Uilleann piper Patsy Touhey recorded the tune in 1904 (on a cylinder recording), and again in 1919. Uilleann piper Tom Ennis and others recorded the reel several times in the 78 RPM era. Ennis waxed it in 1921 (as part of medley called "Trim the Velvet--Reels"), and again, twice, in 1923. He recorded the same medley ("Trim the Velvet") again, but this time the label listed both tunes (showing the "Maid Behind the Bar" title), as did his other 1923 recording of medley, a duet with Sligo fiddler James Morrison. Ennis, maintains fiddler, researcher and collector Philippe Varlet, paired "Maid Behind the Bar" with the similar sounding "Trim the Velvet" and mixed the parts of the two tunes up as he played. Others do not hear the part switches.
Additional notes
Source for notated version: - piper Tommy Reck/Tomas Riabhach (Ireland) [Breathnach].
Printed sources : - Breathnach (CRÉ I), 1963; No. 74, p. 34. Kennedy (Traditional Dance Music of Britain and Ireland: Reels and Rants), 1997; No. 117, p. 28 (as "Maid Behind the Counter"). O'Brien (Jerry O'Brien's Accordion Instructor).
Recorded sources: -Gennet 5283 (78 RPM), Tom Ennis (1923).
See also listing at:
Alan Ng's Irishtune.info [1]
Hear piper Tom Ennis's 1923 recording at the Internet Archive [2] (2nd tune, preceeded by "Trim the Velvet")
Hear piper Tom Ennis's 1921 recording at the Internet Archive [3]
