Old John’s (jig) on The Session

Seven settings

X: 1
T: Old John's
R: jig

X: 2
T: Old John's
R: jig

X: 3
T: Old John's
R: jig

M: 6/8
L: 1/8
K: Ador
|:cBA cBA|G2G GAB|cAG A2G|Add ded|
cBA cBA|G2G GAB|cde ged|1 cAG A2 B:|2 cAG A3||
|:efg eaa|ged cAA|efg eaa|bag a2e|
efg eaa|ged cAA|cde ged|cAG A3:|

X: 4
T: Old John's
R: jig

X: 5
T: Old John's
R: jig

M: 6/8
L: 1/8
K: Ador
cAA cAA|GEE G>AB|cAA cAG|Add ded|
cAA cAA|GEE G>AB|cde ged|1 cAA A2 B:|2 cAA A3||
|:e>fg eaa|ged cAA|e>fg eaa|bag a2 g|
e>fg eaa|ged cAA|cde ged|cAA A3:|

X: 6
T: Old John's
R: jig

M: 6/8
L: 1/8
K: Ador
B|cAA cAA|GEE GAB|cAA A2G|Add ded|
cAA cAA|GEE GAB|cde g/f/ed|cAA A2 B|
cAA cAA|GEE GAB|~c3 ~B3|AGE D2 B|
cAA cAA|GEE GAB|cde g/f/ed|cAA A2 d|
|:efg eaa|ged cAA|efg eaa|bag a2 g|
efg eaa|ged cAG|cde g/f/ed|1 cAA A2d:|2 cAA A3||

X: 7
T: Old John's
R: jig

Nine comments

This tune is both very cool and very straightforward. This combination makes it a great tune for beginners to cut their teeth on.

I’ve shown a very basic version of the tune here and the possibilties for variation are endless. That opening phrase can be played in many different ways. The notes could be rolled are turned into CBA or very simply just CA.

For an interesting and subtle change try putting this tune together with “The geese in the bog”.

The Old John in question was John Potts, a piper and flute player from Wexford, father of Tommy Potts and grandfather of Sean Potts, the whistle player from the Chieftains. Potts’s student Breandan Breathnach named this tune after him for Ceol Rince na Eireann Vol. 1.

The first part of this is very similar to Bryan O’Lynn’s so be careful and don’t go playing the wrong thing like I did at a session last night. Compare with:

https://thesession.org/tunes/830
https://thesession.org/tunes/4139

Also Compare with

The Short Grass: https://thesession.org/tunes/3058
The Rooms of Dooagh: https://thesession.org/tunes/2277

“The Bank of Ireland” ~ a rescued duplication

Old John’s, X:3

This is a variation that is played around the sessions in Winnipeg, Canada.

Re: Old John’s

I’d always thought of that tune as a version of Brian O’Lynn but it is indeed listed here as Old john’s https://thesession.org/tunes/57 .

Old John’s, X:6

Nice version of this jig as played by the late Tom Ferris of Wexford town on the accordion. The lovely variation of the repeat of the first part is especially nice. In Ceol Rince 1, Breandan Breatnach (who’s wife incidentally was a relative of Tom Ferris‘) names it for John Potts Senior, who I believe had been his piping mentor. Does any one know if the tune was composed by Breandan as a tribute to John Potts, or was the tune part of John Potts’ repertoire??

Old John’s, X:7

Setting with chords

Old John’s jig