Annotation:Floating Crowbar (The)
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FLOATING CROWBAR, THE. AKA and see "Rathcroghan Reel." Irish, Reel. D Major/Mixolydian. Standard tuning (fiddle). AABB. Cairan Carson (Last Night's Fun, 1996) says he has heard this tune attributed to fiddle player Brendan McGlinchey. Some say it was originally called the "Rathcroghan Reel" and is of North Connacht origin. The tune is closely related to "Cameronian (The)." Taylor (1992) speculates that "It is quite possible that the ['crowbar'] title is a tongue-in-cheek name given by some wag when no name was known by him or her." However, it seems that the term 'floating crowbar' has meaning in the building trades, where it refers to either a type of switch employed by electrical engineers, or to setting concrete (i.e. the concrete is ready when it can support, or 'float', the weight of a crowbar).
Source for notated version: fiddler Paddy Ryan [Bulmer & Sharpley].
Printed sources: Bulmer & Sharpley (Music from Ireland, vol. 4), 1976; No. 24. Taylor (Crossroads Dance), 1992; No. 23, p. 18.
Recorded sources: Green Linnet CSIF 1012, Martin Mulvihill - "Traditional Fiddling from County Limerick" (1978, as "Rathcrogan Reel"). Green Linnet GLCD 1200, Lunasa - "Otherworld" (1999). GTF Heritage Music GTD CD 072, Shaskeen - "My Love is in America" (1993). Artie McGlynn - "McGlynn's Fancy" (1994).
See also listing at:
Alan Ng's Irishtune.info [1]