Banshee (1) (The)

Banshee (1) (The) Click on the tune title to see or modify Banshee (1) (The)'s annotations. If the link is red you can create them using the form provided.Browse Properties <br/>Special:Browse/:Banshee (1) (The) Query the Archive
Theme code Index
Also known as	McMahon's Reel
Composer/Core Source
Region	Ireland
Genre/Style	Irish
Meter/Rhythm	Reel (single/double)
Key/Tonic of	G
Accidental	1 sharp
Mode	Ionian (Major)
Time signature	4/4
History
Structure
Editor/Compiler
Book/Manuscript title
Tune and/or Page number
Year of publication/Date of MS
Artist
Title of recording
Record label/Catalogue nr.
Year recorded
Media
Score ()

<abc float="left"> %REPLACE THE NEXT 5 (FIVE) LINES WITH YOUR ABC NOTATION CODE X:1 T: No Score K:G %% simply paste your ABC code here! %% the rest, after the closed tag, is for formatting and copyright issues </abc>

BANSHEE [1], THE. AKA and see "McMahon's Reel." Irish, Reel. G Major ('A' part) & A Dorian ('B' part). Standard tuning. AABB (Flaherty, Silberberg, Songer): AA'BB' (Harker/Rafferty). Apparently the "Banshee" title for this tune originated with the Bothy Band, according to Philippe Varlet. However, the tune was composed by a Fermanagh fiddle and flute player named John McMahon who later removed to County Antrim, near Muckamore. In Fermanagh and many other places it is still called "McMahon's Reel" after its composer. "The Banshee" title also appears frequently, however, there is no evidence that McMahon ever used this title himself. According to Crofton Croker the banshee is "a small, shrivelled old woman with long white hair, supposed to be peculiarly attached to old houses or families, and to announce the approaching dissolution of any members by mournful lamentations. This fairy attendant is considered as highly honourable." Paul de Grae believes the McMahon's tune was derisively nicknamed after the banshee in by someone not very enamoured of the melody.

Sources for notated versions: flute player Harry McGowan (b. 1937, Carrowmore, Co. Sligo, Ireland) [Flaherty]; New Jersey flute player Mike Rafferty, born in Ballinakill, Co. Galway, in 1926 [Harker].

Printed sources: Flaherty (Trip to Sligo), 1990; pg. 158. Harker (300 Tunes from Mike Rafferty), 2005; No. 17, pg. 6. Silberberg (Tunes I Learned at Tractor Tavern), 2002; pg. 4. Songer (Portland Collection), 1997; pg. 23.

"Recorded sources: "Barde."

__NORICHEDITOR__