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Top Session Tunes

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Top-20 lists of the most popular Irish session tunes worldwide, based on how many members of currently play a tune.

Browse the Top 20:

The numbers in parentheses above tell you how many total "session" tunes there are of that type (i.e., a tune played by at least one member).

Top 20 Session Tunes Overall

RankMembers who play this tuneExplanation
Rhythm
Explanation
Titles used for this tune (and other notes)
115 – Tune
Info
ReelTranscription of first 2 bars of Mountain RoadMountain Road, The (3rd in set The Worlds End on Drv 4; follows The Devils of Dublin on track 7 of MtRd; for 2nd figure of Caledonian Set on JRSLCB 2; 2nd in set Mountain Road on MSCB; 1st in set Mountain Rambler on MSHtn 4) (also with up to 6 parts, also with parts doubled, also in G or F) (composed by Michael Gorman)
214 – Tune
Info
JigDTranscription of first 2 bars of Out on the OceanOut on the Ocean / Out in the Ocean / Over the Sea / Portroe Jig / Portroe / O'Connell's Jig on Top of Mount Everest / Split the Whisker / The Banks of Ahasnagh / Banks of Ahasnagh / Crossing the Bogs / Mick Mulcahy's / Tierney's Jig / A Clare Jig (for 3rd figure of The West Kerry Set on JRSLCB 2) (also in A)
314 – Tune
Info
ReelTranscription of first 2 bars of Musical PriestMusical Priest, The / Musical Priest / An Sagart Ceolmhar / The Buckeen / Lord Kelly's Reel / The New Bridge of Erin (also in A or G; also with 2 extra parts)
413 – Tune
Info
ReelTranscription of first 2 bars of Silver SpearSilver Spear, The / Old Silver Spear / The Silver Tip / Sliabh Bána / The Top of the Cliff / Miss Lane's Fancy / The New Mown Meadows / New Mown Meadows / Anderson's (2nd in set Miss McClouds Reels on ESL 1, which in turn is mislabeled as The Belburry Hills; 3rd in set The Silver Spire on ADB; for 3rd figure of Connemara Set on JRSLCB 2) (also in G) (compare The New-Mown Meadows #1409)
512 – Tune
Info
ReelTranscription of first 2 bars of Fermoy LassesFermoy Lasses, The / Fermoy Lasses / The Fermoy Lassies / Girrseachaí Fhearmuí / The Wexford Reel / The Humours of Mackin / The Connacht Ranger / Connacht Ranger (also singled)
612 – Tune
Info
JigDTranscription of first 2 bars of Joy of My LifeJoy of My Life, The / The Joys of Youth / Joy in My Life / The Joys of Life / The Joys of Love / Donnybrook Fair / The Donneybrook Fair / Humours of Donnybrook / The Boys from the Lough / A Man in Himself like Oliver's Bull / The Corovoth Jig / Oh! Irishmen Never Forget / Our Own Little Isle (for dance The Bridge of Athlone in book MM) (compare settings included here of Our Own Little Isle / Oh! Irishmen Never Forget / Corovoth Jig and compare 1st part with 1st part of Munster Jig #801)
712 – Tune
Info
JigDTranscription of first 2 bars of Connaughtman's RamblesConnaughtman's Rambles, The / The Connaught Man's Rambles / Connaught Man's Rambles / The Connachtman's Rambles / Connaughtman's Ramble / Connaght Man's Ramble / Spaisteoireacht an Chonnachtaigh / Gathering Dillisk / Bold Doherty / The Duck from Drummuck / Mickey the Moulder (for 2nd figure of Taille Mhara Jig Set on MISD 7)
812 – Tune
Info
ReelTranscription of first 2 bars of Earl's ChairEarl's Chair, The / Earl's Chair / Cathaoir an Iarla / Down between the Two Derryoobers (in set Lily of the West on MSHtn 4) (composed by Patrick "Pakie" or "Patto" Moloney)
911 – Tune
Info
JigDTranscription of first 2 bars of Kesh JigKesh Jig, The / The Kesh / Keash / The Kincora Jig / The Kincora / The Castle Jig / Little Boy Ted in the Hay / Kerrigan's / The Mountaineer's March (for 3rd figure of The West Kerry Set on JRSLCB 2) (also in C) (compare The Mountaineers' March and The Spring Well included here from O'Neill books, compare 1st part with 1st part of Primrose Vale #1093, with 1st part of Sean Coughlan's Kesh #2554, and with 2nd part of #3663)
1011 – Tune
Info
JigDTranscription of first 2 bars of Lilting BansheeLilting Banshee, The / The Banshee / The Wailing Banshee / Ballinasloe Fair / The Sligo Jig / The Miller of Glanmire / Miller of Glenmire / John Conroy's Jig / Ryan's Favourite / Ryan's Favorite (compare The Killaloe Boat / Killaloe Boats included here)
