Annotation:Monaghan Switch (The)

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MONAGHAN SWITCH, THE. AKA - "Muìneachan Switch (The)." AKA and see "Heathery Cruach," "Ladies of Tullybardee (The)," "Johnny Mhosai's Reel," "John Mhosey McGinley's Reel," "John Mosai McGinley's," "Our Boys (1)," "Ríl Sheáin Mhosaí," "Monaghan Twist (The)." Irish, Reel. Ireland, County Donegal. D Major (Feldman & O'Doherty): A Major (Mac Aodh O'Neill). Standard tuning (fiddle). ABB'. The late John and Mickey Doherty, influential Donegal fiddlers, played the tune in the key of D. It appears in 'A' in Padraig Mac Aodh O'Neill's work Songs of Uladh (1904), under the title "The Muìneachan Switch," and was collected by him in 1903 from the playing of Fawans, Kilmacrannan, Donegal, farmer and schoolmaster Proinseas Mac Suibhne, who had learned it from an old Glenswilly fiddler named Llilliam Ua Curthainn. A note in O'Neill's book stated that it was popular with the older folk around Kilmacrennan, and, according to Caoimhin Mac Aoidh (1993), it has become popular again with modern Donegal fiddlers. The first strain of the reel is shared with "Our Boys (1)" in Ryan's Mammoth Collection (1883).

Source for notated version: John Doherty (1895-1980, County Donegal) [Feldman & O'Doherty].

Printed sources: Feldman & O'Doherty (The Northern Fiddler), 1979; p. 70. Padraig Mac Aodh O'Neill (Songs of Uladh), 1904; p. 27.

Recorded sources: Gael-Linn Records, Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh & Frankie Kennedy- "Ceol Aduaidh" (1983). Green Linnet GLCD 1137, Altan - "Island Angel" (1993). Topic Records 12TS398, John Doherty - "Bundle and Go" (1980).