Irish Traditional Music Tune Index
Tune ID#121 (Banks of the Ilen)
about these two barsThese two bars were transcribed by me from how this tune was played – the first time through – on the recording SatG (details in the Discography below).
| Rhythm ? | Bars | 8-bar phrase structure | Mode ? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reel | 24 | ABB | D Major |
Banks of the Ilen, The / Bruacha na hAighlinne / The Banks of the Uilleann / Banks of the Uilleann / Bruaca Na Oidlm / The Six-Mile Bridge / Six-Mile Bridge / Humours of Six Mile Bridge / Seanbhean na gCartaí / Sean-Bhean na gCartaí / Seanbhean na gCártaí / Sean Bhean na gCártaí / Seanbhean na gCartai / The Old Woman of the Cards / Old Woman of the Cards / Barrack Street Boys / O'Callahan's / O'Callaghan's / Dando Dillane's / Birnie Bouzle / Bride to Bed / Brides to Bed / Brides Away / Braes of Tullymet / British Naggon / Caledonean Hunt / Cheese It / Corney is Coming / Crawford's Reel / Crockett's Honeymoon / D. Dick's Favourite / Fahy's Reel / Honeymoon / Honeymoon Reel / Humours of Drinagh / I Saw Her / Kelly's Reel / Lumberjack Reel / Merry Bits of Timber / Miss Grant of Grant / Miss Wilson / My Love is in America / My Love is in the House / Shannon Breeze / Tom Billy's (also 1st part doubled, also both parts singled, also in G, also as hornpipe) (compare air #2969)
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.
Click 
to hear the first 12 seconds.
to hear the first 12 seconds.| Year Recorded |
Track #Tune? |
[Album code] Artist. Title. Performers (instruments). |
|---|---|---|
| ~1958 | 26#1 | [TDMI] Traditional Dance Music of Ireland. Paddy Taylor (flute). |
| ~1969 | 8#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). |
| ~1978 | B.7#2 | [MMu] Martin Mulvihill with Mick Moloney. Traditional Irish Fiddling from County Limerick. Martin Mulvihill (fiddle). |
| ~1982 | 13#1 | [TP 4] Tommy Peoples. The Iron Man. Tommy Peoples (fiddle). |
| 1992 | 1#1 | [ScE] Gerry Harrington and Eoghan O'Sullivan. Scéal Eile. Gerry Harrington (fiddle), Eoghan O'Sullivan (accordion). For this tune: Eoghan (accordion), Gerry (fiddle). |
| 1998 | 17#1 | [CBnds] The County Bounds. Noeleen O'Connor (fiddle), Johnny McCarthy (fiddle), Matt Cranitch (fiddle), Con Ó Drisceoil (accordion), Paudie O'Connor (accordion), Hammy Hamilton (flute). |
| 1999 | 7#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). |
| 2002 | 12#3 | [LAC] Tom and Kerry Barrett. Lios A'Cheoil. Traditional Irish Music. Tom Barrett (fiddle), Kerry Barrett (fiddle). |
| ~2003 | 9#2 | [KLO] Mick O'Brien agus Caoimhín Ó Raghallaigh. Kitty Lie Over. Mick O'Brien (pipes, whistle), Caoimhín Ó Raghallaigh (fiddle, whistle). For this tune: (B whistle), (fiddle). |
| ~2008 | 4#2 | [RossBr] Ben Lennon and Tony O'Connell. Rossinver Braes. Ben Lennon (fiddle), Tony O'Connell (concertina). |
| 2011 | 1#1 | [IFMCK] Connie O'Connell. Irish Fiddle Music from Counties Cork and Kerry. Connie O'Connell (fiddle). |
Bibliography
Here are all transcriptions of this tune 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. |
| As tune #837 in [1001] Francis O'Neill and James O'Neill. The Dance Music of Ireland. 1001 Gems. |
| On page 90 of [Krsn] Miles Krassen. O'Neill's Music of Ireland. New and Revised. |
| On page 102 of [TOC] Tomás Ó Canainn. Traditional Music in Ireland. |
| On page 90 of [IFMCK] Drew Beisswenger. Irish Fiddle Music from Counties Cork and Kerry. |
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