Annotation:Phis fhliuch (An)
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PHIS FHLIUCH, AN (The Wet Pussy). AKA and see “Boy in the Bush (The),” “Choice Wife (The),” “O'Farrell's Welcome to Limerick,” “Perfect Wife (The),” "Pir fliuc," “Virgin Mary.” Irish, Slip Jig. D Mixolydian. Standard tuning (fiddle). ABBCCDDEE. “The Choice Wife” is Willie Clancy’s polite translation of the obscene title. As “O'Farrell's Welcome to Limerick,” it is the composition of one O’Farrell, an Irish uilleann piper based in London who published three important collections of Irish music between 1797 and 1810, and the first to publish a tutor for the improved Irish instrument. The tune appears as "Pir fliuc" in collector George Petrie's manuscripts, collected from the manuscript collection of Patrick Carew, an uilleann piper from County Cork active in the first half of the 19th century. Breathnach (1996) says the tune was given a new lease on life when Seán Ó Riada leafed through Stanford/Petrie, playing occasional tunes which caught his eye for a group of traditional players.
Source for notated version: piper Willie Clancy (1918-1973, Miltown Malbay, west Clare) [Mitchell].
Printed sources: Bulmer & Sharpley (Music from Ireland, vol. 2), 1974; No. 53 (appears as “The Choice Wife”). Cotter (Traditional Irish Tin Whistle Tutor), 1989; 61. Mitchell (Dance Music of Willie Clancy), 1993; No. 39, p. 51. Stanford (The Complete Collection of Petrie's Irish Music), 1905; No. 1084. Vallely (Learn to Play the Tin Whistle with the Armagh Pipers Club, vol. 3); 11.
Recorded sources: Claddagh 4CC 39, “The Pipering of Willie Clancy Vol. 2” (1983). Hannibal HN4412, Richard & Linda Thompson - “First Light” (1978. Appears as “The Choice Wife”). Shanachie 79010, Planxty - “The Well Below the Valley” (appears in a set with “Kid on the Mountain”). Shanachie 79093, Paddy Glackin & Robbie Hannan – “The Whirlwind” (1995). Tara 3019, Davy Spillane - “Atlantic Bridge” (1987. Appears as part of “Tribute to Johnny Doran”).
See also listing at:
Alan Ng's Irishtune.info [1]
Jane Keefer's Folk Music Index: An Index to Recorded Sources [2]