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John O’Shea’s march

Also known as The Bell Island March, The Old Cross.

There are 4 recordings of this tune.

John O’Shea’s has been added to 2 tune sets.

John O’Shea’s has been added to 25 tunebooks.

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Nine settings

1
X: 1
T: John O'Shea's
R: march
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
K: Gmaj
|:BA|G2 B,C D2 E/F/G|A3 B d2 BA|G>E DE G2 G2|G6 AB|
c3 d e2 dc|B2 G2 A2 Bc|dc BG FD E^C|D6 A>B|
c2 cd e2 dc|B3 G A2 Bc|d>c BG F>D E^C|D6 BA|
G2 B,C D2 EG|A3 B d2 BA|GE DE G2 G2|G6:|
2
X: 2
T: John O'Shea's
R: march
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
K: Dmaj
|:g/f/e|d2 FG A2 Bd|e2 ef a2 fe|dB AB d2 e2|d6 d/e/f|
g3 a bc'/b/ ag|f2 d2 e2 fg|ag f/e/d cA B/A/^G|A6 ef|
g>d ga b2 ag|f2 d2 e2 fg|ag fd cA B^G|A>B AG A2 fe|
d2 fg a2 B/c/d|e3 f ab/a/ fe|d>B AB d2 c2|d6:|
3
X: 3
T: John O'Shea's
R: march
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
K: Amaj
|:cB|A2 cd e2 FG/A/|B3 c e2 cB|AF EF A2 G2|A6 Bc|
d3 e f2 ed|c2 A2 B2 cd|e/f/e/d/ cA G/A/G/E/ F^D|E6 Bc|
d2 Ad f2 ed|c2 Ac e2 B/c/d|ed cA GE F/E/^D|E2 ^D2 E2 cB|
A2 CD E2 F/G/A|B3 c e2 cB|AF EF A2 A2|A6:|
4
X: 4
T: John O'Shea's
R: march
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
K: Gmaj
|:cBA|G2 B2 D2 EG|A>^GAB d2 BA|GEDE G2 G2|G6 AB|
c3 d e2 dc|B2 G2 A2 Bc|d2 AG F/G/A EA|D2 D>E D2 AB|
c3 d e2 dc|B2 G2 A2 Bc|d2 AG F/G/A EA|D2 D>E DcBA|
G2 B2 D2 E/F/G|A>^GAB d2 BA|GEDE G2 G2|G4- G:|
5
X: 5
T: John O'Shea's
R: march
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
K: Dmaj
|:gfe|d2 F2 A2 Bd|e>^def a2 fe|dBAB d2 d2|d6 ef|
g3 a b2 ag|f2 d2 e2 fg|a2 ed c/d/e Be|A2 A>B A2 ef|
g3 a b2 ag|f2 d2 e2 fg|a2 ed c/d/e Be|A2 A>B Agfe|
d2 F2 A2 B/c/d|e>^def a2 fe|dBAB d2 d2|d4- d:|
6
X: 6
T: John O'Shea's
R: march
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
K: Amaj
|:dcB|A2 c2 E2 FA|B>^ABc e2 cB|AFEF A2 A2|A6 Bc|
d3 e f2 ed|c2 A2 B2 cd|e2 BA G/A/B FB|E2 E>F E2 Bc|
d3 e f2 ed|c2 A2 B2 cd|e2 BA G/A/B FB|E2 E>F EdcB|
A2 c2 E2 F/G/A|B>^ABc e2 cB|AFEF A2 A2|A4- A:|
7
X: 7
T: John O'Shea's
R: march
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
K: Amaj
cB|A2 CD|E2 (3FGA|B3c|e2 cB|AF EF/G/|A2 A2|A4-|A2 Bc|
d2 e2|f2 ed|c2 A2|B2 cd|ed cA|GE F2|E4-|E2 Bc|
d2 e2|f2 ed|c2 A2|B2 cd|ed cA|GE F2|E4-|E BcB|
A2 CD|E2 (3FGA|B3c|e2 cB|AF EF/G/|A2 A2|A4-|A2||
8
X: 8
T: John O'Shea's
R: march
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
K: Amaj
cB|A2 CD E2 F/G/A|B3 c e2 cB|AF EF/G/ A2 A2|A4- A2 Bc|
d2 e2 f2 ed|c2 A2 B2 cd|ed cA GE F2|E4- E2 Bc|
d2 e2 f2 ed|c2 A2 B2 cd|ed cA GE F2|E4- EBcB|
A2 CD E2 F/G/A|B3 c e2 cB|AF EF/G/ A2 A2|A4- A2||
9
X: 9
T: John O'Shea's
R: march
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
K: Gmaj
|:c/B/A|G2 D>E D2 D/E/F/G/|A3 B de/d/ c/B/A|GE DE G2 F2|G6 AB|
c3 d ef/e/ dc|B2 G2 A2- AB/c/|dc BG FD EF/E/|D6 A>B|
c2 cd e2 f/e/d/c/|B3 G A2 Bc|d>c BG F>D E>D|D6 d/c/B/A/|
G2 Bc d2 D/E/F/G/|A3 B d2 BA|GE DE G2 F2|G6:|

