Annotation:Handsome Sally (3)

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HANDSOME SALLY [3]. AKA and see: "Crossing the Shannon," "Day I Met Tom Moylan (The)," "Ginley's Fancy," "Ivy Leaf (4)," "Man of the House (The)," "McGinley's," "Old Tom," "Paddy Carthy's Reel," "Sally Grant," "Tom Ginley's Fancy." Irish, Reel. E Dorian ('A' part) & D Major ('B' part). Standard tuning (fiddle). AABB. There is enough similarity between this tune and "Handsome Sally (1)" to present some confusion, however, the two represent divergent paths. However there is a large number of (more or less) related tunes, including "Autumn Leaves," "Paddy Carthy's Reel (2)," and "Man of the House (The)." The tune is sometimes paired with "Johnny Watt Henry's" (e.g. by Matt Molloy, and by Tony Linnane and Noel Hill).

"Handsome Sally (3)" was very popular in Counties Leitrim and Longford during the 19th century, notes researcher Conor Ward, appearing "in no less than five different manuscripts from this region: Stephen Greir MS (c. 1883, County Leitrim), O'Farrell MS (c. 1860's), Smyth MS (c. 1900), McBrien-Rogers (c. 1900) and Reynolds MS (c. 1880's)." It is variously entered as a double reel (e.g. Bernie Rogers, 1856-1907, from Killoe, Longford), or a single reel (Larry Smyth). Rogers was Smyth's fiddle teacher, yet the more developed version was entered into his own manuscript. Ward suggests that Smyth may have composed at the end of each strain of his double reel at a later date in his musical career after he taught them to Smyth as a single reeel. Possibly he picked them up from another musician, speculates Ward. The reel can also be found in the mid-19th century Gunn music manuscript collection from County Fermanagh.

Source for notated version:

Printed sources:

Recorded sources:

See also listing at:
Alan Ng's Irishtune.info [1]

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