Most-Recorded Flings
The Top Ten Flings of the Century

Of related interest:
  • Top 100 Tunes of the Century.
  • Top Ten
  • Rhythm Distribution: How common is this rhythm (tune type) in the bigger picture of all distinct Irish tunes?
  • Recordings by Decade: A graph of the historical distribution of the recordings considered here.

This list ranks the top ten most-recorded flings out of the 38 distinct flings on the indexed recordings. The tunes are ranked in descending order of number of recordings. When tunes have the same number of recordings, tunes having the oldest recordings appear first. Note that reuses of a particular cut in later anthologies are counted, which is fair, since the popularity of a recording is a good indicator both of the popularity of the tune and of the likelihood that musicians will learn the tune from that recording.

Click Tune Info below to see tune details and sources.

RankNumber of
Recordings
Explanation
Titles used for this tune (and other notes)
19 – Tune
Info
Transcription of first 2 bars of Primrose LassPrimrose Lass, The / Primrose Lass / The Primrose Girl / The Primrose Lassy / Gearrchaile na Samhaircíní / The Primrose Lasses / St. Patrick's Night / The Kilworth Lasses / The Maids / The Brown-Eyed Girl / The Brown Eyed Girl (also as reel, included here)
27 – Tune
Info
Transcription of first 2 bars of Miss Galvin'sMiss Galvin's / Miss Galvin / Miss Galvin's Hornpipe / Mrs Galvin's / Garraí na Saileog / Sally Gardens (1st in set Two Woodford Flings on JCC) (also as a hornpipe, singled or doubled)
36 – Tune
Info
Transcription of first 2 bars of Stirling CastleStirling Castle / Sterling Castle / The Grey Daylight (also doubled, also as strathspey; in O'Neill books as reel)
46 – Tune
Info
Transcription of first 2 bars of Road to GlountaneRoad to Glountane, The / 'Cuz' Teahan's / Cuz Teahan's / Terry 'Cuz' Teahan's Hornpipe / Cous Teehan's / Kerry Fling (2nd in set Molloy's Favourites on SBw) (also in D, also as hornpipe or barndance or slow reel) (composed by Terence "Cuz" Teahan)
55 – Tune
Info
Transcription of first 2 bars of Louden's Bonnie BraesLouden's Bonnie Braes / Loudon's Braes Are Bonnie / Loudens Braes So Bonnie / Louden's Braes Are Bonnie / Bonnie Scotland / Lord Moira / The Bundoran Highland / Indian Polka / The Boys of Knock (2nd in set Thistle and Shamrock on MG) (also in D or G, also as reel or hornpipe) (compare strathspey Lord Moira's Welcome to Scotland and Knocktoran Fair, both included here)
65 – Tune
Info
Transcription of first 2 bars of Keel RowKeel Row, The / Lady Handwick's Reel (1st in set The Lasses of Donnibrook on WW 2) (also in A or D, also doubled)
75 – Tune
Info
Transcription of first 2 bars of Love Will You Marry MeLove Will You Marry Me / Love, Will You Marry Me? / Love Will You Marry Me? / Love, Won't You Marry Me? / Love Won't You Marry Me? / Love Won't You Marry Me / Love Wont You Marry Me / Johnny Will You Marry Me / Jenny Will You Marry Me? / Some Say the Devil Is Dead / Some Say the Devil's Dead / The Braes of Maas / The Braes of Marr / Braes of Mar / The Standard on the Braes o' Mar / Lasses of Donnybrook (2nd in set The Lasses of Donnibrook on WW 2) (also in G or A) (compare as song #2618)
84 – Tune
Info
Transcription of first 2 bars of Kitty Got a Clinking Coming from the FairKitty Got a Clinking Coming from the Fair / Kitty's Gone a Clinking Coming from the Fair / Caisleán Dhún Guaire / Dunguaire Castle / Fling No. 1 (also doubled, also thought of as a single jig) (compare reversed parts to reel #1055)
94 – Tune
Info
Transcription of first 2 bars of Joe Bane'sJoe Bane's / Joe Banes (also as slow reel)
104 – Tune
Info
Transcription of first 2 bars of Frank ThorntonFrank Thornton / Terry Teehan's / Terry Teehans / Terry "Cuz" Teehan's / Kerry Reel (1st in set Molloy's Favourites on SBw; 1st in set Teehan's on MMcG 2) (also as slow reel) (composed by Terence "Cuz" Teahan)