The Hag’s Purse jig

I think I first came across this tune in Matt Cranitch’s excellent book on playing the fiddle.

I’m sucker for those jigs in Dmixolydian. Banish Misfortune is another one.

This one has the same opening phrase as Denis Murphy’s slide. I sometimes get them confused. I’ll want to start The Hag’s Purse only to find myself playing Denis Murphy’s slide instead.

Recorded on the 2nd "De Danann" album.

…with high F naturals on the second part, I think.

I believe that this one is an overlooked beginners piece. It has fantastic feel when played slow. That De Danann is where I learned it from. Their take on the rythym will sell the tune to anyone.

There may be another title for this tune associated with flute player, Michael Hynes (he’s recently recorded a nice flute/fiddle CD with Denis Liddy called Waifs & Strays) and I know it also features in the repertoire of the Tulla Ceili Band. I’m also not too sure on the key signature which is sort of modal (an area where I’m a bit challenged!!) although it seems to work OK in G; look out for the F natural in bar 1 of the turn which gives the tune that extra character.

aka the roscommon jig

aka hag at the churn?

Kenny, I’ve heard it either with f nats or sharps—both settings are fairly widely played.

Here’s a nice setting, based in part on the playing of Bobby Casey and in part on my own whimsy.

X: 1
T: Hag’s Purse
M: 6/8
L: 1/8
K: D mix
G |: A2 D FED | A2 B cAF | G2 E EDE | c2 d cAG |
| A/A/AD FED | AdB cAF | GEE cEE | DED DcB |
| A2 D FED | AdB cAF | GEE EDE | ced cAG |
| ADD FED | AdB cAF | ~G3 cGE | DED D2 A ||
| d2 e fed | efd cAF | G2 E EDE | c2 d cAG |
| Add fed | efd cAF | GEE cGE | DED DE/F/G |
| Ade fed | efd cAF | GcA GcA | ced cAG |
| Ade fed | g/f/ed cAF | GE/F/G cGE | DFE DcB ||

https://thesession.org/tunes/926

Key signature: D Mixolydian
Submitted on August 26th 2002 by Jeremy.
https://thesession.org/tunes/926

& though it is the same key signature, D Mixolydian, it is not

"The Hag At The Churn"
Key signature: D Mixolydian
Submitted on July 7th 2002 by Jeremy.
https://thesession.org/tunes/829

But it might make an interesting set?

Key signature: D Mixolydian
Submitted on July 2nd 2003 by Bannerman.
https://thesession.org/tunes/1795

In spring ‘84 I was with some people touring archaeological sites in Ireland. These tended to be in the middle of nowhere, along with youth hostels we stayed in and pubs we visited. At one of the latter, not far south of the Northern Ireland border, we coincided with the weekly "Irish Night". We saw no sign of it, and waited for it to turn up. In due course in came a couple of men, an old man with an accordion case and a younger one with a tambourine. The old man was called Tom Sullivan, and played a three-row button accordion with a full set of basses. I’ve never heard button-accordion / melodeon played so brilliantly by anyone, in a session at any rate. He started with "The Hag’s Purse".

I, too, found it in Matt Cranitch’s book and it does sound very fine slow. I love it,

Why is it that I find this tune, simple as it is, so especially absolutely irresitibly beautiful. I keep playing again and again and never grow tired of it!!

X: 1
T: Hag’s Purse, The
M: 6/8
L: 1/8
R: jig
K: Dmix
|:A2D FED|A2B cAF|G2E EDE|c2d cAG|
A2D FED|A2B cAF|GFG cGE|DED D3:|
|:d2e =fed|e2d cAF|G2E EDE|c2d cAG|
|Ade =fed|e2d cAF|GFG cGE|DED D3:|

Round Killavil: https://thesession.org/tunes/667#comment437557

It’s a less known version of "The Killavil Jig."

https://thesession.org/tunes/667/comments#comment437557

I prefer this version:
|:A2D FED|A2B cAF|G2E EDE|c2d cAG|
A2D FED|A2B cAF|GEE cEE|DED D2:|
|:A|d2e fed|e2d cAF|G2E EDE|c2d cAG|
d2e fed|e2d cAF|GEE cEE|DED D2:|

Nice piping jig. Listen to Mark Cordova, or simply: Listen to it, the tune, and play slow…

Marching on.

Noel McLoughlin’s album Home is the Rover (ARC Music, 2013) has a version of The hag’s purse called Tom Wards. It’s on Track 10 in the jig set Jigs: Tatter Jack Walsh / Tom Wards / Out on the ocean.

Michael Hynes calls it "The Roscommon"

According to irishtune.info, this tune has many names: "Hag’s Purse, The / The Hags Purse / The Old Woman’s Purse of Money / Sparán Airgid na Caillí / Hags Purse / The Diamond Jig / Diamond Jig / The Butcher’s Jig / Lough Gowna / Roscommon Jig / The Roscommon Jig / Roscommon / Tumble the Tinker / The Tulla Jig / Seán Coughlin’s / Cuz Teahan’s Delight (2nd in set Ballycar Jigs on MHyDLd 1; 3rd in set Gaelic Park on NNC 3) (also in G Major) (compare Little Black Pig #2381)".

I was specifically searching for "The Butcher’s Jig" and should have checked irishtune.info before spending a half-hour or more chasing "butcher" tune scores. If I can, I will add "The Butcher’s Jig" to the list of alternate names on this tune here on thesession.