Annotation:Humors of Ballyconnell (1) (The)
Tune properties and standard notation
HUMOURS OF BALLYCONNELL [1], THE ("Sugra Baile-Ata-Conaill" or "Pléaráca Bhaile uí Chonaill"). AKA and see "Captain Roack," "Captain Rock's (1)," "Captain Rock (1)," "O'Neill's Maggot (1)." AKA - "Humours of Ballyconnelly." Irish, Reel. D Major. Standard tuning (fiddle). ABC (Mulvihill): ABB'CC' (Moylan): AABBCC (Boys of the Lough, Brody, Kerr, Mallinson): AA'BB'CC' (Harker/Rafferty). The tune is popularly known nowadays under the "Ballyconnell" title, which was only a local Fermanagh name for the tune more commonly known as "Captain Rock's (1)," according to the Boys of the Lough. Baltimore button accordion player Billy McComiskey wrote three additional parts for the tune which have some currency in the Washington/Baltimore area, according to Philippe Varlet. Varlet finds a precursor to the tune appears in Aria di Camera (1747) under the title "Role the Rumple Sawny" (meaning 'Roll your Rump Sandy'). The tune was first recorded on a Columbia 78 RPM (No. 33068) in New York in 1925 by the great Sligo fiddler Michael Coleman in a duet with flute player Tom Morrison, followed by the (other) "Captain Rock/Old Bush" tune.
Source for notated version: accordion player Johnny O'Leary (Sliabh Luachra region), recorded in recital at Na Píobairí Uilleann, February, 1981 [Moylan]; Tony Smith (County Cavan & Dublin) [Mulvihill]; fiddler Jimmy McHugh [Bulmer & Sharpley]; New Jersey flute player Mike Rafferty, born in Ballinakill, Co. Galway, in 1926 [Harker].
Printed sources: Boys of the Lough, 1977; p. 11. Brody (Fiddler's Fakebook), 1983; p. 137. Bulmer & Sharpley (Music from Ireland), 1974, vol. 1, No. 37. Harker (300 Tunes from Mike Rafferty), 2005; No. 98, p. 31. Kerr (Merry Melodies), vol. 4; No. 157, p. 19. Mallinson (100 Essential), 1995; No. 35, p. 16. Moylan (Johnny O'Leary), 1994; No. 67, p. 38. Mulvihill (1st Collection), 1986; No. 228, p. 62.
Recorded sources: Columbia 33068, Michael Coleman & Tom Morrison (1925). EMI Records ISRM 006, Tulla Ceili Band - "Dance Tunes" (1990). Gael-Linn CEF045, "Paddy Keenan" (1975). Lochshore CDLDL 1215, Craob Rua - "The More That's Said the Less the Better" (1992). Philo 1042, Boys of the Lough- "Piper's Broken Finger" (1976). Shanachie 79095, Arcady - "Many Happy Returns" (1995).
See also listings at:
Jane Keefer's Folk Music Index: An Index to Recorded Sources [1]
Alan Ng's Irishtune.info [2]
Hear Coleman & Morrison's 1925 recording at the Internet Archive [3]