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The Holly Tree reel

By Pat Molloy

Also known as The House On The Hill, Martin Mulhaire’s, Mulhaire’s, Pat Molloy’s, Seamus Thompson’s.

There are 8 recordings of this tune.

The Holly Tree has been added to 1 tune set.

The Holly Tree has been added to 35 tunebooks.

Download ABC

Three settings

1
X: 1
T: The Holly Tree
R: reel
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
K: Gmaj
d2ge dBGB|cdBc AGEG|D2B,D GABc|dg~g2 (3efg ag|
bg~g2 dBGB|cdBc AGEG|D2B,D G,B,DG|FGAc BGGB:|
|:dG (3Bcd GBdg|bg~g2 dBGB|c3A BcdB|(3cBA GB ABcd|
bg~g2 agef|~g3e dBGB|cege dB~B2|cAFA G3B:|
2
X: 2
T: The Holly Tree
R: reel
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
K: Gmaj
d2ge dBGB|dcBc ABGE|D2B,D G2 (3Bcd|dg~g2 fgag|
bg~g2 dBGB|dcBc ABGE|D2B,D G,B,DG|FGAc BGG2:|
|:dBBA GBdg|bgge ^cd2B|~c2ec BcdB|AdBA ABcA|
bgga agfa|~g3e dBGB|Bcec gcec|BAGF GABc:|
3
X: 3
T: The Holly Tree
R: reel
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
K: Gmaj
~d2ge dBGB|dcBc ABGE|~D2B,D GABc|dg ~g2 fgag|
bg~g2 dBGB|dcBc ABGE|~D2B,D G,B,DG|FGAd BG G2:|
dGBd GBdg|bg~g2 dBGB|~c2 ec ~B2dB|cABG AGEG|
bg~g2 agef|gage dBGB|~c2ec gcec|BAFA G2 z2:|

Fourteen comments

Seamus Thompson’s

From Fisherstreet’s “Out In The Night”. This used to get a very occasional airing at sessions where I live (I’ve heard it maybe 2 or 3 times). I think people probably played it for a bit during the 90s after the Fisherstreet album was released, but I feel as though it’s one of those tunes that’s in danger of drifting into obscurity unless someone else records it. The one that went before it in the Fisherstreet set - Lady Birr - got recorded by Lunasa, and the last one in the set has appeared on quite a few recordings, albeit in different settings. It’d be shame if this one was ignored - it’s a really nice tune.

I agree
🙂

Sounds like a variant of , or origin for swinging on a gate

It has bits that are a little similar, but the 2 tunes are totally unrelated as far as I know.

Composed by Martin Mulhaire

Martin Mulhaire, the great button accordionist from Eyrecourt, east Galway and long resident in New York, is the composer of this tune, and his title is “The House on the Hill.” Martin’s authorship was, however, disputed by Joe Molloy, the Birmingham banjo player, who believes that his father composed the tune.

Seamus Thompson, for whom Fisherstreet named the tune, is a great fiddler from Co. Longford.

I found another recording of this today. It’s on Teada’s 1st album as “Pat Molloy’s”

X: 1
T: Pat Molloy’s
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
D: Teada - Teada
R: reel
K: Gmaj
d2ge dBGB|dcBc ABGE|D2B,D G2 (3Bcd|dg~g2 fgag|
bg~g2 dBGB|dcBc ABGE|D2B,D G,B,DG|FGAc BGG2:|
|:dBBA GBdg|bgge ^cd2B|~c2ec BcdB|AdBA ABcA|
bgga agfa|~g3e dBGB|Bcec gcec|BAGF GABc:|

House On The Hill

I searched for this tune and found one called ‘THE House on The Hill’
https://thesession.org/tunes/484
but it was not the reel I looked for, composed by the late Martin Mulhaire
that passed away not many days ago R.I.P -
His reel is named ‘House On The Hill’ (no ‘The’ in front)
My version is allmost the same that’s on The Mulhaire site:
https://www.mulhairemusic.com/ and there are many of his other comps.

Re: House On The Hill

Hi coppers and brass. No I did not look at this one, because it didn’t pop up
when I searched on the proper title.
Yes it’s probably the same tune, but ‘my’ version is more true to the composer
and I think it sounds better, soooo!

Seamus Thompson’s is actually The Holly Tree by Pat Molloy

This tune is called The Holly Tree and was composed by Pat Molloy RIP, father of Joe Molloy (banjo), and Enda Molloy (box), Pauline (fiddle, and Ronan (bodhran).

Pat lived most of his life in Birmingham, and was a hugely respected fiddle player and teacher. No one knows how his tune became attributed to all of the above erroneous sources, but I knew Pat well and for his sake, and his family’s, I want to set the record straight. I can confirm without any doubt that this is his tune.