McFADDEN'S FAVORITE (Roga Mic Paidin). AKA - "McFadden's." AKA and see "John McFadden's Favorite." Irish, Reel. G Major. Standard tuning (fiddle). AB (O'Malley, O'Neill/1850): ABB' (O'Neill/Krassen): AA'B (Perlman): AABB' (Miller). The 'A' part is similar to "Reavy's" and is the same as "McCahill's Reel (2)." An untitled reel in Breathnach's Ceol Rince na hÉireann IV (No. 111, p. 57) is a related tune, as is the "Gowel Reel." The tune was recorded (with "Ewe Reel") in 1927 in New York by singer and fiddler James "Packie" Dolan (1904-1932), originally from Ballinamuck, County Longford. He was the eldest of nine children, taught by his father to play the fiddle. In 1919 fifteen year old Packie, with his thirteen year old sister, emigrated to New York City, where they stayed with an aunt.
Packie Dolan Ed Reavy's "Maudabawn Chapel" is similar in the first strain.
Additional notes
Sources for notated versions: - fiddler Fred Finn, 1919-1986 (Kiltycreen, Kilavil, County Sligo) [Flaherty]; Charlie Sheehan (b. 1907. Bear River, North-East Kings County, Prince Edward Island) [Perlman]; Kerry fiddler Paddy Cronin [Miller]; fiddler and accordion player John McGrath (1900-1955) [O'Malley].
Printed sources : - Flaherty (Trip to Sligo), 1990; p. 79. Miller (Fiddler's Throne), 2004; No. 208, p. 129. O'Malley (Luke O'Malley's Collection of Irish Music, vol. 1), 1976; No. 73, p. 37 (appears as "McFadden's"). O'Neill (Krassen), 1976; p. 149. O'Neill (Music of Ireland: 1850 Melodies), 1903; No. 1492, p. 276. O'Neill (Dance Music of Ireland: 1001 Gems), 1907; No. 716, p. 126. Perlman (The Fiddle Music of Prince Edward Island), 1996; p. 51.
Recorded sources: -Coleman Heritage Center CHC 007, Paddy Killoran & James Morrison - "From Ballymote to Brooklyn" (2002). Columbia 33185-F (78 RPM), Packie Dolan (1927). GTD Heritage Trad. HCD 008, Tommy Peoples - "Traditional Irish Music Played on the Fiddle" (appears as "McFadden's"). Shanachie 29009, "Andy Irvine & Paul Brady" (appears as "John McFadden's Favorite"). Topic 12TS338, Vincent Griffin - "Traditional Fiddle Music from County Clare" (1977).
See also listings at:
Jane Keefer's Folk Music Index: An Index to Recorded Sources [1]
Alan Ng's Irishtune.info [2]
Hear the tune played by the Longridge Céilí Band at the Comhaltas Archive [3]
Hear the tune played by Joe McDonagh, Larry McDonagh and Michael McDonagh at the Comhaltas Archive [4]
Hear Packie Dolan's 1927 recording at the Comhaltas Archive [5] (preceded by "Ewe Reel (The)").
