Annotation:Hag with the Money (The)

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HAG WITH THE MONEY, THE (Cailleac an t-Airgiod/Airgid). AKA - "Cailleach an Airgid." AKA and see "Do You Think She'll Marry?," "I was born for sport," "My Brother Tom," "Wealthy Widow (The)." Irish, Air and Double Jig. A Dorian/G Major {'A' part} & D Major/A Dorian {'B' part} (O'Neill): D Major/A Dorian/Mixolydian? (Breathnach, Miller, Moylan): D Mixolydian ('A' part) & D Major ('B' part) {Harker/Rafferty, Taylor, Tubridy}. Standard tuning (fiddle). AABB (most versions): AABB' (Moylan). The title comes from a song set to the tune, popular especially among Connemara singers (says Mick Conneely). Petrie (Complete Collection, 1905) prints the tune under the title "I was born for sport," noted down from the piper Patrick Coneelly in the year 1845. Breathnach prints the chorus of the song which goes:

Sí mo Mhamó í, sí mo Mhamó í,
Sí mo Mhamó í, cailleach an airgid.
Sí mo Mhamó í, as baile Iorrais Mhóir í
Is chuirfeadh sí cóistí ar bhóithre Chois Fhairrge.

Translated by Paul de Grae as:

She's my granny, she's my granny,
She's my granny, the hag with the money.
She's my granny, from the town of Errismore
And she'd put coaches on the roads of Cois Fhairrge.

See also the related reels "Jenny Picking Cockles/Maggie Picking Cockles" and "Old Slipper Shoe."

Sources for notated versions: the playing partners of Chicago police Sergeant James Early and John McFadden, a piper and fiddler from adjoining counties in the province of Connaght [O'Neill]; piper Pat Brophy/Patrick Ó Broithe (Ireland) [Breathnach]; accordion player Johnny O'Leary (Sliabh Luachra region of the Cork-Kerry border), recorded in recital at Na Píobairí Uilleann, November, 1990 [Moylan]; New Jersey flute player Mike Rafferty, born in Ballinakill, Co. Galway, in 1926 [Harker].

Printed sources: Breathnach (CRÉ I), 1963; No. 41, p. 17. Harker (300 Tunes from Mike Rafferty), 2005; No. 183, p. 57. Jordan (Whistle and Sing), 1975; No. 72. McNulty (Dance Music of Ireland), 1965; p. 18. Miller (Fiddler's Throne), 2004; No. 51, p. 42. Moylan (Johnny O'Leary), 1994; No. 175, p. 101 (appears as "Cailleach an Airgid"). O'Neill (Krassen), 1976; p. 19. O'Neill (Music of Ireland: 1850 Melodies), 1903; No. 721, p. 134. O'Neill (Dance Music of Ireland: 1001 Gems), 1907; No. 21, p. 20. Taylor (Music for the Sets: Blue Book), 1995; p. 10. Tubridy (Irish Traditional Music, Book Two), 1999; p. 34.

Recorded sources: Cló Iar-Chonnachta Records, CICD 148, Mick Conneely - "Selkie" (2001). Columbia Legacy CK 48693, "The Best of the Chieftains" (1992). Copely Records 9-119 (78 RPM), Paddy Cronin (195?). Decca Records 12120 (78 RPM), Eddie Meehan & John McKenna (1937. Paired with and preceded by "Newport Lass (The)." Larraga MMR112000, Mike & Mary Rafferty - "The Road from Ballinakill" (2001). Talcon Records KG240, Paddy Cronin - "The House in the Glen" (197?).

See also listings at:
Jane Keefer's Folk Music Index: An Index to Recorded Sources [1]
Alan Ng's Irishtune.info [2]

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