Annotation:McKenna's Reel (1)

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McKENNA'S [1] (REELS). AKA and see "Colonel Rogers." Irish, Reel(s). "McKenna's Reel (1)" and "McKenna's Reel (2)" are two tunes paired in a popular set recorded by flute player John McKenna (1880-1947) for Decca in 1934. The second tune was originally called "Happy Days of Youth (1)," and follows the reel usually known as "Colonel Rogers." McKenna was accompanied by Michael Gaffney on banjo; both originally were from County Leitrim. The tunes became so associated with the flute player's name that they have often simply been referred to as "John McKenna's," "Seán McKenna's" or "McKenna's Reels." The pairing on the famous recording also confused the titles; the first tune ("Colonel Rogers") has sometimes been referred to as "The Happy Days of Youth" or "Joys of Youth."

John McKenna and Michael Gaffney

McKenna and Gaffney were fast friends, remembers McKenna's daughter Catherine, who told Harry Bradshaw and Jackie Small that she could not remember a week that Gaffney was not in her father's house playing his banjo or rehearsing new numbers with the flutist for recordings, dances, weddings and other events they had booked.

Source for notated version:

Printed sources: Treoir.

Recorded sources: Claddagh 4CC 39, "The Pipering of Willie Clancy vol. 2" (1983. Appears as "McKenna's"). Decca 12011A (78 RPM), John McKenna & Michael Gaffney (1934). Gael-Linn CEFCD 103, Frankie Gavin - "Croch Suas É/Up and Away" (1983). Outlet SOLP 1007, "The Best of Seamus Tansey" (1970).

See also listing at:
Alan Ng's Irishtune.info [1]

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