Irish Traditional Music Tune Index
Tune ID# 338 (Cliffs of Moher)

RhythmBars8-bar phrase structureMode
Double jig32AABBA Dorian
Transcription of first 2 bars of Cliffs of Moher
 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 KB Cap (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):
Cliffs of Moher, The / Tommy's Gunne's Jig (3rd in set Light Jigs on TC) (also in G Major)
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
~19784#2[KB Cap] Kevin Burke. If the Cap Fits. Kevin Burke (fiddle).View album details
~19908#2[SK 2] Seán Keane. Jig It in Style. Seán Keane (fiddle).View album details
19923#2[CFF 1] Kevin Burke / Johnny Cunningham / Christian Lemaître. Celtic Fiddle Festival. Kevin Burke (fiddle), Johnny Cunningham (fiddle), Christian Lemaître (fiddle).View album details
199410#3[MH 2] Martin Hayes. Under the Moon. Martin Hayes (fiddle).View album details
~199616#3[TC] various. Turas Cheoil. A Musical Odyssey: A compilation of music from the traditional musicians of Toronto. View album details
199912#2[JWh 2] John Whelan. Celtic Roots. John Whelan (accordion).View album details
20004#3[ACB 1] The Abbey Céilí Band. Bruach an tSuláin. Ger Murphy (accordion), Andrew O'Connell (fiddle), Liam Forde (banjo), Micheál Creedon (bass, keyboards).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 #861 in [1850] Francis O'Neill and James O'Neill. O'Neill's Music of Ireland. [available]
As tune #121 in [1001] Francis O'Neill and James O'Neill. The Dance Music of Ireland. 1001 Gems. [available]
On page 35 of [Krsn] Miles Krassen. O'Neill's Music of Ireland. New and Revised. [available]
On page 117 of [Cr] Matt Cranitch. The Irish Fiddle Book. [available]
As tune #276 in [JOL] Terry Moylan. Johnny O'Leary of Sliabh Luachra. Dance Music from the Cork-Kerry Border. [available]
In [L] Alan's private loose music.
As tune #100 in [DM 1] Dave Mallinson. 100 Essential Irish Session Tunes. [available]
On page 79 of [M] Phil Rubenzer. Midwestern Irish Session Tunes. 3rd Edition.
As jig #18 in [Ng] Alan Ng. Alan Ng's Transcriptions. [available]
As jig #21 in [Ng] Alan Ng. Alan Ng's Transcriptions. [available]
On page 129 of [M2] Phil Rubenzer. Midwestern Irish Session Tunes. Millennium Edition.
As jig #19 in [Cobb] Dan Cobb. Cobb's Music of Ireland. [available]
As jig #61 in [JKg 3] Josephine Keegan. A Drop in the Ocean. Traditional Irish Tunes Collected by Josephine Keegan. [available]
As tune #187 in [Raff] Lesl Harker. 300 Tunes from Mike Rafferty. [available]
As tune #188 in [Raff] Lesl Harker. 300 Tunes from Mike Rafferty. [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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