I love the version of Cumha Eoghain Rua Ui Neill (Lament for Owen Roe O’Neill) on Clannad’s Dulaman album. Is it the same one O’Carolan wrote? If it’s not, does anyone know who wrote it?
I downloaded the sheet music for O’Carolan’s Lament for Owen Roe, and to me, it doesn’t sound at all the same.
Thanks.
Haven’t heard the Clannad version but it’s probably the air that I have heard on several records - not the same Carolan’s composition, although both begin with an ascending scale, and both are lovely tunes.
Have no idea of the origins of this other air.
If it’s the tune I know, I’d say it would be no great challenge to pick out by ear. Start on low E, although you can also play it in starting on A.
Steve: Thanks for confirming my suspicions. I downloaded the sheet music when I was having trouble learning the tune, but I have since learned to play it by ear, and I did in fact start on low e.
On MP3.com there is a GLORIOUS version of this tune done by a Scottish guitarist. I put it on one of my stations, I think O’Carolan’s Welcome.
[Wow! This is some thread resurrection! Mod.]
… 14 years later …
Hello dear C&Fers,
This tune - called “Cumha Eoghain Rua Ui Neill” on a Clannad album (A Celtic Tapestry Vol. 2 ? Dulaman ?) - I am learning on harp by ear.
→ Clannad → https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BrnqoYxfQk4
→ beautiful lute7guitar version → https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O9MswY5TU1k
→ harp version → https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=536UDRf60ac
The tune is NOT O’Carolan’s “Lament For Owen Roe O’Neill”, as already pointed out 14 years ago 
Now I’d love to get the sheet music for harp, but can’t find it anywhere. The tune is easily picked up by ear, the accompaniment is what I’m struggling with a bit (I’ve got a basic version in my ear and would like to find good variations, so that I can accompany e.g. a whistle/low whistle).
I don’t really read (or write) sheet music, yet it helps me to pin down my ‘ear-ideas’ and remember them.
Can anybody help?
Greetings
Ellen
Did we even have the internet in 2003? *
* I know we did. I’m just being over-dramatic.
I learned an air by this name from a Dolores Keane recording way back. I haven’t played it in years, but my mental ears are telling me exactly how it goes. You know, that DK LP (there was a maid, 1978) was a pretty good record. She sang better than she fluted, but there wasn’t anything wrong with her fluting. She did both better than I’ll ever do.
Thanks for your thoughts so far.
… Modem-time, was it?
I recently listened to a contemporary piece by Ferran Cruixent, “Binary for 2 Pianos” (2015), two grand pianos and modem sounds in it. Weird 
Thank you for bringing Dolores and with her also Sean Keane back to mind. Beautiful voices, fine music.
All the best
Ellen
What’s being discussed here are 2 entirely different tunes which apparently have the same name. I first heard a slow air called “Caoineadh Eoghain Rua” played by Cathal McConnell on the first “Boys Of The Lough” album in 1973. Dolores Keane also recorded the same tune on her album “There Was A Maid”. This air is played in quite a free-flowing style by both flute players, whereas the “Clannad” tune is a bit more strict tempo, in the typical style of O’Carolan.
There are 3 tunes posted under variations of “Lament For Owen Roe O’Neill” on “thesession.org”
“Lament For Owen Roe O’Neill” - https://thesession.org/tunes/7199 - no source given
“Caoineadh Eoghain Rua” - https://thesession.org/tunes/12447 - source given as Cathal McConnell on “Boys Of The Lough” LP.
“Lament For Owen Roe O’Neill” - https://thesession.org/tunes/907 - source given as “Clannad”
Hope this helps.