Annotation:Rakes of Clonmel (2)

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RAKES OF CLONMEL [2] (Na Racairide Ua Cluain-Meala). AKA and see "Boys of the Lough (The)," “Double Head,” "Take a kiss or let it alone,” “Tom Morrison's Favourite." Irish (originally), New England; Double Jig. A Minor/Dorian: A Dorian (Flaherty, Kennedy). Standard tuning (fiddle). AABB (Flaherty, Tolman): AA’BB’ (Feldman & O’Doherty): AABC (Kerr): AABCC (O'Neill/1915): AABBCC (Kennedy, O’Farrell): AABB'CC (O'Neill/1850, 1001 & Krassen). The word ‘Rakes’ nowadays usually refers to a dissolute person and appears to be short for ‘rakehell’, which itself stems from the Old Icelandic word reikall, meaning "wandering” or “unsettled." Clonmel is an administrative center located in southern County Tipperary on the River Suir in the valley of the Sliabh na mBan, surrounded by the Commeragh and Knockmealdown mountains. The name 'Clonmel' derives from the Irish and means ‘meadow of honey’. Its walls were begun by the Normans in the year 1298, and it was once a stronghold of the powerful Anglo-Norman Butler family. Oliver Cromwell ended his campaign by capturing it in 1650.

O’Neill, in Irish Folk Music (1910, p. 97), remarks regarding “Rakes of Clonmel”: “(I) memorized it (from the playing of piper Delaney) and dictated it to our scribe (fiddler James O’Neill). The latter, remembering a third strain from an Ulster setting, called ‘The Boys of the Lough,’ annexed it.” The tune was first recorded in 1923 on a 78 RPM by the Flanagan Brothers; Joe on accordion, Mike on tenor banjo and Louis on a hybrid harp-guitar.

Itinerant dancing masters in Ireland held territories or districts of ten miles or so in which they plied their trade, and had friendly rivalries with neighboring dancing masters, according to Brendan Breathnach (The Man & His Music, 1996). When they met at fairs or sporting events they would vie with each other by dancing in public, to the pleasure of the spectators and the honor of the moment. Often the outcomes of these contests were moot, however, “occasionally the event demanded a victor as when a Kerry dancing master vanquished a Cork dancing master in a contest as to who should ‘own’ Clonmel” (p. 2). Perhaps the rakes were in attendance.

Source for notated version: Chicago piper Bernard Delaney [O’Neill]; fiddler Johnny Henry (b. 1922, Cloonlairn, Doocastle, County Sligo) [Flaherty]; fiddler Con Cassidy (County Donegal) [Feldman & O’Doherty].

Printed sources: Feldman & O’Doherty (The Northern Fiddler), 1979; p. 151 (appears as “Untitled Jig”). Flaherty (Trip to Sligo), 1990; p. 144. Keegan (The Keegan Tunes), 2002; p. 119, Kennedy (Traditional Dance Music of Britain and Ireland: Jigs & Quicksteps, Trips & Humours), 1997; No. 158, p. 38. Kerr (Merry Melodies, vol. 1), c. 1880; No. 29, p. 38. Miller & Perron (New England Fiddlers Repertoire), 1983; No., p. O’Farrell (Pocket Companion, vol. 1), c. 1805; p. 48. O'Neill (O’Neill’s Irish Music), 1915; No. 131, p. 76. O'Neill (Krassen), 1976; p. 40. O'Neill (Music of Ireland: 1850 Melodies), 1903; No. 902, p. 168. O'Neill (Dance Music of Ireland: 1001 Gems), 1986; No. 149, p. 39. Ryan’s Mammoth Collection, 1883; p. 97. Tolman (Nelson Music Collection), 1969; p. 6.

Recorded sources: Green Linnet GLCD 1128, Brendan Mulvihill & Donna Long - “The Morning Dew” (1993). Topic TSCD 604, The Flanagan Brothers – “Past Masters of Irish Dance Music.” “The Pipering of Patsy Tuohey.” Patty Furlong – “Traditional Irish Music on the Button Accordion” (1999. Learned from the playing of P.J. Hernon).

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