Annotation:Kiss the Maid Behind the Barrel

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KISS THE MAID BEHIND THE BARREL(S) {"Pog An Cailin Taob Iar De'n Stanna," "Tabhair Póg don Gearrchaile taobh thiar den Bhairille," or "Pog an Cailin Ar Cul an Stanna"}. AKA and see "Kiss the Maid Behind the Bar/Kiss the Maid Behind the Barn," "Maid Behind the Bar (2) (The)," "Maid Behind the Counter (The)," "Clonmel Lassies," "Clonmel Lasses," "Bruisus (The)," "Gearrchaile taobh thiar den Bhear (An)." Irish, Reel. G Mixolydian/Major (O'Neill/1850, Stanford/Petrie): G Major (Breathnach, Flaherty/O'Neill/1001). Standard tuning (fiddle). AAB (Stanford/Petrie): AABB (Kennedy): AABBC (Stanford/Petrie): AABCDD (Flaherty, O'Neill): ABCDEF (Breathnach). Both O'Neill versions feature an occasional C # note, thus obscuring the tonality in sections between G Major and D Major. Petrie's versions No. 885 is identified as "a Cork reel" while his No. 887 is "Set in the county of Limerick." Breathnach (CRÉ 1, 1963) prints a version of the tune under the title "Maid Behind the Bar (2)" and says he never heard the reel with the F natural that Petrie prints. The reel in CRÉ V, from Kerry fiddler Denis Murphy, is "a special version which can be heard among Sliabh Luachra musicians, longer than the usual setting" (Jackie Small/CRÉ V). "Potlick" is a related melody, while "Trim the Velvet" appears to be a distantly related tune.

Sources for notated versions: flute player Sonny McDonagh (b. 1926, Rinnarogue, Bunninadden, County Sligo) [Flaherty]; "From Col. Westenra" [Stanford/Petrie]; "From P. Carew's MSS" [Stanford/Petrie]; "From F. Keane" [Stanford/Petrie]; "From Mrs. McSweeny. From (the Irish collector) Mr. Joyce" [Stanford/Petrie]; Chicago fiddler James Kennedy who had the tune from his father, a celebrated local fiddler from Ballinamore, County Leitrim [O'Neill]; fiddler Denis Murphy (Kerry) [Breathnach].

Printed sources: Breathnach (CRÉ V), 1999; No. 170, p. 83. Flaherty (Trip to Sligo), 1990; pg. 125. Kennedy (Traditional Dance Music of Britain and Ireland: Reels and Rants), 1997; No. 117, p. 28 (as "Maid Behind the Counter"). O'Neill (Music of Ireland: 1850 Melodies), 1903; No. 1308, p. 245. O'Neill (Dance Music of Ireland: 1001 Gems), 1907; No. 571, p. 105. Stanford/Petrie (Complete Collection), 1905; Nos. 884, 885, 886 & 887, p. 224.

Recorded sources: Coleman Center CD CC004, Gregory Daly & Ted McGowan - "The Mountain Road" (1999. Various artists. "A Compilation of tunes popular in South Sligo"). Columbia 33421-F (78 RPM), piper Tom Ennis (1929. 2nd tune in "Trim the Velvet" set). Front Hall Records FHR-009, How to Change a Flat Tire - "Point of Departure" (1976).

See also listing at:
Jane Keefer's Folk Music Index: An Index to Recorded Sources [1]
Alan Ng's Irishtune.info [2]
Hear fiddler Connie O'Connel's 1992 recording of the tune at the Comhaltas Archive [3]
Hear the 1929 recording (2nd tune in set) by uilleann piper Tom Ennis at the Internet Archive [4] [5]

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