Annotation:Feeding the Birds
X:1 T: Feeding the Birds C: M. Rafferty Q: 350 R: reel Z:Transcribed by Bill Black M: 4/4 L: 1/8 K: G F | DGGA B2 ag | efdc AGGF | DGGA B2 ag | edcA G3 F | DGGA B2 ag | efdc AGGF | DGGA B2 ag | edcA G3 :| e | fgag fdde | f3 d cABg | fgag fdd^c | dgfa gfga | b2 af gfde | f3 d cAGF | DGGA B2 ag | fdcA G3 :||
FEEDING THE BIRDS. Irish, Reel. G Major. Standard tuning (fiddle). AABB. New Jersey flute player Mike Rafferty, originally from Ballinakill in east Galway, claimed to have composed this tune with the help of his daughter Mary. It was also included in the Ed Reavy collection as Glen Reel (The), and named as one of Reavy's compositions. The tune was known to Donegal fiddler John Doherty as "McSweeney's Reel." In 1926, flute player Patrick Doran, fiddler Tommy Cawley and pianist Frances Malone recorded it in Chicago for the Columbia label on a disc with the title "Sweeney's Favorite Reel." It is possible that the tune was brought to Chicago by uilleann piper Turlough McSweeney, who performed at the Chicago World's Fair in 1893, winning a gold medal as "world champion."
