Annotation:Leitrim Fancy (1) (The)
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LEITRIM FANCY [1], THE. AKA and see "Gallagher's Fancy," "Michael Gallagher's Reel," "Moran's Hornpipe." Irish, Hornpipe. D Major. Standard tuning (fiddle). AAB (Mitchell): AABB' (Allan, Tubridy). See note for "Annotation:Michael Gallagher's Reel." Uilleann piper Michael Gallagher recorded the hornpipe in 1924, and the record label lists a medley containing three titles: "Moran's Hornpipe," "Plains of Boyle (The)," and "The Leitrim Fancy." However, there are only two tunes played, "Plains of Boyle (The)," followed by "The Leitrim Fancy." Gallagher was originally a flute player from County Leitrim who learned to play the pipes in America [1]. The alternate title "Moran's Hornpipe" for "Leitrim Fancy" appears to have been from Gallagher himself, who may have learned both from a man named Moran. In Waifs and Strays of Gaelic Melody (1922), Francis O'Neill gives "Moran's Hornpipe," which he noted from the playing of Chicago fiddler Patrick Stack, and remarked "The above traditional Irish hornpipe now printed for the first time, circulated without a name among the fiddlers around Listowell, County Kerry, in Stack's student days. The present title is that by which it has been given publicity by Michael J. Gallagher, a clever performer on the Irish or Union pipes, recently from Ireland." So it would seem that the hornpipe was in circulation, and that the "Moran" title was taken by O'Neill from Gallagher.
Source for notated version: piper Willie Clancy (1918-1973, Miltown Malbay, West Clare) [Mitchell].
Printed sources: McDermott (Allan's Irish Fiddler), c. 1920's; No. 76, p. 19. Mitchell (Dance Music of Willie Clancy), 1993; No. 4, pp. 30-31. Tubridy (Irish Traditional Music, Book Two), 1999; p. 13.
Recorded sources: Gennett 5451 (78 RPM), Michael Gallagher (uilleann pipes) {1924}. Starr 9567 (78 RPM), Michael Gallagher (uilleann pipes) {1924}.
See also listing at:
Alan Ng's Irishtune.info [2]
Hear Micheal Gallagher's 1924 recording at the Internet Archive [3]