Queen Of The Fair jig

I have a recording of this on a Dubliners compilation CD, mysteriously entitled “Waltzing Matilda”. (The song on the CD to which the title refers is actually Eric Bogle’s “And the band played Waltzing Matilda”.) The tune is titled “Queens of the fair” and is followed by another that I don’t know the name of.

Maybe I’m making a big deal about something that’s not but both the Dubliners and Kieran Hanrahan (on his solo album) have recorded the Queen of the Fair and played the Tongs by the Fire after it. According to the recordings section, there is another album which has the same set but I can’t remember which one it was.

I’m wondering if there is an old source to this tune or was it by coincidence that these three albums have the same paired jigs? Or was it The Dubliners who would have been Kieran’s influence in selecting the set for his album?

Its been on my mind for a while and I’m just curious to see if there happens to be any kind of explanation involved.

Nothing or nobody comes come close to Joe Cooley playing this followed by the Carraroe jig

The Morning Lark: https://thesession.org/tunes/2060

X: 1
T: Queen Of The Fair
M: 6/8
L: 1/8
R: jig
K: Dmaj
|:FEF D3|DFA dAF|G3 FGA|BGE EAG|
FEF D3|DFA dAF|GFG EFG|1 FDD D2E:|2 FDD D2g||
|:fdf ece|dAG FED|DFA dAF|GFG E2g|
fdf ece|dAG FED|DFd EFG|1 FDD D2g:|2 FDD D3||
|:Add fdd|add fdd|Ace g3|fdf ecA|
a3 geg|fdf ecA|EFG BAG|1 FGE D2E:|2 FDD D3||

I’ve heard that this tune was composed the fiddler John McFadden, from Co.Mayo who contributed a lot of music to O’Neill’s collection. Anyone have any opinions on this?

I came across this same attribution recently in a book I have out from Aberdeen University at the moment. The book is :
“”The Man And His Music : An Anthology Of The Writings Of Breandan Breathnach“, published by ”Na Piobairi Uilleann".
Page 129 - “John McFadden composed ”The Queen Of The Fair“, which achieved some currency here when recorded by the old Ballinakill Ceili Band”.

Was just listening to an old 78 of Denis Murphy which I had dubbed years and years ago; he plays the 4th bar cBc EFG. Typically lonesome touch, that.

Watch Joe Burke play the tune accompanied by Charlie Lennon on the piano: http://comhaltas.ie/music/detail/comhaltaslive_346_7_joe_burke_and_charlie_lennon/

X:4 Paddy Carty’s setting from the classic Shannachie recording https://thesession.org/recordings/339 .
The first time through the B part in measure B2, instead of playing FED as in every other instance, he plays F^EF--that is F# E#(F natural) F#. He only does it the one time, but it’s a quintessential Carty variation.