The Falcarragh hornpipe

From the playing of the young Clare band “Turas”. Apparently this is a composition of guitar player Alphie Duggan, probably best known as Tommy Peoples’ accompanist on “The Quiet Glen”. It’s one of those hornpipes that sounds more like a slow reel. Nice tune, it’s taken me a while to get round to posting it.

OK, it’s official. My name is Jason and I’m addicted to this tune. There. I said it.

I like the second part. G-lidian a very rare mode in irish music.

It is indeed rare. But this isn’t in G lydian, it’s in G major with some C# accidentals, which is very common in Irish music. That’s an important distinction, especially for backers.

Aoife Granville has a slightly different version which I think works a little better, certainly on the flute:

X: 1
T: Falcarragh, The
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
R: hornpipe
K: Gmaj
dc |: BGcG dGeG | defa ~g3 f | gece dBGB | Add^c ded=c |
BGcG dGeG | defa ~g3 f | gece dBAc |1 (3Bcd BA G3 A :|2 (3Bcd BA G2 ga ||
bd^cd adcd | gdBA ~G3 f | gece dBGB | Add^c dega |
bd^cd adcd | gdBA ~G3 f | gece dBAc | (3Bcd BA G3 ga |
bd^cd adcd | gdBA ~G3 f | gece dBGB | Add^c ded=c |
BGcG dGeG | defa ~g3 f | gece dBAc | (3Bcd BA G3 A ||

From Martin Nolan’s Travel N Style CD. A lovely version.

I really appreciate what you do Jack. Thanks. It’s fun to sit at the computer and try out these tunes…. you are a great contributor.

This is indeed my tune.
The version here is of course not entirely accurate, but the process of passing it around has not dis-improved it imho. That notwithstanding, I have to insist that in the turn the second C is a natural, moving from the previous C#, with repetitions following suit.
The only recorded version I have heard is that by my old mate Martin Nolan and he cast it in D which makes a beautiful version that I would never have originated.
It’s a fact that Trad tunes are not readily amenable to picking on the standard-tuned guitar and this tune was a slightly mischievous attempt to produce one that would be easy on the guitar and difficult on e.g. the fiddle, while retaining the necessary elements to appeal to the traditional ear. The fact that I have heard it played back to me so many times indicates that it has had a certain success.
I’m surprised and delighted to see it turning up on thesession.org

Hi Alph - welcome to “thesession.org”. It was me who posted your tune above, all of 13 years ago. I apologise for the mistakes, but the only source recording I had of it was the “Turas” CD, and I’m fairly certain my transcription was an accurate rendition of what was played on the CD. I will go back above - to my original transcription, anyway - and make the necessary changes as you request. Many thanks for giving us such a fine tune. Any more ?