Annotation:Young Catherine

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YOUNG CATHERINE (Caitilin Og). AKA and see "Caitríona Ní Néill," "As I went forth to view the plain." Irish, Air or Planxty (4/4 time). A Dorian. Standard tuning (fiddle). AB. The tune was attributed by Captain Francis O’Neill to the Irish harper Turlough O'Carolan (1670-1738), though it is very doubtful he actually composed it. Donal O'Sullivan, in his definitive Carolan: The Life Times and Music of an Irish Harper (1958), declined to include the tune among the bard's compositions. The alternate title, “As I went forth…” given by O’Neill is the first line of the song “Katherine Ogie,” and indeed, “Young Catherine” appears to be a variant of that ancient song tune (see notes under spelling “Annotation:Katharine Oggle”).

Source for notated version:

Printed sources: O'Neill (Krassen), 1976; p. 227. O'Neill (Music of Ireland: 1850 Melodies), 1903; No. 628, p. 111.

Recorded sources: Lochshore CDLDL 1215, Croab Rua - “The More That’s Said the Less the Better” (1992).

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