Annotation:John O'Reilly (1)
Tune properties and standard notation
JOHN O'REILLY [1] (Sean O Raighilligh). AKA and see "Planxty O'Reilly." Irish, Planxty (6/8 time). D Major. Standard tuning (fiddle). AABBCCDD. The tune is attributed to blind Irish harper Turlough O'Carolan (1670-1738), thought Donal O'Sullivan, in his definitive work on the bard could find no incontrovertable evidence of its origin. It was first published by the Neales in Dublin, c. 1724 as "Mr John Reilly." O'Sullivan (1958) concludes the song was composed for John O'Reilly of Oristown (Baile Órtha), County Meath, near Kells, who died prior to 1742.
O'Sullivan's primary source is the music manuscript collection of Anglican cleric and uilleann piper James Goodman, who collected in County Cork and Munster in the mid-19th century. It may be, notes O'Sullivan, that the last two parts of the tune (which do not appear in any earlier versions of the tune) may have been added by a piper or fiddler.
Source for notated version: the James Goodman manuscripts (mid-19th century, County Cork) [O'Sullivan].
Printed sources: Complete Collection of Carolan's Irish Tunes, 1984; No.140, pp. 98-99. O'Sullivan (Carolan: The Life, Times and Music of an Irish Harper), 1958; No. 140, p.
Recorded sources: Shanachie 79013, Derek Bell - "Carolan's Receipt" (1987).