Paddy Ryan’s Dream reel

A strange tune, this one. I find that the second part sounds more like an eastern european tune than an Irish reel. It must be those sharps.

Sometimes I catch myself playing this tune with more of a hornpipe-type rhythm. It sounds fine like that, but it loses some of the urgency it has when played as a reel.

For ornamentation, try lengthening some notes. In the first part, instead of playing AEDE, try playing a simple AE E, or instead of that low AGAB, make it A AB. Alternatively, turn those very same long notes into quick triplets: AE EDE, AGA AB.

You can a bit more of an exotic flair to this reel by sometimes playing the Gs as sharps in the first part. I think it’s actually shown in O’Neill’s with the Gs sharp.

Here’s another nice little variation to play at the very start of the tune - play that very first A note one octave lower.
So, if you were playing fiddle, instead of going down to the E from the open A string, you would now come up to it from the A note on the G string.

This is known in Scotland as Miss Lyall. There are slight variations in the first part but the structure is essentially the same. The second part is typically Scots in charatcter.

The reel has the same melodic structure as the strathspey that usually goes first (which bears the same name).

I love the reel ‘Paddy Ryan’s Dream’ but am having trouble finding tunes that it goes well with - do you have any ideas?

The Collier’s perhaps. Or The Crock of Gold by Vincent Broderick, doesn’t fit as well musically, but certainly goes with the story of Paddy Ryan’s dream!

Paddy Ryan’s Dream/The Ballinasloe Fair
The Girl That Broke My Heart / Paddy Ryan’s Dream / Music In The Glen
Paddy Ryan’s Dream-Fahy’s Reel-The Pigeon On The Gate
Doherty’s Reel / Paddy Ryan’s Dream / McGinnely’s Reel
Paddy Ryan’s Dream/Never Was Piping So Gay/John McGrath’s
Paddy Ryan’s Dream/Mamma’s Pet
Martin Haye’s, The Boys Of Chicago, Paddy Ryan’s Dream
My Love Is In America / Paddy Ryan’s Dream / Mother’s Delight
Paddy Ryan’s Dream/Dowd’s Favourite/Phelim’s Frolic
Paddy Ryan’s Dream/Coleman’s Cross
The Little Beggarman/The Scaredy-Cat Reel/Paddy Ryan’s Dream/Dillon’s Fancy
Sean Reid’s Reel / Roscommon / Paddy’s Ryan’s Dream
The Hut On Staffin Island/The Haggis/Paddy Ryan’s Dream
Paddy Ryan’s Dream/ The Inimitable Reel/ The Macroom Lassies
Paddy Ryan’s Dream - Ian Morissons’s
Trip to Durrow Paddy Ryan’s Dream / Sheila Coyles
Micho Russel’s/Paddy Ryan’s Dream/Tear The Calico

Paddy Ryan has a recurring dream that he’ll find his fortune in Dublin on the O’Connell bridge. So, he goes to Dublin, wanders around for a few days. Nada. then he runs into a neighbor from back in the town he came from. The neighbor asks what he’s doing there, so he tells him about the drea. The neighbor says "Wow that’s funny, I’ve a had a dream a few times that there was a crock of gold buried under one of the plants in your mother’s Garden." So Paddy goes home, digs up all the plants, and under the last one, which is old and dying, he finds a huge crock of gold. I don’t know exactly where the story originated. Great folk tale though.

Gian Marco - how did you generate your list? The contra dance band I play in (The Old Sod Band) recorded the Trip to Durrow/Paddy Ryan’s Dream/Sheila Coyles combination - has someone else recorded it?

I just rememebered that the plant that the gold was to be found under was a Gooseberry bush, so perhaps a good set would be Paddy Ryan’s Dream/The Crock of Gold/The Gooseberry Bush. I can’t remember how the Gooseberry Bush goes though, not sure if Crock of Gold leads into that well!

It certainly sounds very scottish to me.

I think this one is in B minor on Johnny Og Connolly & Brian McGrath’s "Dreaming Up the Tunes" album.

Also known as "Paddy Ryan’s Dream"
Submitted on January 17th 2003 by what?!!?.
https://thesession.org/tunes/1344

For whatever reason, the director of this movie decided to have Mary Boleyn’s wedding party in 1530’s England entertained by very fine Irish musicians, led by a fine Sligo-style fiddler playing this tune! I started laughing in the theater and my family looked at me a little strangely until I told them what it was….

The link posted above to tune #1344 now does not work, so I am reposting that version here in the comments section. This is the Donegal version of Paddy Ryan’s Dream with C#s, popularised by Tommy Peoples. It sometimes goes by the title "Mooney’s Reel", which, according to the Fiddler’s Companion, does not refer to Frankie and Mairead Mooney, but is an older title.

