I really like “Inisheer” and “Ambhran A Leabhain”
These are truely haunting, memorable tunes that stop people talking and command listening, because of the sheer brilliance of the compositions.
What other tunes do folk know would fall into this category?
I’d say definitely “Down By The Sally Gardens”, and maybe “South Wind”
An Feochan (The Gentle Breeze) by Tommy Peoples. Brilliantly and influentially played on flute by the late Frankie Kennedy on Altan’s Horse With A Heart album.
Here’s a clip of it on low D whistle I did when I was reviewing Guido Gonzato’s Low D (not played on his whistle here).
BTW, I don’t think South Wind counts as a slow air - it’s a waltz, isn’t it? - At least, the one I know…
Gol Na Mban San Ár as titled on Chieftains 9… I think the tune they play doesn’t actually go by that name? Cause I know of another Gol Na Mban San Ár that Seamus plays on Bonnie Bunches of Roses with his tin whistle, but although that’s a nice peice as well, isn’t the one I’m getting at.
Of course the Chieftains decorate it with other stuff, but the jist of it is there. Chieftains 9, track 9… I don’t have another recording of that tune on hand, so this is my only reference.
I think the one played by Joanie Madden is an air.. but I can be wrong. Anyways, it’s a nice one 
Spancil Hill
Glenswilly- can be fun fast as well
Merch Magan - Would enjoy listening to someone playing it.
Amhran na Tra Baine- Song of the White Sand
Sheebeg, Sheemore
The Twisting of the Hayrope
The Lakes of Ponchartrain
Plus all the others mentioned
Merry Christmas!!!
Seolaim Araon Na Geanna Romhaian (Let Us Be Driving The Geese)
(By the way, does anyone have the dots/music for this one?)
Coinleach Ghlas an Fhomair
Lament for the Wild Geese
An Raibh Tu ag an gCarraig?
Lament for Limerick
Taimse im Chodladh
Eamonn a’ Chnoic : ned of the hill
blind mary (carolan tune)
and don’t hate me for it: danny boy
she moved through the fair kicks my ass when its played right (or when I play it right)
The Parting Glass
The Factory Girl (to a lesser extent)
The Foggy Dew
Carrackfergus (sorry if I misspelled it…)
I have always been under the impression that an air was an air because it didn’t fit a specific rhythm anymore, being played as if sung, with feeling, so whether essentially a waltz, a reel, or whatever, played as an air, it becomes an air.
Of course, I’ve been wrong once or twice. (cough)
The Fiddler’s Companion (the ITM version of snopes, IMO–Andrew Kuntz should get WAY more recognition for his work) says ‘air or waltz’, although I think the air-version is older; probably older than walting itself.
SOUTHWIND (An Ghaoth Aneas). AKA and see “The Southern Breeze.” Irish, Air (3/4 or 6/8 time) or Waltz. F Major (Brody): G Major (Matthiesen, Tubridy): A Major (O’Neill). Standard. AB (Matthiesen, O’Neill): AAB (Brody, Tubridy). O’Sullivan states that little is known of the author of the original Gaelic song, save that he was a native of Irrul, County Mayo, named Domnhall Meirgeach Mac Con Mara (Freckled Donal Macnamara). Fiddler Junior Crehan told a story about how the air was learned by the west Clare musicians. It seems that a ghost ship was bringing back to Ireland the souls of the the Wild Geese (i.e. Irish exiles) who had been killed in battle. As the vessel proceeded around southwest Cork it was driven up the west coast by a southern breeze and the ghosts of the Wild Geese could be heard chanting this tune, which was picked up by musicians on the coast of Clare who supposedly witnessed the event. The song begins:
**
A ghaoth andeas na mbraon mbog glas
A ni gach faithe féarmhar
Bheir iasg ir eas is grian i dteas
Is lion is meas ar ghéagaibh
Más sios ar fad mar mbinn féin seal
Is mianach leat-sa séide
Cuirim Ri na bhFeart dhod chaomhaint ar neart
'S tu/ir don tir sin blas mo bhéil-se
**
O wind from the south with the soft clear drops
You that make every sward grassy
Bring the fish to the waterfall, give heat to the sun
And abundance of fruit to the branches
It is far to the north where I once lived
That you are minded to blow
May the King of Power preserve you in strength
And give the taste of my mouth to that country
**
Source for notated version: Chieftains (Ireland) [Brody]. Brody (Fiddler’s Fakebook), 1983; pg. 263-264. Bulmer & Sharpley (Music from Ireland), 1974, Vol. 1, No. 79. Matthiesen (Waltz Book I), 1992; pg. 45. O’Neill (1850), 1979; No. 510, pg. 89 (appears as “The Southern Breeze”). O’Sullivan (Songs of the Irish), 1960; pg. 95. Tubridy (Irish Traditional Music, Vol. 1), 1999; pg. 2. Island 9379, Chieftains- “Chieftains 3” (appears as “An Ghaoth Aneas”). Biograph 6008, Jerry Jenkins- “Fox Hollow String Band Festival.” Front Hall 017, Michael and McCreesh- “Dance, Like a Wave of the Sea” (1978).
T:Southwind
T:An Ghaoth Aneas
R:waltz
Z:By Phil Sexton
M:6/8
L:1/8
Q:30
K:G
|:c|"G"BAG Bcd|"D7"A2A ABc|"G"BAG "C"EDE|"G"G2 "C"G"G"G2:|!
d|g2"D7"g "C"gf"D7"e|"G"d2"A7"d "D"d2"D7"c|"G"BAG Bcd|"A7"A2A "D7"ABd|!
"G"g2"D7"g "C"gf"D7"e|"G"d2"A7"d "D"d2"D7"c|"G"BAG "D7"AcF|"G"G2"C"G "G"G2||
Women of Ireland (Mna na hEireann)
Mike
Lament for Iona (Sarah Bauhan)
Clyde Sunset (written by Ian Melrose, played by Tina Mcloughlin)
And thanks to Blackhawk for introducing me to them and MTGuru for transcribing Lament for Iona and Ian Melrose for graciously doing the same for Clyde Sunset.
pastorkeith
Eanach Chuin, I think this is a sad one about a lake where a boat of people sank in a storm.
Taimse im Chodladh, (I am asleep do not wake me).
Arron Boat, I found a CD that has a harp playing this, and I play whistle along to it.
Buachaill on Eirne (Come by the Hills)
An Ghaoth Aneas
Baidin Fheidhlimidh About a small boat I think?
Boolavogue
The Parting Glass
Hector the Hero
Neil Gow’s Lament on the Death of his Second Wife
Will Ye Go, Lassie, Go
Da Slockit Light
Jock o’ Hazeldean
Rothbury Hills
Ashoken Farewell
If you are going to play the Niel Gow lament on D flute or whistle, then play it in G rather than the D that fiddlers usually play it in. Playing it in D means a number of octave jumps which spoils the character of the tune, IMHO.
Of course, if you are playing with fiddlers, you will likely not have the choice, but then the octave jumps are not so obvious when playing with others.
Geoff
Hmmmm. I haven’t time to try it out, but perhaps if the fiddlers insist on D, you could take up your A whistle and play it in D from there.
Thanks for reminding me of Jock of Hazeldean. The melody is great and the lyrics by Scott are superb, especially if you can persuasively handle the dialect.
Mmmmmm…reading through some of the tunes mentioned here, I notice there are a lot of tunes that are not really slow airs but laments and marches.
I always thought Jock O’ Hazeldean was a march? I must try it as an air, interesting!
How does ‘Bennachie Sunrise’ grab you, or Season’s of mist?