1111 – Tune
Info
ReelTranscription of first 2 bars of Merry BlacksmithMerry Blacksmith, The / An Gabha Meidhreach / Paddy on the Railroad / Paddy on the Railway / The Flags of Dublin / Ike Forrester's Reel / Ike Forrester's / The Corkonian / The Boys of the Lake / The Police Jacket / The Policeman's Cap / The Peeler's Jacket / The Peeler's Cap / Collins' Reel (mislabeled as The Rainy Day on SE 4; in set The Off Key on JKm; 2nd in set The Thomond on KCB 6) (compare Devils of Dublin #3938)
1211 – Tune
Info
HpipeTranscription of first 2 bars of Off to CaliforniaOff to California / The Humours of California / Sweet Flowers of Milltown / The Sweet Flowers of Miltown / Bláthanna Cumhra Bhaile an Mhuilinn / Whiskey Hornpipe / The Whiskey Hornpipe / Fireman's Reel (3rd in set Up the Hill of Down on FBros) (also in A or D, also as schottische) (compare 1st part with 1st part of hornpipe Whiskey You're the Devil! #3691 and 1st part of reel Tom Morrison's #1924)
1311 – Tune
Info
JigDTranscription of first 2 bars of Banish MisfortuneBanish Misfortune / The Bag of Meal / The Little Bag of Meal / The Humours of Mullinafauna / The Humors of Mullinafauna / Humors of Mullinafauna / The Shady Groves of Piedmont / The Shady Groves of Peamount / Nancy Hines / Máire Ní Eidhinn / Máire Ni Éidhin / Round the Cart House / Ruaig an Mí-ádh / The Parish Girl / George Whelan's Jig (also singled, also without 3rd part, also as song) (compare Nancy Hynes #3088)
1411 – Tune
Info
JigDTranscription of first 2 bars of Tobin's FavoriteTobin's Favorite / Tobin's Favourite / Tobin's Fancy / Tobin's Jig / The Wandering Minstrel (1st in set Around the Old Turf Fire on FBros)
1511 – Tune
Info
JigDTranscription of first 2 bars of Blarney PilgrimBlarney Pilgrim, The / The Parish Girl / Jackson's Rambles / Paddy O'Brien's / Paddy O'Briens
1611 – Tune
Info
HpipeTranscription of first 2 bars of Boys of BluehillBoys of Bluehill, The / Boys of Bluehill / Boys of Blue Hill / Buachaillí an Chnoic Ghoirm / Beaux of Oak Hill / Beaux of Oakhill / Lads of North Tyne (compare Jimmy Keane composition Bluehill on Boh 4, included here; compare old-time tune Keep the Ark A' Movin included here)
1711 – Tune
Info
JigDTranscription of first 2 bars of Rambling PitchforkRambling Pitchfork, The / Rambling Pitchfork / An Píce Fánach / The Fisherman's Widow / Roland's Return / Ógánaigh na Naprún / The Friendly Neighbour / Baxter's Big (for 2nd figure of Taille Mhara Jig Set on MISD 7; 1st in set The Ravine on KCB 6) (also in D Minor) (as single jig: Lambert's Jig)
1811 – Tune
Info
PolkaTranscription of first 2 bars of Oh! The Britches Full of StitchesOh! The Britches Full of Stitches / O the Britches Full of Stitches / O The Breeches Full of Stitches / Oh! The Breeches Full of Stitches / The Breeches Full of Stitches / Breeches full of Stitches / Brístí Breaca / The Britches Full of Stitches / The Britches (for 1st figure of Sliabh Luachra Set on MISD 7) (also in G, also as single jig)
1911 – Tune
Info
ReelTranscription of first 2 bars of Morning DewMorning Dew, The / Morning Dew / The Hare in the Heather / Hare among the Heather / The Hare among the Heather / Giorria sa bhFraoch (also in D Major; 3rd part is switched with 1st part on AIC1 and AIC2) (compare Morning Dew #2512)
2011 – Tune
Info
ReelTranscription of first 2 bars of Old BushOld Bush, The / An tSean-Sceach / The Old Bush Reel / The Bush Reel / Captain Rock / The Long Hills of Mourne / Cnoic Fhada Mhughdhorna / Five Leaf Clover (compare Captain Rock #278)

About the sort order: Tunes that are tied with the same number of people playing them are then ranked with the oldest tunes first, based on the post-1900 publication histories of the tune, as documented in .

Caveat: The accuracy of these "session" statistics depend on how carefully each contributor was about entering his or her repertoire. There are known cases when users have hastily grabbed at a wrong tune only because it happens to have the same title as the intended tune, without bothering to read more closely. This behavior should only have a minor effect on these "most popular" lists.