Annotation:Eel in the Sink (The)

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EEL IN THE SINK, THE (An eascann sa dairteal). AKA and see "Blackthorn (2) (The)," "Hills of Kesh (The)," "Irishman's Blackthorn (The)." Irish, Reel. A Dorian. Standard tuning (fiddle). AB (Mulvihill): AAB (Flahery, Taylor): AABB' (Rafferty/Harker). The tune was recorded by melodeon player Frank Murphy as "The Eel in the Sink" in 1928, however, earlier recordings exist under the "Hills of Kesh" and other titles, including the first recorded appearance of the tune by melodeon player Peter J. Conlon who recorded it as "The Irishman's Blackthorn" in 1921. Matt Molloy included it on the album "Molloy/Peoples/Brady" as simply "The Blackthorn." "Scotch Hunt (2)" and "Robin Redbreast" are related tunes. East Galway and New York flute player Jack Coen told Don Meade that the name "The Eel in the Sink" was also applied to the tune otherwise known as "Over the Bog Road."

Sources for notated versions: accordion player Joe Fallon (b. 1935, Collooney, County Sligo) [Flaherty]; fiddler and composer Seán Ryan (County Tipperary) [Mulvihill]; New Jersey flute player Mike Rafferty, born in Ballinakill, Co. Galway, in 1926 [Harker].

Printed sources: Breathnach (CRÉ II), 1976; No. 244. Breathnach (CRÉ III), 1986; No. 181. Bulmer & Sharpley (Music from Ireland), 1976, vol. 4, No. 33. Flaherty (Trip to Sligo), p. 99 (appears as "unknown"). Harker (300 Tunes from Mike Rafferty), 2005; No. 86, p. 27. Mulvihill (1st Collection), 1986; No. 32, p. 8. Taylor (Through the Half-door), 1992; No. 17, pg. 14.

Recorded sources: Cló Iar-Chonnachta, CICD 148, Mick Conneely - "Selkie" (2001). Shaskeen - "Atlantic Breeze." Shaskeen - "Shaskeen Live."

See also listings at:
Jane Keefer's Folk Music Index: An Index to Recorded Sources [1]
Alan Ng's Irishtune.info [2]



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