Fraher’s jig

An old and famous piping jig. Maybe its simplicity can deceive the player; It seems to be a monotonous tune, and therefore easy to play, but I think that all those rolls are quite tricky and should be played very carefully, you know, to give the feeling that there are exactly 3 notes played in a row etc. So I suppose it’s not as simple as it might sound.

The reason why I love this tune so much is its dramatic character. The melody moves heavily around the same chord, most of the time, and everything is done with the lowest notes of our virtual uilleann pipes’ chanter. Just imagine the drones in the background… hmmm. beautifully irritating, I think.

thanks for posting this one! it’s one of my favourites and i cpould hear played a LOT of times round.
i first listened to this on the Paddy Glackin album ‘in full spate’ where he plays it after ‘i burried my wife’ with Robbie Hannon.
it’s a driver and a belter.

From the sleeve notes of The Pipering of Willie Clancy Vol. II:

"Willie had a special regard for this tune. Fraher, a piper who was born around 1800, passed the tune on to James Burke. His pupil the Reverend Brother Gildas gave it to Willie."

Thanks for posting, I like this tune very much because of the D crans.

I learnt this version (slighted different) fom a tape of my master on uilleann pipes Johnny Mitchell from The Cork Pipers Club.

I also play this tune together with Saddle The Pony followed by The Kesh Jig.

Sounds Cool!

X:1
T:FRAHERS JIG
R:jig
M:6/8
L:1/8
K:Dmix
~A3 AGA|~D3 FED|~A3 AGA|~D3 FED|
~A3 AGA|~D3 EFG|~A3 AGA|~D3 FED|
~A3 AGA|~D3 FED|~A3 AGA|~D3 FED|
~A3 AGA|~D3 EFG|~A3 AGA|~D3 D3|
~A3 d2A|d2A AGF|GAB c2A|B2G GFG|
Add ded|cAA AGF|~A3 AGA|~D3 D3|
~A3 d2A|d2A AGF|GAB c2A|B2G GFG|
Add ded|cAA AGF|~A3 AGA|~D3 D3|

He plays it on an Eb-flute but the dots serve for D-flutes as well. Tried to get as close as possible:

X:2
T:Fraher’s Jig
R:jig
C: as played by John Wynne on "Pride of the West"
Z:transcribed by moritz
M:6/8
K:Dmix
|A3 GEA|DED ~G3|AEA GEA|~D3 DE/F/G|A2A GEA|DAF GAB|A2A GEA|~D3 D3|
AEA GEA|DED ~G3|AEA GEA|~D3 DE/F/G|A2A GEA|DAF GAB|AEA GEA|~D3 D3|
(3ABc A d2A|dcA AGE|GAB c2A|BGE EDD|ddA d2f|dcA AGE|~A3 GEA|~D3 D3|
(3ABc A dcA|dcA AGE|GAB c2B|BGE EDD|ddA f<fe|d2A AGE|AEA GEA|~D3 D3||
| AEA GEA|D2D GDD|ADD GEA|~D3 DE/F/G|A2A GEA|DAF GAB|c2A GEA|~D3 D3|
AEA GEA|DAD ~G3|A2A GEA|~D3 DE/F/G|A2A GEA|~D3 ~G3|AEA GEA|~D3 D3|
(3ABc A dcA|d2c AGE|GAB c2 z/ B/-|BGE EDD|dAA d2f|dcA AGE|~A3 GEA|~D3 D3|
(3ABc A dcA|d2c AGE|GAB cBA|BGE EDD|ddA =f2e|d2A AGE|A2A GEA|DFA d3|]

Cheers!

A Classic tune!

Keep it simple is always a good rule, this is a lovely version by Willie Clancy.

As played at the sessions in Utrecht and Wageningen, the Netherlands.