Annotation:Hugh Kelly
Back to Hugh Kelly
HUGH KELLY. AKA and see "Fly Not Yet," "Planxty Kelly," "Planxty O'Kelly." Irish, Planxty (6/8 time). D Major (O'Sullivan): A Major (Clinton). Standard tuning (fiddle). One part. Composed by blind Irish harper Turlough O'Carolan (1670-1738) for Hugh Kelly of Ballyforan, although whom this might be is not known as the name is so common. Donal O'Sullivan believes this Hugh Kelly was actually the son of Hugh Kelly of Ballyforan (1656-1689). Sir Thomas Moore used the melody for his song "Fly Not Yet," published in his Irish Minstrelsy, vol. 1 (1806). The air was employed by English composer Thomas Hook in his 1808 opera The Siege of St. Quentin ("What tho' 'tis true I've talked of love"). A song by William Shield in his opera Robin Hood (1784) has an initial four bars that are similar to "Hugh Kelly."
Source for notated version: John Mulholland's Collection of Ancient Irish Airs (Belfast, 1810) [O'Sullivan].
Printed sources: Clinton (Gems of Ireland: 200 Airs), 1841; No. 44, p. 22 (appears as "Planxty Kelly"). Complete Collection of Carolan's Irish Tunes, 1984; No. 71, p. 62. O'Sullivan (Carolan: The Life, Times and Music of an Irish Harper), 1958; No. 71, pp. 140-141.
Recorded sources: