Annotation:Ask My Father

Back to Ask My Father

ASK ME/MY FATHER ("Fiafraigh de m'Athair é" or "Fiafruig Do'm Ataire"). AKA and see "With All My Heart." Irish, Single Jig (6/8 or 12/8 time) or Slide (12/8 time). D Major (O'Neill): D Mixolydian (Breathnach, Mitchell). Standard tuning (fiddle). AB (Breathnach): AA'B (Mitchell): AABB (O'Neill). See also "Will You Come Home with Me? (1)"/Tiocfaidh ty Abhaile liom," where the fourth part of Breathnach's version is related to the second part of "Ask My Father." Paul de Grae notes:

This jig is part of an extended tune family including "Will You Come Home with Me? (1)," "Sheep on the Mountains (The)," "Sheep on the Mountains (The)," "Oh! Hag You Have Killed Me (1)," and "Stolen Purse (The)." Petrie's "A dtiocfaidh tu abhaile liom" is also quite like the present tune.^[1]

Additional notes

Sources for notated versions: - Chicago police patrolman, piper and flute player John Ennis, originally from County Kildare [O'Neill]; piper Seán Potts (Ireland) [Breathnach]; piper Willie Clancy (1918-1973, Miltown Malbay, west Clare) [Mitchell].

Printed sources : - Breathnach (CRE I), 1963; No. 62, p. 27. Breathnach (Folk Music and Dance of Ireland), 1971; 16. Mitchell (Dance Music of Willie Clancy), 1993; No. 143, p. 113. O'Neill (Music of Ireland: 1850 Melodies), 1903/1979; No. 941, p. 175. O'Neill (Dance Music of Ireland: 1001 Gems), 1907/1986; No. 367, p. 75.

Recorded sources: -Compass Records 7 4446 2, Oisíin McAuley - "From the Hills of Donegal" (2007). Island ILPS9432, The Chieftains - "Bonaparte's Retreat" (1976).

Back to Ask My Father

↑ Paul de Grae, "Sources of Tunes in the O'Neill Collections", 2017.

[1] Paul de Grae, "Sources of Tunes in the O'Neill Collections", 2017.

[1]