!

The Abbey Reel is sometimes known as the American Reel as well.

JACKB: the repeat signs at the start of each part shouldn’t be there.

On their 1977 album The Branch Line, Jack and Charlie Coen play a setting of this tune under the name “The Pullet”.

Very minor point, but ref the quoted source for setting X:2 Paul McGrattan played a d rather than a D in bars 2, 4, 6 etc.. The tune starts at 1:06 in the first track track of the CD: Speed The Plough/Abbey Reel/Primrose Lass.