Annotation:Port na bPúcaí

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PORT NA bPÚCAÍ (The Fairy Lament). AKA and see “Port na Hinise.” Irish, Air (6/8 or 3/4 time). Ireland, West Kerry. D Major. Standard tuning (fiddle). AABB'. The air "Port na bP" is credited to Kerry musician Muiris Ó Dálaigh, brother of Tom Ó Dálaigh. The tonality shifts between A Mixolydian/Dorian and G Major. Standard tuning (fiddle). AAB (Mac Amhlaoibh): AA’B (Ó Canainn). A pouca, or in Irish púca, usually refers to a magical being--a "water sprite,” or "mischievous fairy”--a word adapted by Shakespeare for his character Puck in Midsummer Night’s Dream. Tony McMahon says the air is about the death of one such spirit. There is a story that this tune was heard by travelers or fisherman who stayed overnight on Inis Mhic Fhaolain in the Blasket Islands (off the coast of County Kerry) and heard this tune coming from the mists.

Is bean on slua si me do tainig tar toinn;
Is do toidead san oice me tamall tar lear;
Is Go bFuilim sa rioct so fe geasa mna si,
Is ni bead ar an saol so go nGlaofaid an coileac.

Sometimes the tune is described as the sound of the wind blowing across the islands.

Source for notated version: Tom Daly/O Dalaig (1907-1989) [Mac Amhlaoibh & Durham].

Printed sources: Mac Amhlaoibh & Durham (An Pota Stóir: Ceol Seite Corca Duibne/The Set Dance Music of West Kerry), No. 93, p. 53. Ó Canainn (Traditional Slow Airs of Ireland), 1995; No. 68, p. 60.

Recorded sources: CCE CL13, Tommy Peoples (1978). Claddagh Records, Sean ‘Cheist’ Ó Cathain - “Beauty an oilean” (Ó Cathain was a resident of Blasket Island until it was cleared in the 1950's). Compass Records 7 4407 2, Ciaran Tourish – “Down the Line” (2005). Compass Records 7 4446 2,Oisíin McAuley – “From the Hills of Donegal” (2007). Gael-linn CEFCD 114, Tony MacMahon & Noel Hill - “ "I gCnoc na Graí” (1985). Ronan Browne - “Drones and Chanters, vol. 2.” Ovation, Tommy Peoples – “Master Irish Fiddle Player.” Shanachie 79033, Paddy Moloney & Sean Potts – “Tin Whistles” (1974).

See also listings at:
Alan Snyder’s Cape Breton Fiddle Recording Index []
Jane Keefer’s Folk Music Index: An Index to Recorded Sources [1]
Alan Ng’s Irishtune.info [2]

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