Annotation:Achil Air
Tune properties and standard notation
ACHIL AIR (Fonn Aicle). Irish, Slow Air (3/4 time). D Mixolydian (O'Neill): B Flat Minor {?} (O'Sullivan/Bunting). Standard tuning. AB. Achill Island is the largest island off the west coast of Ireland, part of County Mayo. The name is derived from the Latin word aquila, or 'eagle'. The air also appears in O'Sullivan's edition (1983, No. 145, pp. 202-203) of Edward Bunting's collection. Bunting had it from fellow antiquarian George Petrie in 1839, although neither words to the song nor the name of the singer were preserved. The major key tune slips into the dorian mode during the later part of the 2nd strain.
Source for notated version:
Printed sources: O'Neill (Music of Ireland: 1850 Melodies), 1979; No. 274, pg. 48. O'Sullivan/Bunting, 1983; No. 145, pgs. 202-203.
Recorded sources: