Rathlin Island reel

Rathlin Island is a boomerang-shaped rock in the North Channel off the coast of Antrim, across from Ballycastle. But you don’t need to know that to recognize this tune’s “northern” origins.

I can’t trace my setting to any one source, but I’ve heard Rathlin Island played as both a reel charging along like a runaway train and more slowly as a highland, with an almost-strathspey snap and lurch to it. Either way, it lends itself to any number of variations:

Fiddlers can kick the first half off with a howl by double stopping the fourth finger e on the second string with the first string open and then leaping into triplets: |e3 d eA (3AAA|(3ege dB GA (3Bcd|

Of course, you could just use one of those tricks any time through this phrase.

I’ve also heard the fourth measure of the A part played: |dgba gedg| to get you back to the start of the A part.

Start the second half with a stutter: |3(AAA AB EGBG| or |A (3AAB EGBG|

And a common place to add a triplet comes in the last measure: |(3ege dB BAA2|

It’s also nice to play the A part an octave lower against the rest of the crowd.

Well. I just spent an extremely enjoyable quarter hour playing with all your variations, Will. I love it when you give all your variations, since I’m not very good at them myself yet. 🙂

Zina

My pleasure. 🙂

Does anyone know the chords Donogh uses for this tune? It’s on Lunasa’s Kinnitty Sessions, and Donogh plays almost the same arrangement in the Rahlin Island cut of Sharon Shannon’s Each Little Thing. (In Kinnitty this tune is teamed with Sporting Paddy)

I love the rising chord progressions--I just can’t figure out anything about how he does it.

Any clues would be most appreciated!
Thanks
Gena

I’ve just found it’s nice to play A.A. Cameron’s before this reel. Rathlin Island is geographically very close to Scotland, so no wonder they go nicely together even if this one is a recent composition. Alternatively we may play this tune as a strathspey.

In the liner notes in THE KINNITY SESSIONS Peter Browne is credited as the composer. Any information him would be appreciated. Is he related to Ronan Browne?

Peter Browne is a top notch uilleann piper, born in Dublin (1953). He played two stints with the Bothy Band. He also plays flute and whistle. I think he still works for RTE (where he’s run trad programs like The Long Note and Teach a’ Cheilidhe).

For a decent bio, see: http://www.chrislangan.ca/html/peter.html

I have made a transcription of Donogh Hennessy arrangement for DADGAD guitar. I can send the tab (TablEdit’s file) if someone is still interested.

R: highland fling
K: A Dorian
|: (3Bcd |
(3eee d>B e>AA>B | (3efe d>B G>A (3Bcd |
e2 d>B e>AB>A | d>ge>d B>A :|
|: d>B |
A3 B E>GB>G | A>GA>B (3ded (3dcB |
[1 (3AAA B>A E>G (3Bcd | d>g (3edc B>A :|
[2 (3eee d>B e>Bd>g | d>Bg>B d>G ||

Josephine Marsh’s version is so beautiful and light it makes me sigh… *sighs*

She flips it round - B part is A part and A part is B

X: 2
T: Rathlin Island
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
R: reel
K: Ador
|:A3B EGBG|AGAB deed|A2 AB GABd|
|1 egdB BAAG:|2 egdB BAA2||
|:e2 dB eAAB|e2 dB AGBd|e2 dB eAAB|
|1 dged BAA2:|2 dged BAAG||

Definitely worth a listen! Gorgeous!

Here’s Barry Kerr’s version of this great tune….

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TF--f7JxFPk

play video

X: 1
T: Rathlin Island
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
R: reel
K: Ador
(3Bcd |: e2 dB eAAB | eBde BG (3Bcd | eedB eAAA | d2 BA BAAA |
deed eAAB | e2 de BG (3Bcd | e2 dB eAAA | dged BAGB ||
AAAB E/E/E BG | AAGA BedB | AAAB E/E/E BG | Bged AGAB :|
e2 dB eAAB | eBde BG (3Bcd | eedB eAAA | d2 BA BAAA |
deed eAAB | eede gfed | deed e2 dB | dged BAGB||
AAAB E/E/E BG | AAGA BedB | AAAB E/E/E BG | Bged ABdB |
AAAB E/E/E BG | AAGA BedB | GAAG AAcB | BBcB BAGB ||
deed eAAB | e2 de BG (3Bcd | eedB eAAA | d2 BA BAAA |
deed e2 de- | eded gfed | deed e2 de | dged ABdB ||
AAAB E/E/E BG | AAGA BedB | AAAB E/E/E BG | Bged ABdB |
AAAB E/E/E BG | AAGA BedB | GAAG AAcB | BBcB BAGB ||

I would love a copy if you still have it

X: 1
T: Rathlin Island
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
R: reel
K: Gdor
|:f2 ec fBBc|f2 ec BAce|f2 ec fBBc|faec cB B2|
f2 ec fBBc|f2 ec BAce|f2 ec fBBc|faec cBBA||
|:B3c FAcA|BABc effe|B2 Bc FAce|faec cBBA|
B3c FAcA|BABc effe|B2 Bc FAce|faec cB B2||

Sharon Shannon really proves her whistling credentials with this tune. She flies through it effortlessly on one of her albums. There is a live version of it on Youtube that is just as good.

This tune, as befits the island location, is as much Scottish as Irish in flavour. Just like the island, it has been claimed for Ireland!

Ireland successfully claimed ownership of Rathlin in the 1600’s, winning a court case against Scotland. The clinching argument was that it was Irish, as there were no resident snakes!!

Does anyone know if there are ever any sessions in the pub on the island?

Hi all, does anyone know the setting for Raitlin Island played by Sharon Shannon?

https://youtu.be/YUQEq-87kEg

play video

Thanks