Annotation:Paddy Taylor's Reel (1)
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PADDY TAYLOR'S REEL [1] (Ríl Phádraig Táilliúir). AKA and see "Anderson's Reel," "Lady Gordon," “McCabe’s Reel (2).” Irish, Reel. D Major. Standard tuning (fiddle). AA'B (Breathnach): AABBCC (Black). Composed by Paddy Taylor (1914-1976), a London-based flute player originally from Loughill, west County Limerick. He was born into a musical family—his father (who died young) was a singer, his mother a noted concertina player, two cousins played the flute and his maternal grandfather, Patrick Hanley, was a renowned piper and flute player. Hanley even played before Queen Victoria. Taylor emigrated to London in 1933, settling in Camden Town where he found the company of many Irish musician émigrés, including Sligo fiddle players Martin Wynne and Joe Dowd. According to Marie O’Keeffe (in liner notes to “The Smoky Chimney”), the tune was popularized by the Castle Ceili Band when they played it during the 1966 Leadh Cheoil in Boyle, County Roscommon. It is usually played in two parts, though Black’s setting is in three.
Taylor learned his music from his mother, Katie or Honora Taylor, a concertina player. He moved to London in 1934, was a founding member of the West London branch of Comhaltas Ceoltoiin Eireann, and played with Frank Lee’s Tara Band Band (19348) and the Garryowen Band (1938 to early 1960s), with Joe Dowd and Martin Wynne. Anthony Buffery says he was a “live wire” who played in all the local Hammersmith (London) ceili bands and was a regular at sessions.
Brendan McGlinchey remembered the Taylor family in London, and said that “old Mrs. Taylor” used to get Paddy to round up musicians on a Sunday to come over for dinner at the family home in Chiswick. He remembers she had an extensive collection of 78 RPM Irish music records and a lovely concertina, and used both to entertain her guests. “Anybody (i.e. musicians) around London at the time would be in that house.” McGlinchey also recalled that she sent her sons out on Christmas day to Hammersmith Broadway to round up stray Irishmen to come home for holiday dinner! See also the related "Errigal Braes."
Source for notated version: fiddler Seán Keane (County Clare, Ireland) [Breathnach].
Printed sources: Black (Music’s the Very Best Thing), 1996; No. 146, p. 77. Breathnach (CRÉ III), 1985; No. 154, p. 72. Vallely (Play 50 Reels with the Armagh Pipers Club), 1982; 49.
Recorded sources: Claddagh Records CC17, Sean Keane - "Gusty's Frolics" (1975). Gael-Linn Records CEF 069, Sean Keane - "An Fhidil II" (1980). Shanachie SH-78010, Solas - “Sunny Spells and Scattered Showers” (1997). Shanachie 34014, James Kelly, Paddy O’Brien & Daithi Sproule – “Traditional Music of Ireland” (1995). Shanachie 78031, James Keane – “Sweeter as the Years Roll By.” Spin CD1001, Eoghan O’Sullivan, Gerry Harrington, Paul De Grae - “The Smoky Chimney” (1996. Learned from Denis McMahon and Connie O’Cannell, a fiddle duo from the Cork/Kerry region).