The Bantry Lasses reel

I learned this initially from the dots in Matt Cranitch’s fiddle tutor, but the setting here is a little different—the result of noodling on it for a week or so (and me playing nothing like Mr. Cranitch).

Nothing too spectacular here, just a solid little D reel, the sort that blends well into the skein of tunes at a session. I like the one c natural in the A part, for just a touch of that mixolydian feel. Thanks to that, Bantry Lasses would lead well into Rakish Paddy, The Bank of Ireland, or Nine Points of Roguery, eh?

There are lots of obvious places to throw triplets, rolls, or other ornaments in the tune, but it also sounds good just straight. One minor variation I sometimes do for the 2nd measure of the A Part is to play: |GAFG EFGE| or |BAGF EFGE|.

I think you under-rate this reel, Will. I heard it for the first time a week ago. It’s the first tune on a new CD by Jimmy Noonan & Chris McGrath, (The Maple Leaf) and it immediately made me sit up and take notice. A lovely melodic reel, which the guys play very well. There is a setting of it in O’Neill’s, and I think it will be turning up in sessions very soon.

Don’t get me wrong Kenny, I really like Bantry Lasses…on fiddle at least it just rolls off the bow and fingers, and it completes itself better than most tunes—a strong structure and—you’re right—nice melody line. Kind of along the lines of The Cameronian (another of my favorites).

On the other hand, it doesn’t exactly grab me by the adrenal gland the way, say, Toss the Feathers does, or Rakish Paddy. And that’s a good thing, because otherwise all we’d have are adrenalin tunes and cry in your beer songs.

T:Bantry Lasses, The
M:C|
L:1/8
S:Jimmy Noonan - Maple Leaf_irish traditional music from boston
R:reel
Z:gmp
K:D
|: ~F3E D~F3 | G2FG EGAG | ~F3E D2Ad | cAGE EDD2 |
~F3E D~F3 | G2FG EGAG | ~F3E D2Ad | cAGE EDD2 :|
|: Addc d3A | (3Bcd ef gfed | Addc deed | cAGE EDD2 |
Addc d3A | (3Bcd ef gfge | fgfd efed | cAGE EDD2 :|

Gian, thanks for posting this setting, I love the tunes on this CD. This might seem nit-picky, but whenever I hear ornaments like what happens on the second F#, (at the end of the first bar,) I write it like this: ~F3E DF~F2 as opposed to your way ~F3E D~F3 The reason is that it seems to capture the nature of the triplet that is indicated. The way you have it gives it a syncopation that isn’t really there. I’m no authority on abc transcriptions, it’s just a thought.

Forgive me for savoring the irony of having learned this from the dots only to end up offering a recording of me playing it on fiddle here: http://www.soundlantern.com/UpdatedSoundPage.do?ToId=3575&Path=BantryLasses61708.mp3

Sweet little tune…some day I’ll learn how to play it. 🙂

I’ve just noticed that the B-part is similar to that of Return to Miltown (aka The Ferry Banks) https://thesession.org/tunes/3205

Hello,

would it be possible to add Scottish categories like 2/4 marches, 6/8 marches etc.? Donald MacLean’s Farewell To Oban for example is a 2/4 march. Not a barndance.

Thank you and best regards!
Mark

Taken from ‘A Fine Selection of Over 200 Irish Traditional Tunes for Sessions’, compiled by David Speers with a Forward by Matt Cranitch. A bit like X:1 in that it has that C natural, giving it that mixolydian feel and also it’s pretty well identical to Matt’s Irish Fiddle Book version. I wouldn’t mind betting this version (and maybe X:1) originated in that book.