Annotation:Paddy O'Carrol (1)

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PADDY O'CARROL{'S JIG} [1] (Paidin Ua Cearbaill). AKA - "Paddy O'Carroll." AKA and see "Bad Luck to this Marching," "Exile's Lament (The)," “Flight of the Wild Geese (3) (The),” "Origin of Ireland." Irish, Scottish, English; Double Jig. D Major (Cole, Kershaw, O'Neill/Krassen, 1001 & 1850): G Major (Kennedy, O’Farrell, O'Neill/1915). Standard tuning (fiddle). AABB (most versions): AABBCCDD (Kennedy, O’Farrell). A jig of unknown provenance, attributed to both Irish and Scottish sources. In England, “Paddy O’Carrol” appears in J. Balls’ Gentleman’s Amusement, Book 3 (London, 1815, reprinted in 1830), as well as O’Farrell’s c. uilleann pipe Pocket Companion (London, c. 1808), wherein the tune’s provenance is given as “Scotch”. John Murphy's A Collection of Irish Airs & Jiggs with Variations (1809), while published in Edinburgh, suggests an Irish provenance. The name 'Paddy O'Carrol' has theatrical associations: a 1784 Dublin production bears the title The New Register Office; or, Paddy O'Carrol in High Life where the main character, Paddy O'Carrol was played by Owenson.

The composition is attributed to Scottish composer James Oswald in William Bradbury Ryan’s Mammoth Collection (Boston, 1883). An earlier American printing of the tune was in Edward Riley’s Flute Melodies, vol. 2 (New York, 1817). Country dance directions to “Paddy O’Carrol” appear in London dancing master Thomas Wilson's Treasures of the Terpsichore: or a Companion for the Ball Room, published in London by W. Calvert in 1808. The jig was included by Waverly area, Cumbria, musician John Rook in his large manuscript collection of 1840.

New York City researcher, writer and musician Don Meade identifies the melody as a “piping version of the fiddle tune now best known as ‘Richard Brennan’s Favorite’ (after a Sligo fiddler) from a 78 recording by Michael Coleman.” "Exile's Lament (The)" is a cognate melody.

Source for notated version: he music manuscript of Joseph Kershaw, a musician from Slackcote, Saddleworth, North West England who began his entries around the year 1820 [Knowles].

Printed sources: Clinton (Gems of Ireland: 200 Airs), 1841; No. 22, p. 11 Cole (1000 Fiddle Tunes), 1940; p. 68. Giblin (Collection of Traditional Irish Dance Music), 1928; 72. Hughes (Gems from the Emerald Isles), London, 1867, No. 22, p. 6. Knowles (Joseph Kershaw Manuscript), 1993; No. 72. Kennedy (Traditional Dance Music of Britain and Ireland: Jigs & Quicksteps, Trips & Humours), 1997; No. 145, p. 35. Kerr (Merry Melodies, vol. 1), c. 1880’s; No. 4, p. 36. Murphy (A Collection of Irish Airs & Jiggs with Variations), Edinburgh, 1809; No. 7. O’Farrell (Pocket Companion, vol. III), c. 1808; p. 59. O'Neill (O’Neill’s Irish Music), 1915; No. 191, p. 104. O'Neill (Krassen), 1976; p. 56. O'Neill (Music of Ireland: 1850 Melodies), 1903; No. 986, p. 183. O'Neill (Dance Music of Ireland: 1001 Gems), 1907; No. 202, p. 47. MacDonald (The Skye Collection), 1887; p. 175. Ryan’s Mammoth Collection, 1883; p. 99. Surenne (Songs of Ireland without Words), 1854; p. 77

Recorded sources:

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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