Annotation:Galway Rambler (The)
Tune properties and standard notation
GALWAY RAMBLER, THE. AKA and see "Lord Wellington (1)," "Manchester Reel (3)," "Paddy Finlay's Favourite," "Rising Sun (5)," "Sean Ryan's Reel (2)," "Sligo Rambler (1) (The)," "Tiarna Wellington," "Wellington's Reel (2)." Irish, Reel. G Major. Standard tuning (fiddle). AB (Harker/Rafferty, Mulvihill, Tubridy): AAB (Taylor). The tune is often paired in a set with "London Lasses (The)," perhaps stemming from the 1937 recording by the Aughrim Slopes Ceili Band in Dublin. It was recorded in 1927 by Galway flute player Tom Morrison (1889-1958) under the title "Manchester Reel (3)" (along with "Dunmore Lasses (The)" and "Castlebar Traveller (The)"). The medley was recreated a decade later on 78 RPM by the Aughrim Slopes Ceildhe Band.
Source for notated version: Frank McCollam (Ballycastle, County Antrim) [Mulvihill]; New Jersey flute player Mike Rafferty, born in Ballinakill, Co. Galway, in 1926 [Harker].
Printed sources: Breathnach (CRÉ I), 1963; No. 199. Cotter (Traditional Irish Tin Whistle Tutor), 1989; 68. Flaherty (Trip to Sligo), 1994; 76. Harker (300 Tunes from Mike Rafferty), 2005; No. 28, p. 9. Lyth (Bowing Styles in Irish Fiddle Playing, vol. 1), 1981; 21. Mulvihill (1st Collection), 1986; No. 25, p. 7. Taylor (Through the Half-door), 1992; No. 28, p. 21. Treoir, vol. 39, No. 4, 2007; p. 30. Tubridy (Irish Traditional Music, vol. 1), 1999; p. 21.
Recorded sources: Shaskeen - "Atlantic Breeze" & "Shaskeen Live." Claddagh CD BUACD 9501, "Michael Flatley" (originally recorded 1981). Green Linnet SIF 1069, Joe Burke, Michael Cooney, Terry Corcoran - "Happy to Meet, Sorry to Part." Boys of the Lough - "Wish You Were Here."
See also listings at:
Jane Keefer's Folk Music Index: An Index to Recorded Sources [1]
Alan Ng's Irishtune.info [2]