Annotation:Maid on the Green (The)

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MAID ON THE GREEN, THE. AKA – "Maiden on the Green," "Maids on the Green." AKA and see: "Aindear ar b-Faitce (An)," "Aindear air anBainseac (An)," "Gearrchaile ar an bPlásóg (An)," "Night of the Fun (1) (The)," "Trip to Dublin." Irish (originally), English, Canadian; Double Jig. Canada, Cape Breton. G Major. Standard tuning (fiddle). AAB (Raven): AABB (Allan, Brody, Cole, O'Neill {all versions}, Perlman, Roche, Sweet): AABBCC (Moylan). A popular jig played in Ireland, Scotland, Cape Breton, and for American contra dancing. Bayard (1981) believes this tune to be a derivative of some original tune that also spawned "(Daniel) O'Connell's Welcome to Parliament (1)," "Farewell to the Troubles of the World" (Slan agus Beannacht le Buaidhreamh an tSaoghail), and "Night of the Fun (1) (The)." Cape Breton fiddlers sometimes call the tune "Trip to Dublin." Sliabh Luachra accordion player Johnny O'Leary's three-part tune consists of a different 'B' part inserted between the two parts found in O'Neill.

The earliest sound recording of the jig was by uileann piper Patsy Touhey, recorded on a cylinder machine by Capt. Francis O'Neill in Chicago in the early years of the 20th century (released on CD on Ward Irish Music Archives WIMA 002, in 2010). A version by Touhey was issued on a 78rpm commercial disc in 1924, after Touhey’s death.

Sources for notated versions: John Campbell [Brody]; accordion player Johnny O'Leary (Sliabh Luachra region of the Cork-Kerry border), recorded in recital at Na Piobairi Uilleann, November, 1990 [Moylan]; Peter Chaisson, Sr. (b. 1929, Bear River, North-East Kings County, Prince Edward Island) [Perlman]; concertina player Noel Hill [Taylor/Tweed]; "As played by Jimmy Norton, the Boss Jig Player" (Norton was presumably a band-leader or principal instrumentalist in the Boston, Massachusetts, area in the mid-19th century) [Howe].

Printed sources: Brody (Fiddler's Fakebook), 1983; p. 182. Cole (1000 Fiddle Tunes), 1940; p. 79. Giblin (Collection of Traditional Irish Dance Music), 1928; 81. Howe (1000 Jigs and Reels), c. 1867; p. 49. Kennedy (Fiddler's Tune-Book: Jigs & Quicksteps, Trips & Humours), 1997; No. 109, p, 27. McDermott (Allan's Irish Fiddler), c. 1920’s; No. 10, p. 4. Moylan (Johnny O'Leary of Sliabh Luachra), 1994; No. 179, p. 103. O'Neill (O'Neill's Irish Music), 1915; No. 127, p. 73. O'Neill (Krassen), 1976; p. 33. O'Neill (Music of Ireland: 1850 Melodies), 1903; No. 853, p. 158. O'Neill (Dance Music of Ireland: 1001 Gems), 1907; No. 114, p. 34. Peoples (50 Irish Fiddle Tunes), 1986; No. 33. Perlman (The Fiddle Music of Prince Edward Island), 1996; p. 127. Raven (English Country Dance Tunes), 1984; p. 118. Roche (Collection of Traditional Irish Music, vol. 1), 1912; No. 108, p. 46. Ryan's Mammoth Collection, 1883; p. 111. Sweet (Fifer's Delight), 1964/1981; p. 24. Taylor (Traditional Irish Music: Karen Tweed's Irish Choice), 1994; p. 10.

Recorded sources: CDLDL1266, Wendy MacIssac – "That's What You Get" (1997). Great Meadow GMM 2018, Frank Ferrel & Joe Derrane – "Fiddledance" (2004). Green Linnet 1023, Joe Shannon and Johnny McGreevy – "The Noonday Feast." NPU 001, Patsy Tuohey – "The Piping of Patsy Tuohey." Rounder 7003, John Campbell – "Cape Breton Violin Music." Shanachie 33001, Michael Coleman – "The Wheels of the World." Shanachie 79803, Mary Bergin – "Feadóga Stáin 2" (1993). Topic 12T309, Padraig O'Keefe, Julia Clifford, Denis Murphy – "Kerry Fiddles" (1977). Rounder Select 7015, Kevin Chaisson – "The Fiddlers of Eastern Prince Edward Island." John Campbell – "Cape Breton Violin Music." Topic TSCD602, Batt Henry's Traditional Quartet Orchestra – "Irish Dance Music" (1995. A reissue of the 1930 original). WMT002, Wendy MacIsaac – "That's What You Get" (1998?).

See also listings at:
Alan Snyder's Cape Breton Fiddle Recording Index [1]
Jane Keefer's Folk Music Index: An Index to Recorded Sources [2]
Alan Ng's Irishtune.info [3]
Hear Patsy Touhey's cylinder recording at the Dunn Family Collection [4]