Irish Traditional Music Tune Index
Tune ID# 121 (Banks of the Ilen)

RhythmBarsMode
Reel24D Major
Transcription of first 2 bars of Banks of the Ilen
 about these two bars

These two bars are the start of my transcription of how this tune was played – the first time through – on the recording SatG (details in the Discography below).

Where do you get the tune titles?
Titles given to this tune in the sources listed below (plus notes of mine about this tune):
Banks of the Ilen, The / The Banks of the Uilleann / The Six-Mile Bridge / Seanbhean Na gCartaí / Sean-Bhean na gCartaí / Sean Bhean na gCártaí / The Old Woman of the Cards / O'Callahan's / Dando Dillane's (also 1st part doubled, also both parts singled, also as hornpipe) (compare air #2969)
What do the "track#tune" codes mean?

cd Discography

Here are all recordings of this tune considering only the indexed recordings. I have discovered by careful listening that these sources are in fact musically the same tune, regardless of the tune titles they use, key changes, retuning, etc. They are listed in order of when they were recorded.

Year
Recorded		 Track
#Tune		 [Album code] Artist. Title. Primary musicians (instruments). Album details
and contents
~195826#1[TDMI] various. Traditional Dance Music of Ireland. View album details
~19698#1[SatG] Denis Murphy and Julia Clifford. The Star above the Garter. Fiddle music from Kerry, played by Denis Murphy and Julia Clifford. Denis Murphy (fiddle), Julia Clifford (fiddle).View album details
~1978B.7#2[MMu] Martin Mulvihill with Mick Moloney. Traditional Irish Fiddling from County Limerick. Martin Mulvihill (fiddle).View album details
~198213#1[TP 4] Tommy Peoples. The Iron Man. Tommy Peoples (fiddle).View album details
19921#1[ScE] Gerry Harrington and Eoghan O'Sullivan. Scéal Eile. Gerry Harrington (fiddle), Eoghan O'Sullivan (accordion).View album details
199817#1[CBnds] various. The County Bounds. View album details
19997#1[CrssCl] Seamus Glackin, Brendan Begley, Michael O'Brien, Mary Corcoran, Mick Gaynor. Crossroads Céilí. Seamus Glackin (fiddle), Brendan Begley (accordion), Michael O'Brien (flute), Mary Corcoran (piano), Mick Gaynor (drums).View album details
200212#3[LAC] Tom and Kerry Barrett. Lios A'Cheoil. Traditional Irish Music. Tom Barrett (fiddle), Kerry Barrett (fiddle).View album details

Bibliography

Here are all transcriptions of this tune under any title whatsoever – considering only the indexed books – listed in chronological order. I have discovered by careful comparison that these are very similar to this tune as played on the recordings listed above.

As tune #1592 in [1850] Francis O'Neill and James O'Neill. O'Neill's Music of Ireland. [available]
As tune #837 in [1001] Francis O'Neill and James O'Neill. The Dance Music of Ireland. 1001 Gems. [available]
On page 90 of [Krsn] Miles Krassen. O'Neill's Music of Ireland. New and Revised. [available]
On page 102 of [TOC] Tomás Ó Canainn. Traditional Music in Ireland. [available]

If you are considering using the above transcriptions to help you learn this tune, I invite you to check these practical Tips for Learning Irish Traditional Music. See also: So why do you bother indexing books and abc?

Year of the oldest source for this tune, considering the recordings and transcriptions listed above (note that I concentrate on sources after 1900): 1903
Please cite your source when you use information from this document.
© 2000–2008 Alan Ng, agng@facstaff.wisc.edu. Questions? Comments? Please use the easy Feedback Form. Thank you!
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