Annotation:Monaghan Jig (The)

Back to Monaghan Jig (The)

X:1 T:The Monaghan Jig M:6/8 L:1/8 R:Jig B:Gow - Fifth Collection of Strathspey Reels (1809) Z:AK/Fiddler's Companion K:Emin ~G2E EFE|GEG BGE|~G2E EFG|FDF AGF| G2E EFE|GEG AB^c|d^cB ABG|FDF AGF:| |:EGB efg|fe^d eBG|EGB eBG|FDF AGF| EGB efg|fe^d e=d^c|d^cB ABG|FDF AGF:| |:~g2e efe|geg bge|~g2e efg|fdf afd| g2e efe|geg bge|d^cB ABG|FDF AGF:|| "This Strain by Mr. Sharpe of Hoddam" EGB EGB|eBG eBG|EGB EGB|eBG AFD| EGB GBe|Beg egb|ge^c|dBG|FDF AGF:||

MONAGHAN {JIG}, THE (Port Muineacain or Port Mhuineacháin). AKA and see "Clay Pipe," "Cock Up Your Chin Billy," "Scarce o' Tatties (2)." Irish, Scottish; Double Jig. E Minor (O'Neill): E Dorian (Taylor). Standard tuning (fiddle). AABBCC (O'Neill/1850 & 1001, Taylor): AABBCCDD (Carlin, O'Neill/1915 & Krassen). The jig was first printed by Nathaniel Gow in his Fifth Collection of Strathspeys, Reels, etc. (Edinburgh, 1809), where it is identified as "Irish," although the fourth part is attributed to "Mr. Sharpe of Hoddam," a Perthshire gentleman-amateur violinist (see "Mr. Sharpe's Delight" for more on him).

The melody was popularized by Irish fiddle master Michael Coleman (1891–1945) with his Columbia recording of October, 1921. Coleman, who recorded the tune early in his career, added a fourth part to the three found in Joyce, O'Neill and other 19th century Irish collections. However, the challenging fourth part in the Irish recordings predates Coleman; it was recorded in the early years of the 20th century on Capt. Francis O'Neill's hone-cylinder machine from the playing of the famous uilleann piper and vaudevillian, Patsy Touhey [1]. As "Cock Up Your Chin Billy" the tune was collected by County Cork-born John Edward Pigot (1822–1871) and appears in Joyce's Old Irish Folk Music and Songs (1909). See also the related "Scatter the Mud."

Additional notes

Source for notated version: - from the manuscript collection of retired businessman and Irish music enthusiast John Gillan, collected from musicians in his home county of Longford and the adjoining Leitrim [O'Neill]; "This last strain is by Mr. Sharpe" (Gow).

Printed sources : - Carlin (Gow Collection), 1986; No. 354. Cotter (Traditional Irish Tin Whistle Tutor), 1989; No. 13, p. 51. Gow (Fifth Collection of Strathspeys, Reels etc.), 1809; p. 31. O'Neill (O'Neill's Irish Music), 1915; No. 142, p. 82. O'Neill (Krassen), 1976; p. 58. O'Neill (Music of Ireland: 1850 Melodies), 1903; No. 1033, p. 193. O'Neill (Dance Music of Ireland: 1001 Gems), 1907; No. 245, p. 54. Taylor (The Crossroads Dance), 1992; No. 38, p. 29.

Recorded sources: -Rounder CD 1087, Michael Coleman – "From Galway to Dublin" (1992. Reissue of the 1921 original). Shaskeen – "The Mouse Behind the Dresser." Shanachie 29009, "Andy McGann and Paul Brady" (learned from Michael Coleman). Shanachie SHA 79006, Mary Bergin "Feadoga Stain" (1979). Smithsonian Folkways Records CD 40545, Tony DeMarco – "The Sligo Indians" (2008).

See also listing at:
Jane Keefer's Folk Music Index: An Index to Recorded Sources [2]
Alan Ng's Irishtune.info [3]
Alan Snyder's Cape Breton Fiddle Recordings Index [4]
Hear piper Séamus Ennis play the tune at the Comhaltas Archive [5]
Hear Dermot & Joe MacLoughlin and Paddy Glackin play the tune at the Comhaltas Archive [6]
Hear Michael Coleman's recording on youtube.com [7]
Hear Michael Colemen's recording at the Comhaltas Archive [8]
Hear Francis O'Neill's cylinder recording by piper Patsy Touhey (early 20th century) at the Dunn Family Collection [9]

Back to Monaghan Jig (The)