Annotation:Chief O'Neill's Favorite
Tune properties and standard notation
CHIEF O'NEILL'S FAVORITE (Roga an Taoisaig Uí Niall). AKA - "Chief O'Neill's Fancy." AKA and see "The Flowers of Ardigne," "The Flowers of Adrigole." Irish, Hornpipe. D Major (Moylan, Mulvihill): D Major/D Mixolydian (Brody, Cranitch, Williamson). Standard tuning (fiddle). AABB. Captain Francis O'Neill was Chief of Police of Chicago in the early years of the 20th Century, and a flute player who compiled several extremely important collections of tunes from the Irish immigrant population who lived and visited the city. He obtained this tune from Edward Cronin, a fiddler originally from County Tipperary, who had no name for it and christened it after the Chief. O'Neill admired Cronin, who was a weaver and a machinest as well as a musician and composer, and obtained many tunes from him, including two originals ("The Bantry" and "Caroline O'Neill's Hornpipe") that he printed in Music of Ireland (1903). O'Neill says: "...he would play for hours at a time such tunes as memory presented, his features while so engaged remaining as set and impassive as the sphinx...It was his open boast that he never forgot nor forgave an injury..."
Some modern versions feature an 'f' and 'c' natural note in the second part, and it is played this way by older musicians in County Kerry, for example (Paul de Grae).
Sources for notated versions: accordion player Johnny O'Leary (Sliabh Luachra region, Kerry), recorded at a recital at Na Píobairí Uilleann, February, 1981 [Moylan]; set dance music recorded live at Na Píobairí Uilleann, mid-1980's [Taylor]. Barney McKinner {ed. probably Barney McKenna} (Williamson).
Printed sources: Brody (Fiddler's Fakebook), 1983; p. 66. Cotter (Traditional Irish Tin Whistle Tutor), 1989; 81. Cranitch (The Irish Fiddle Book), 1996; p. 77. Martin & Hughes (Ho-ro-gheallaidh), 1990; p. 40. Moylan (Johnny O'Leary), 1994; No. 34, pg. 20. Mulvihill (1st Collection), 1986; No. 28, p. 97. O'Neill (O'Neill's Irish Music), 1915; No. 349, p. 171. O'Neill (Krassen), 1976; p. 164. O'Neill (Music of Ireland: 1850 Melodies), 1903; No. 1556, p. 288. O'Neill (Dance Music of Ireland: 1001 Gems), 1907; No. 806, p. 140. Peoples (Fifty Irish Fiddle Tunes), 1986; 21. Taylor (Music for the Sets: Yellow Book), 1995; p. 19. Williamson (English, Welsh, Scottish and Irish Fiddle Tunes), 1976; p. 69.
Recorded sources: Claddagh 4CC 39, "The Pipering of Willie Clancy Vol. 2" (1983). Gael-Linn CEF 069, Sean Keane- "An Fhidil Sraith II." Green Linnet 1022, Garrai Eoin II Ceili Band- "Irish Music: The Living Tradition, vol. 2." Kicking Mule 209, Andy Cahan- "Melodic Clawhammer Banjo." Outlet 1031, Sean McGuire- "Ireland's Champion Traditional Fiddler." Revonah RS-932, The West Orrtanna String Band - "An Orrtanna Home Companion" (1978. Learned from the recording by Andy Cahan and the version printed in O'Neill). Transatlantic 341, Dave Swarbrick- "Swarbrick 2." Paddy Glackin - "In Full Spate." Brendan Begley et al - "Music for the Sets: Pay the Piper" (1987).