Annotation:James McMahon's Jig

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JAMES McMAHON'S JIG (Port Shéamais Mhic Mhathúna). AKA and see "Caherlistrane Jig," "James McMahon's Favourite," "McMahon's Favourite." Irish, Double Jig (6/8 time). D Major. Standard tuning (fiddle). AABB. Composed by the late County Fermanagh flute player James McMahon (1893-1977, whose most famous composition is "McMahon's Reel"/"The Banshee"), from Cornacreeve, Dresternian, Roslea, Co. Fermanagh. The tune was transposed to the key of A Major by C#/D accordion player Charlie Piggot (who had the melody from Delores Keane), who thought it sounded better in that key.

Source for notated version: fiddler Liam Donnelly (County Tyrone), who helped Breathnach obtain tunes for CRÉ [Breathnach].

Printed sources: Breathnach (CRÉ IV), 1996; No. 16, p. 9. The Hidden Fermanagh, p. 82. McGuire & Keegan (Irish Tunes by the 100), 1975; No. 4, p. 1 (appears as "McMahon's Favourite").

Recorded sources: Gerry Harrington and Charlie Piggot - "The New Road." Topic 12T176, various artists - "Paddy in the Smoke" (1968).

See also listing at:
Alan Ng's Irishtune.info [1]
Hear the tune played by Father O'Keefe and Tommy Maguire at Comhaltas Archive [2]