First Tommy Peoples’ setting, which was originally posted here as tune #1344:

X: 1
T: Mooney’s
T: Paddy Ryan’s Dream (Donegal Version)
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
R: reel
S: Tommy Peoples
Z: what?!!?
K: Amix
ed |: cA A/A/A cABG | EGD=C B,CDB, | =CA,B,G, A,B,CD | EA^GB Aced |
| cA A/2A/2A cABG | EGD=C B,CDB, | =CA,B,G, A,B,CD |1 EA^GB Aced :|2 EA^GB Aef^g ||
|: a^gae ceAf | gfgd BFGB | A^gae cBAc | B^GED CEA^g |
| a^gae ceAf | gfgd BGBd | cBcd edcB |1 Aa^gb aef^g :|2 Aa^gb a2ed ||

This setting was also recorded by Michelle O’Brien. Here’s my own transcription of her setting:

X: 1
T: Mooney’s
T: Paddy Ryan’s Dream (Donegal Version)
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
R: reel
S: Michelle O’Brien
Z: Dow
K: Amix
cA A/A/A cABG | EDD=C (3A,B,C DB, | =CA,A,G, ~A,2CD | ~E2^GB Afed |
~c2ac cAAG | EDD=C (3A,B,C DB, | =CA,A,G, ~A,2CD |1 ED^GB A3B :|2 ED^GB A3^g ||
|: ae e/e/e ceAc | B/B/Bge dBG^g | a^gae ceAc | B^GED CEA^g |
| a^gae ceAc | ~B2ge dBGB | A2 B/c/d edcd |1 eaa^g a4 :|2 eaa^g gaed ||

Hi. I tried to transcribe the Cian, "Rolling wave" album version of this tune in Bminor. On the album, the guitar accompaniment is - to my taste - incredibly good. Not to mention flute and concertina…

Note: the other Paddy Ryan’s Dream https://thesession.org/tunes/79 is not what is played on this album, it differes not only by the key, but also some - not so huge - variations. Regards.

Gilles

Looks like a variation in a different key of what is already on here as https://thesession.org/tunes/79

Cross-posted.

I found another transcription of the Donegal version on the net, this time from the playing of Paul O’Shaughnessy (edited a bit by me for easier comparison):

X: 1
T: Paddy Ryan’s Dream
S: Paul O’Shaughnessy
Z: Juergen.Gier@post.rwth-aachen.de
M: C|
L: 1/8
K: Amix
cA~A2 cABG|EGDB, =CEDB,|=CA,A,G, A,B,CD|~E2AE ^GBed|
cA~A2 cABG|EGDB, =CEDB,|=CA,A,G, A,B,CD|1 EA^GB A2ed:|2 EA^GB A2f^g||
|:agae ceAf|gfgd BFGB|Aaae ceAc|BGED CEAa|
agae ceAf|gfgd BFGB|cBcd edcB|1 Aa^gb aefg:|2 Aa^gb aeed||

P. O’Shaughnessy recorded it on "Within a Mile of Dublin." John Doherty is cited as the source of the version.

I really liked the version in the film, even bought the soundtrack, but of course it had only the orchestral bits. Anyone know who plays it? It doesn’t say in the credits

Hi everyone.
I watched a film last night, ‘The Other Boleyn Girl’. In it at one stage early in the film, there is a scene of country dancing outdoors. The dancers were dancing to the reel Paddy Ryan’s Dream. Does anyone know if this tune would have been around in 16th century England ?, or was this artistic license on the part of the film-makers.

Neil

Hi Gilles,

I have corrected some little mistakes. A nice tune. I’am a little surprised by its name, but it sounds to be a variation of the original tune (in Ador)…

X: 1
T: [NOTE] Paddy Ryan’s Dream
Z: Gilles Tabary / -ed-
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
R: reel
K: Bdor
bf~f2 dBcA|Fc~c2 ABcA|~B3c dcBd|cBAc Bcdc|
BF~F2 dBcA|Fc~c2 AB c/B/A|~B3c dcBd|cBAc ~B3B:|
fb~b2 bfdB|Aagb afee|fb~b2 bfde|{e}~f2ef dBcA|
Bb~b2 bfdB|Aagb afee|B/c/d ce dfe=g|fedc ~B3B:|

See you.

you should read the comments above, they are relevent to what you are asking

here’s the first time through Tara Breen’s version more or less.

here’s the video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0mkEcUOxHrU

play video

Now the ABC

X: 1
T: Paddy Ryan’s Dream
N: As Played by Tara Breen
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
R: reel
K: Amin
AB|:AE{G}E{D}E cABG|(3EFG DC B,CDB,|[A,E]3 B, CDEG|ABcB AEGB|!
|AE{G}E{D}E cABG|(3EFG DC B,CDB,|A,{C}A,{G,}A, B, CDEG|cABG ABcB:|
|:Aa{b}a^g aecA|Gg{a}g^f gdBG|Aa{b}a^g ae=fg|e=fde ceBe|!
Aa (3[Aa]aa [Aa]ecA|Gg (3[Bg]gg [Bg]dBG|(3ABc Bd cedf|edcB ABcB:|!

I was just playing through my abc and noticed the last f should be marked natural as a reminder. so here’s the corrected version. I guess it’s up to individual taste, it helps me read when playing the tune on concertina because I have to think harder about what buttons I’m pushing.

