Annotation:Miss Monaghan's Reel
Back to Miss Monaghan's Reel
MISS MONA(G)HAN('S REEL) {"Ingean Uí Muineacan," "Iníon Uí Mhuimhneacháin" or "Ingean Ni Muineacain"}. AKA and see "Barrow Castle (The)," "Belles of Tipperary (2),” "Blea-Berry Blossom (The)," "Connacht Lasses," "Connacht Star (The)," "Dandy Girl (The)/Dandy Lass (The)/Dandy Lasses (The)," "Four Courts of Dublin (The)," "Green Fields to America," "Jackson's Welcome to Cork (1)," "Johnny Shooting in the Glen," “Kerry Star,” “Lamont’s Reel,” “Mel Roddy’s Tune,” "Music Club (The)," “New Policeman (The),” "O'Connell in Clare," “Shannon’s Shores,” "Stormy Weather (1)," "White Haired Piper (The).” Irish, Reel. D Major. Standard tuning (fiddle). ABC (O'Neill): AABB (most versions): AA’BB’ (Armagh Pipers): ABCDEF (Breathnach). “Miss Monaghan’s” is one variant of a large family of inter-related tunes that share melodic themes (see alternate titles) and general contour. The earliest appearance of the tune under this title appears to be in Church of Ireland cleric James Goodman’s (1828-1896) mid-19th century music manuscript collection. Goodman, an Irish speaker and uilleann piper, collected in tradition in County Cork and elsewhere in Munster, although he also obtained tunes from manuscripts and printed sources. Fintan Vallely, in his book Blooming Meadows (1998), relates that the famous piper and collector Séamus Ennis particularly relished playing this tune (and recorded it several times), as his mother was from County Monaghan.
Some see similarities between this reel and the American tune “Johnny Don't Come Home Drunk.” “Connaught Lasses” is a related tune.
The first sound recording of "Miss Monaghan" was by uileann piper Patsy Touhey, on home cylinder recordings made by Captain Francis O'Neill, 1902-1904.
Source for notated version: Chicago police patrolman, piper and flute player John Ennis, originally from County Kildare [O’Neill]; Joe Shannon and Johnny McGreevy [Brody]; piper Seamus Ennis (Ireland) [Breathnach]; fiddler Kathleen Morris (Corlisheen, Ballyrush, Co. Sligo) [Flaherty]; Seattle harmonica player Mark Graham [Songer]; set dance music recorded at Na Píobairí Uilleann in the 1980’s [Taylor].
Printed sources: Armagh Piper’s Club (Play 50 Reels), 1982; No. 12, p. 7. Breathnach (CRÉ III), 1985; No. 93, pp. 46-47. Brody (Fiddler’s Fakebook), 1983; p. 193. Cotter (Traditional Irish Tin Whistle Tutor), 1989; 65. Flaherty (Trip to Sligo), 1990; p. 58. Giblin (Collection of Traditional Irish Dance Music), 1928; 43. Mallinson (100 Essential), 1995; No. 49, p. 21. McDermott (Allan's Irish Fiddler), c. 1920; No. 50, p. 12. O'Neill (O’Neill’s Irish Music), 1915; No. 284, p. 144. O'Neill (Music of Ireland: 1850 Melodies), 1903; No. 1312, p. 246. O'Neill (Dance Music of Ireland: 1001 Gems), 1907; No. 575, p. 106. Roche (Collection of Irish Traditional Music, vol. 1), 1912; No. 158, p. 62. Shields (Tunes of the Munster Pipers), 1998; No. 101, p. 43. Songer (Portland Collection), 1997; p. 136. Taylor (Music for the Sets: Yellow Book) , 1995; p. 4.
Recorded sources: Cló Iar-Chonnachta CICD 167, Peter Horan & Gerry Harrington – “The Merry Love to Play” (2007. Peter Horan plays Michael Coleman’s version). Coleman Music Center CHC 009, whistle player Dominic Rushe (Gorthaganny, Co. Mayo, d. 1994) – “The Coleman Archive, vol. 2: The Home Place” (2005). Green Linnet 1020, Brenden Mulvihill "The Flax in Bloom." Green Linnet 1023, Joe Shannon and Johnny McGreevy "The Noonday Feast." Green Linnet SIF 1000, Seamus Ennis "Forty Years of Irish Piping" (1977). Front Hall FHR 024, Fennigs All Star String Band "Fennigmania" (1981. Learned from the McCusker Brothers Ceili Band). Green Linnet GLCD1182, The Tannahill Weavers - “Choice Cuts 1987-1996.” HMV IM372 (78 RPM), Leo Rowsome and His Irish Pipers Band (1937). Shaskeen - "My Love is in America." Kerry Elkin - “Soir et Matin” (1990. Played in the key of G Major). “Noel Hill and Tony Linnane.” “Joe Cooley.”
See also listing at:
Alan Ng's Irishtune.info [1]
Alan Snyder's Cape Breton Fiddle Recordings Index [2]
Jane Keefer's Folk Music Index: An Index to Recorded Sources [3]
Hear Sean Maguire's recording at the Comhaltas Archive [4]
Hear Michael Coleman's recording at the Comhaltas Archive [5] (paired with "Pigeon on the Gate")
Hear Leo Rowsome and His Irish Piper's Band's 1937 recording at the Internet Archive [6] (paired with "Bonnie Kate (1)" and "Blackberry Blossom (1)").