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The Holly Bush jig

Also known as The Bellharbour, Chris Droney’s, Three Little Drummers, The Three Little Drummers.

There are 31 recordings of this tune.

This tune has been recorded together with The Mist Covered Mountain (a few times) and Paddy O’Rafferty (a few times).

The Holly Bush has been added to 7 tune sets.

The Holly Bush has been added to 110 tunebooks.

Download ABC

Four settings

1
X: 1
T: The Holly Bush
R: jig
M: 6/8
L: 1/8
K: Gmaj
BAG GDG|GDG ABc|BAG edc|BdB cBA|
BAG GDG|GDG ABc|BAG edB|def g3:|
|:gdd gdd|gdd dcB|Acc Acc|Acc cBA|
~B3 ~c3|BAG Adc|BAG edB|def g3:|
2
X: 2
T: The Holly Bush
R: jig
M: 6/8
L: 1/8
K: Gmaj
BAG GDG|GDG ABc|~B3 edc|BdB cBA|
BAG GDG|GDG ABc|~B3 edc|1 def g2d:|2 def g2f||
|:gdd gdd|gdd dcB|Acc Acc|Acc c2c|
~B3 ~c3|d2d ABc|~B3 edc|1 def g3f:|2 def g2d||
3
X: 3
T: The Holly Bush
R: jig
M: 6/8
L: 1/8
K: Gmaj
A|BAG GDG|GDG ABc|~B3 edc|BdB cBA|
BAG GDG|GDG ABc|~B3 edc|def g2:|
|:f|gdd gdd|gdd dcB|Acc AcA|~c3 cBA|
~B3 cBc|dBG Fdc|~B3 edc|def g2:|
4
X: 4
T: The Holly Bush
R: jig
M: 6/8
L: 1/8
K: Amaj
aee aee | aee {a}edc | Bdd Bdd | Bdd {e}dcB |
cBc ded | ~cBA Bed | ~cBA {g}fec | efg a2 z :|
cBA {d}BAE | AEA Bcd | ~cBA {g}fed | cec dcB |
cBA {d}BAE | AEA Bcd | ~cBA {g}fed | efg a2 z :|

Eight comments

Dow- something amazing just happened. I can read ABCs! My life has changed for ever…..

I think it might be cos I already play this tune but ye never know….

The Holly Bush

From Matt Molloy & Sean Keane’s "Contentment Is Wealth". Also recorded as The Three Little Drummers on Chris Droney’s "Fertile Rock" and Tola Custy & Cyril O’Donoghue’s "Setting Free". The version on Setting Free is as follows:

X: 1
T: The Three Little Drummers
T: Holly Bush, The
M: 6/8
L: 1/8
R: jig
K: Gmaj
BAG GDG|GDG ABc|~B3 edc|BdB cBA|
BAG GDG|GDG ABc|~B3 edc|1 def g2d:|2 def g2f||
|:gdd gdd|gdd dcB|Acc Acc|Acc c2c|
~B3 ~c3|d2d ABc|~B3 edc|1 def g3f:|2 def g2d||

It’s also on the first Trouble in the Kitchen ep, from when they were all little tackers and they had the elusive Dan Gordon playing flute with them

So it is. Ado has a different version again:

X: 1
T: Holly Bush, The
M: 6/8
L: 1/8
R: jig
K: Gmaj
A|BAG GDG|GDG ABc|~B3 edc|BdB cBA|
BAG GDG|GDG ABc|~B3 edc|def g2:|
|:f|gdd gdd|gdd dcB|Acc AcA|~c3 cBA|
~B3 cBc|dBG Fdc|~B3 edc|def g2:|

Ahhh thank you.
Lovely

I believe this little jig appears on Solas’ 3rd album as Chris Droney’s.

A variation

heard in a friend’s kitchen (parts reversed and transposed to A - cleverly identified by Phantom Button):

X:1
T: The Three Little Drummers
T: Holly Bush, The
M:6/8
L:1/8
R:jig
K:Amaj
aee aee | aee {a}edc | Bdd Bdd | Bdd {e}dcB |
cBc ded | ~cBA Bed | ~cBA {g}fec | efg a2 z :|
cBA {d}BAE | AEA Bcd | ~cBA {g}fed | cec dcB |
cBA {d}BAE | AEA Bcd | ~cBA {g}fed | efg a2 z :|