X: 1
T: Paddy Ryan’s Dream
N: As Played by Tara Breen
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
R: reel
K: Amin
AB|:AE{G}E{D}E cABG|(3EFG DC B,CDB,|[A,E]3 B, CDEG|ABcB AEGB|!
|AE{G}E{D}E cABG|(3EFG DC B,CDB,|A,{C}A,{G,}A, B, CDEG|cABG ABcB:|
|:Aa{b}a^g aecA|Gg{a}g^f gdBG|Aa{b}a^g ae=fg|e=fde ceBe|!
Aa (3[Aa]aa [Aa]ecA|Gg (3[Bg]gg [Bg]dBG|(3ABc Bd ced=f|edcB ABcB:|!

This tune has been recorded as "Mooney’s Favourite" on "The Celebrated Recordings" by John Doherty.

Please note that the video of Tara is private/ not available.

http://comhaltas.ie/music/detail/comhaltaslive_301_5_tara_breen/

A Bobby Casey variation on the first four bars.

cB| AE3~ c2BG| EB,3~ G,A,B,G,| A,E3~ CDEG| cABG ABcB|

"I think this one is in B minor on Johnny Og Connolly & Brian McGrath’s "Dreaming Up the Tunes" album."

# Posted by withak 8 years ago

Absolutely correct withak, I posted a transcription of what I think they play on that fine album.

This is my first time posting an ABC. I’m pretty sure it’s similar to the version posted above from Paul O’Shaughnessy, but this is from the youtube video from the ITMA archives.

Video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r6eX7DSWnTg

play video

X:1
T:Paddy Ryan’s Dream As Played By Paul O’Shaughnessy
L:1/8
M:4/4
I:linebreak $
K:D
ed |: cA A/A/A cABG | EGDB, =CEDB, | =CA,A,G, A,B,CD | EAA/A/A ^GBed |$ cA A/A/A cABG |
EGDB, =CEDB, | =CA,A,G, A,B,CD |1 EA^GB Aced :|2$ EA^GB Aef^g |: a^gae ceA=g | gfgd BFGB |
Aaae ceAc |$ BGED CEAa | a^gae ceA=g | gfgd BFGB | cA B/c/d edcB |1$ Aa^gb aefg :| Aa^gb ae fd ||
z8 ||

I posted his version of Mother’s Delight, the 2nd tune, here:
https://thesession.org/tunes/257#comment710426

None of the other settings fit the flute so I’ve made a transcription of Michael Clarkson’s ‘learning version’ on his ‘Irish Flute Tunes’ website and give it here (with his kind permission). It lays nicely for the fingers except for the f-naturals in the B part on a keyless flute. Here is the web address for learning it by ear: http://irishflute.podbean.com/e/paddy-ryans-dream-reel/

Is anyone familiar with the ton of tunes he recorded? Paddy Ryan’s dream is one of them.

I was referring to Michael Coleman

A good tune to follow Paddy Ryan’s Dream is Sergeant Early’s Dream.
I usually play those two as a set on the banjo.

From 1’18
https://youtu.be/TY9wiiElazo?t=1m18s

play video

Kevin Burke plays this tune with Cal Scott.
Here’s a good video of it here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WjhQubdPRh8

play video

Definitely a whole new way of playing it than for instance in this video with Natalie (where it is called Miss Lyle):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jbY-LpV3K-k

play video

There are more versions here under Paddy Ryan’s Dream.

As we play it in Austin, TX

Here’s one of my favourite versions of this tune: https://youtu.be/IV-e7VsE2bw

play video

I hope you enjoy it!

Taken from the Skye Collection (1887), where it is said to have been composed by Simon Fraser, although it is not included in Fraser’s own published collection. Two names are given for the tune: Miss Lyall, and Grant of Laggan.

Vincent Griffin’s setting with Clare variation
https://youtu.be/aWEw-b3Z11s

play video

This is taken from Bobby Casey’s ‘Casey in the Cowhouse’, one of my favourite records. Because of some nice variations in the phrases, I’ve written it out fully rather than using repeat marks, though I’ve only transcribed the first run-through out of the two he plays - the second time is more or less the same as the first. It’s a stunning rendition, though I am a bit of a sucker for Casey’s playing - I highly recommend having a listen.

Particularly notable are two quirky bits of phraseology: bars 1-2 in line 4; and the bottom A at the end of that line that ties over into the B section, jumping two octaves in the process and lending a syncopated feel (unfortunately the notation is only willing to show a glimmer of the tie, but it’s there). I don’t think I’ve come across either feature in other versions I’ve heard, though maybe I’ve not been looking hard enough… I know transcribing particular players’ versions can seem against the point here, but in this case I felt that several distinctive turns of phrase merited this being added as a version.

This is in George Cameron’s 1854 collection of fiddle music. It appears in the Athole Collection as Miss Lyall. It seams like a lot of Irish tunes originated in Scotland but have become a part of the Irish tradition such that most people think such tunes are traditional Irish.

I earlier commented on who wrote this tune and its original name. Here is the setting from the Athole Collection.

Miss Lyall is usually credited to Captain Simon Fraser, Connor.
Once again, I’ll point out that the names given in the Athole Collection are not necessarily the composers of the tunes but source collections.