Annotation:Dash to Portobello (The)

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DASH TO PORTOBELLO. AKA and see "Port Gael-Linn," "Seán Ryan's Favourite," "Seán Ryan's Reel (2)." Irish, Reel. E Dorian. Standard tuning (fiddle). Composed by County Tipperary fiddler Seán Ryan (d. 1985). Paul de Grae remarks that Portobello Harbor lies on the south side of Dublin, where the Grand Canal enters the city, beside which is Portobello Bridge (named perhaps by the English after a bridge in Venice, Italy, because of its association with the canal). In the old days, you could travel by barge from the harbor along the canal to Limerick in three days. According to Philippe Varlet, Seán Ryan played the tune in E Dorian, though he tuned his fiddle down a whole step so that it sounds in D Dorian. "Mowing Machine (The)" is a similar tune in the 'B' part. The alternate title "Port Gael-Linn" honors the Irish recording company.

Source for notated version:

Printed sources: Bulmer & Sharpley (Music from Ireland, vol. 4), 1976; p. 2. Ryan (The Hidden Ireland), 1988; p. 27.

Recorded sources: Cló Iar-Chonnachta CICD 167, Peter Horan & Gerry Harrington – "The Merry Love to Play" (2007. Appears as "Sean Ryan's"). Rounder 1123, Seán Ryan – "Milestone at the Gardern" (originally recorded by Ryan on a Gael-Linn 78 RPM record c. 1959).

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

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