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The Irish Traditional Music Tune Index

Tune ID#1272 (Merry Blacksmith)

Transcription of first 2 bars of Merry Blacksmith about these two bars
These two bars were transcribed by me from how this tune was played – the first time through – on the recording SE 6 (details in the Discography below).
Basic musical information on this tune.
Rhythm ?Bars8-bar phrase structureMode ?
Reel32AABBD Major
Titles ? given to this tune in the sources listed below (plus notes of mine about this tune):
Merry Blacksmith, The / An Gabha Meidhreach / Paddy on the Railroad / Paddy on the Railway / The Railroad / 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 / The Peeler's Reel / The Policeman's Reel / The Shepherd in the Gap / The Shepherd on the Gap / 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)
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Discography cd

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 play below to hear the first 12 seconds.
Year
Recorded
Track
#Tune?
[Album code] Artist. Title (Link to Album Info page). Performers (instruments).
191513#3 (1:59)
[JKm] John J. Kimmel. John J. Kimmel. Early Recordings of Irish Traditional Dance Music. John J. Kimmel (accordion).
194812#3
[SE 6] Séamus Ennis. The Return from Fingal. Séamus Ennis (pipes, vocals). For this tune: (pipes).
19754#2
~19771#2
[SE 4] Séamus Ennis. Forty Years of Irish Piping. Seamus Ennis (pipes except where whistle or vocals noted). For this tune: (C# pipes).
~197714#2
[SE 4] Séamus Ennis. Forty Years of Irish Piping. Seamus Ennis (pipes except where whistle or vocals noted). For this tune: (C# pipes).
199310#2
[MoD] Tony Mac Mahon, Noel Hill, Iarla Ó Lionáird. Music of Dreams. Tony Mac Mahon (accordion), Noel Hill (concertina), Iarla Ó Lionáird (vocals). For this tune: Noel (concertina).
~199316#1
[JCnly 1] Johnny Connolly. An tOileán Aerach. Johnny Connolly (melodeon). For this tune: (C melodeon).
~19942#1
[SJMcG] Sean and Jim McGuire. Pure Traditional Irish Fiddle Music. Brothers Together. Tribute to their Father. Sean McGuire (fiddle), Jim McGuire (fiddle).
~199819#1
[BG 6] Bobby Gardiner. The Clare Shout. Bobby Gardiner (melodeon, lilting). For this tune: (D melodeon).
20018#1
[IrHvst] Joe Derrane, Frankie Gavin, Brian McGrath. Ireland's Harvest. Joe Derrane (accordion), Frankie Gavin (fiddle), Brian McGrath (piano).
~20028#2
[KCB 6] The Kilfenora Céilí Band. Live in Lisdoonvarna. Anne Rynne (fiddle), Conor McCarthy (accordion), Garry Shannon (flute), Tim Collins (concertina), Sheila Garry (fiddle), Fintan McMahon (piano), Anne Marie McCormack (fiddle), John Lynch (banjo), Sean Griffin (drums), Anthony Quigney (flute).
20048#3
[SGrant] Seamus Grant. Traditional Fiddle Playing from Inishowen. Seamus Grant (fiddle).
20084#1
[LRCB] Lough Ree Ceili Band. Keep 'er Lit. Live from Spanish Point. Johnnie Duffy (banjo), Brendan Doyle (accordion), Liz Ryan (piano), Colin Butler (drums).
201310#2
[Currach] The Currach. Fair Play to You. Daithi Wolfe (fiddle, vocals), Darl Ridgely (bodhrán, bones, guitar, vocals), Josh Perkins (guitar, concertina, vocals), Steve Honer (flute), Bill O'Donoghue (guitar, mandolin, whistle, vocals).

Goes Well with . . .

In the above Discography, this tune is:

Played afterOn Albums
Speed the Plough
Chi, SE 4
Rainy Day
SE 4, MoD
Hand Me Down the Tackle
SE 6
Sheehan's
KCB 6
Wise Maid
SGrant
Father Kelly's
Currach
Played beforeOn Albums
Silver Spear
SE 4, MoD
Music of the Forge
SE 4
Beauty Spot
SE 6
Rolling in the Ryegrass
JCnly 1
First House in Connaught
SJMcG
Dublin Reel
BG 6
Limestone Rock
IrHvst
Music in the Glen
KCB 6
Kerry Reel
LRCB

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 musical matches to this tune as played on the recordings listed above.

Listing of published transcriptions of this tune.
As tune #1509 in [1850] Francis O'Neill and James O'Neill. O'Neill's Music of Ireland. [available]
As tune #728 in [1001] Francis O'Neill and James O'Neill. The Dance Music of Ireland. 1001 Gems. [available]
As tune #46 in [A] Hugh McDermott. Allan's "Irish Fiddler." [available]
On page 153 of [Krsn] Miles Krassen. O'Neill's Music of Ireland. New and Revised. [available]
As tune #94 in [CRE 3] Breandán Breathnach. Ceol Rince na hÉireann 3. [available]
On page 213 of [FF] David Brody. The Fiddler's Fakebook. [available]
As tune #144 in [JOL] Terry Moylan. Johnny O'Leary of Sliabh Luachra. Dance Music from the Cork-Kerry Border. [available]
As reel #3 in [Ng] Alan Ng. Alan Ng's Transcriptions. [available]
On page 42 of [M] Phil Rubenzer. Midwestern Irish Session Tunes. 3rd Edition.
In [FMH] Tom Hastings. The Feis Musicians Handbook [sic].
On page 69 of [M2] Phil Rubenzer. Midwestern Irish Session Tunes. Millennium Edition.
As reel #212 in [Cobb] Dan Cobb. Cobb's Music of Ireland. [available]
As tune #26 in [DM 4] Dave Mallinson. 100 Vital Irish Session Tunes. [available]
In [LM] L[arry]. E. McCullough. ? [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 only the recordings and transcriptions listed above (note that I concentrate on sources after 1900): 1903