Annotation:Butcher's March (1)

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BUTCHER'S MARCH [1], THE ("Máirseáil na mBúistéirí" or "Triall An Bustoir"). AKA and see "Butcher's Jig (2) (The)," "Ree Raw." Irish, March or Double Jig. G Major. Standard tuning (fiddle). AAB (Stanford/Petrie): AABB (Breathnach, Cole, Flaherty, O'Neill): AABBCCDDEEFF (Breathnach, O'Farrell). O'Neill (1913) records that the tune was associated with a tradition of butchers performing a long dance on "May-Eve." In the city of Limerick in the 18th century the dance, Rinnce Fada, was witnessed by Sylvester O'Halloran, an eminent native historian. In 'modern' times, states O'Neill, the tune in two strains is danced as a double jig, though he points out the setting in O'Farrell's Pocket Companion for the Irish or Union Pipes (vol. 2, Book 1, c. 1810) has six parts. Canon James Goodman's mid-19th century version, collected in County Cork, has five parts.

Breathnach gives that Sliabh Luachra fiddler Denis Murphy called the tune "Along with the Girls I'd Like to Be." See also "Rub the Bag," and variants listed under "Butcher's March (2) (The)," below. Don Meade points out this is not the tune usually known as "The Butcher's March" in Irish sessions today. There may be some relation to the "Gold Ring (1)(The)" family of tunes.

Source for notated version: accordionist and fiddler John Keane (Co. Kerry, Ireland) [Breathnach]; fiddler Fred Finn (1919–1986, Kiltycreen, Kilavil, Co. Sligo, Ireland) [Flaherty].

Printed sources: Breathnach (CRÉ 2), 1976; No. 27 [1], p. 16. Breathnach (CRÉ 2), 1976; No. 27 [3], p. 17. Breathnach (CRÉ 2), 1976; No. 21 (appears as "Gan ainm/No title"), p. 13. Cole (1000 Fiddle Tunes), 1940; p. 70. Flaherty (Trip to Sligo), 1990; p. 84. Giblin (Collection of Traditional Irish Dance Music), 1928; No. 68. Levey (Dance Music of Ireland, 2nd Collection), 1873; No. 36, p. 15 (appears as untitled jig). O'Farrell (Pocket Companion, vol. 1), c. 1810. O'Neill (Krassen), 1976; p. 36. O'Neill (Music of Ireland: 1850 Melodies), 1903; No. 867, p. 161. O'Neill (Dance Music of Ireland: 1001 Gems), 1907; No. 127, p. 36. O'Neill (Irish Minstrels and Musicians), 1913, p. 429 (reprint of O'Farrell's setting). Ryan's Mammoth Collection, 1883; p. 100.

Recorded sources:

See also listing at:
See the tune in the Dunn Family manuscript collection [1]

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