Sixteen comments

“John O’Shea’s March”

Another march collected during my sojourns through the backways of Eire, given here in the keys of G, D & A with some variations… We did some crazy things, like going march crazy and taking turns starting one and carrying it through several times before someone else gave another. This is one I at least have a name for…

One slipped through, or ‘down’, the middle version in D Major, bar 5 should be c’ rather than c, that is:

| g3 a bc’/b/ ag |

Discussion: Name that March !

https://thesession.org/discussions/14506
# Posted on July 19th 2007 by Bannerman

ComhaltasLive #218 - 4: Ceoltóirí na Mainistreach - 2 Marches:

http://comhaltas.ie/music/detail/comhaltaslive_218_4_ceoltoiri_na_mainistreach_march/

Two marches played beautifully by “Ceoltóirí na Mainistreach” from Ennis, County Clare, recorded at the Senior Céilí Band competition, Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann 2006, Letterkenny, County Donegal…

1.) “The Pikeman’s March” / “The Halting March”
Key signature: A Dorian
Submitted on January 14th 2003 by gian marco.
https://thesession.org/tunes/1330

2.) “John O’Shea’s March”

“John O’Shea’s March” ~ a transcription of the above & transpositions ~ G, D & A

X: 4
T: John O’Shea’s March
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
R: march
K: G Major
|: cBA |
G2 B2 D2 EG | A>^GAB d2 BA | GEDE G2 G2 | G6 AB |
c3 d e2 dc | B2 G2 A2 Bc | d2 AG F/G/A EA | D2 D>E D2 AB |
c3 d e2 dc | B2 G2 A2 Bc | d2 AG F/G/A EA | D2 D>E DcBA |
G2 B2 D2 E/F/G | A>^GAB d2 BA | GEDE G2 G2 | G4- G :|

X: 5
T: John O’Shea’s March
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
R: march
K: D Major
|: gfe |
d2 F2 A2 Bd | e>^def a2 fe | dBAB d2 d2 | d6 ef |
g3 a b2 ag | f2 d2 e2 fg | a2 ed c/d/e Be | A2 A>B A2 ef |
g3 a b2 ag | f2 d2 e2 fg | a2 ed c/d/e Be | A2 A>B Agfe |
d2 F2 A2 B/c/d | e>^def a2 fe | dBAB d2 d2 | d4- d :|

X: 6
T: John O’Shea’s March
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
R: march
K: A Major
|: dcB |
A2 c2 E2 FA | B>^ABc e2 cB | AFEF A2 A2 | A6 Bc |
d3 e f2 ed | c2 A2 B2 cd | e2 BA G/A/B FB | E2 E>F E2 Bc |
d3 e f2 ed | c2 A2 B2 cd | e2 BA G/A/B FB | E2 E>F EdcB |
A2 c2 E2 F/G/A | B>^ABc e2 cB | AFEF A2 A2 | A4- A :|

“John O’Shea’s March” ~ missing lyrics?

I am still sure I’ve another name for this one, and that there were lyrics attached to it as well… Maybe someone else will know? If so, please help to settle my troubled mind… 😉

It may yet come to me, or I may stumble across notes for it somewhere? 😏

I learnt this from the playing of the Liverpool Ceili Band where it was called The Old Cross.

Séamus Connolly, in his tunebook ‘Forget Me Not’, reports this to be the signature tune of the Old Cross Céilí Band from near Dungannon, County Tyrone, back in the 1960’s.

Discussion #39335: Newfoundland accordion - Bell Island March

Harry Hibbs - Bell Island March
https://youtu.be/ayqDwMD28YE

Published on Nov 3, 2013 by Trevor Reynolds
Harry Hibbs (September 11, 1942 -- December 21, 1989) was Newfoundland’s best-known icon for traditional Newfoundland music. ( - follow the YouTube link to read more about this musician… )

# Posted by Ryan Menchion - July 26th, 2016
https://thesession.org/members/103798