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Scollay’s reel

Also known as Sculley’s, Scully’s, Scullys.

There are 8 recordings of this tune.

Scollay’s appears in 1 other tune collection.

Scollay’s has been added to 10 tune sets.

Scollay's has been added to 153 tunebooks.

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Four settings

1
X: 1
T: Scollay's
R: reel
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
K: Emin
E2EFG2A2|BcBA GFGA|B2E2E2G2|FGAFD2GF|
E2EFG2A2|BcBA GFGA|B2Bc BAGF|G2E2E4:|
|:efgeB2B2|g2g2B4|c2BAG2G2|FGAFD2F2|
E2EFG2A2|BABde2d2|B2Bc BAGF|G2E2E4:|
2
X: 2
T: Scollay's
R: reel
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
K: Emin
E3 F G3 A | BcBA GEGA | B2 E2 E2 G2 | FGAF D3 F |
E3 F G3 A | BcBA GEGA | B3 c BAFA | G2 E2 e4 :|
efge B2 B2 | g2 g2 B4 | c2 BA G2 G2 | FGAF D3 F |
E3 F G3 A | BcBd e2 d2 | B3 c BAFA | G2 E2 E4 :|
3
X: 3
T: Scollay's
R: reel
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
K: Emin
E2EFG2A2|BcBA GFGA|B2E2E2G2|FGAF D2GF|
E2EFG2A2|BcBA GFGA|B2Bc BAGF|G2E2E4:|
|:efgeB2B2|g2g2B4|c2BA G2G2|FGAFD2GF|
E2EFG2A2|BABde2d2|B2Bc BAGF|G2E2E4:|
4
X: 4
T: Scollay's
R: reel
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
K: Emin
B,2|: "Em"ED EF GF GA|Bc BA GF GA|B2E2 E2G2|"Bm"FGAF D2B,2|
"Em"ED EF GF GA|"C"BcBA GFGA|"Bm"B2Bc BAGF|"Em"G2E2 E4:|
|: "G"efge B2B2|g2g2 B4|"Am"~c3 B A2 G2 |"Bm"FGAF DGFD|
"C"E3F G2A2|"A"BABd e2d2|"C"B2 G2 "D"BAGF|"Em"G2E2 E4:|
# Added by Bryce .

Thirteen comments

I learned this tune from a friend of mine. I dont know much about it other than that it’s a contra dance reel.

Is this an American tune? It’s like an old timey version of the King Of The Fairies. I’ve heard *of* it, but never heard it in an Irish session. I was wondering: do people who play this tune also play the King Of The Fairies as a separate tune?

Scollay’s Reel

It is a Shetland variant of "King of the Fairies". I have it one of my notebooks, but I neglected to note where I got it. Possibly from Edinburgh fiddler Rosa Michaelson.

X:1
T:Scollay’s Reel
Z:Nigel Gatherer
M:4/4
L:1/8
K:Em
E3 F G3 A | BcBA GEGA | B2 E2 E2 G2 | FGAF D3 F |
E3 F G3 A | BcBA GEGA | B3 c BAFA | G2 E2 e4 :|
efge B2 B2 | g2 g2 B4 | c2 BA G2 G2 | FGAF D3 F |
E3 F G3 A | BcBd e2 d2 | B3 c BAFA | G2 E2 E4 :|

Scollay’s Reel

We play the King of f the Fairies as a different tune, which is more like Prince (or King) William of Orange.
Scollay’s is played as 2 As and 2Bs and the King of the Fairies is 2As and one B as the B part is more complex.

King of th Fairies is on one of Swarb’s albums. Can’t recall which.

Scollay’s Reel

In a set, follows on well from Whinham’s Reel (q.v.), as I heard in a session last night.

& just where were you last night?

I heard this tune from John McCutcheon about thirty years ago. I’ve always been curious about its provenance and I’ve occasionally searched tune books and the net and, until now, never found a reference other to than one of John’s early albums.

It never sounded very Irish to me, especially the way John played it, but I always liked it a lot. He played it slow and with a swing - sort of like a slow march.

Provenance

I learned this as a Shetland slow reel, with a dotted, hornpipe-like rhythm. This is supported by the fact that he name Scollay is a fairly common name in the Shetlands and Orkneys, and is a local name of Norse origin, unrerlated to the Irish Scully.

Re: Scollay’s

I agree that I’m used to hearing this like a Shetland Hornpipe.

For instance, the first couple measures would be logged as such:

E>D E>F G>F G>A|B>c B>A G>F G>A|

I’ll plan on posting some ABC to match that hornpipe style.

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