[ This Message was edited by: LarryM on 2002-12-13 18:23 ]
Hi Larry,
Paddy’s website does give a breif history of the tunes.
http://www.paddykeenan.com/grazing/index.htm
This is from his website:
TRACK FOUR:
Reels: O’Rourke’s, The Spike Island Lassies and Lord McDonald’s (Traditional) 4:50
O’Rourke’s Reel comes from my Dad, Johnny Keenan. It was a favorite of his and so it was played a lot at, as our neighbors called it, Radio 116 Oranmore Road, Ballyfermot. The music played on as the milkman delivered. The middle reel came to mind while doing a sound check with Junji Shirota in Vancouver. The third, Lord McDonald’s is an old reel I got from the playing of Leo Rowsome back in the fifties/sixties.
I would like to dedicate these reels to Joy McDonald of Ayer’s Cliff, Quebec. - Paddy
Hi Tony,
Thanks for the info. Yes I had noticed Paddy’s remarks on the CD cover. Just thought it would be interesting to know if any other recordings are available by other pipers etc.
Sometimes when I listen to the likes of Paddy’s playing it makes me want to throw my own pipes in the bin!!!
Oh well back to the NPU Beginners Video, think I will be in my box long before I even learn how to start attempt playing a reel as good as this one!!
Only thing that might save myself is telling myself, once upon a time Paddy was at the same stage of playing as I am now!!!
hmmm..maybe I should keep going despite my geriatric status!!
I think there was just something on the UilleannListServ about Paddy Moloney playing this reel (?) somewhere, but I can’t be sure as I accidently deleted it before reading the whole thing. Drats!
It’s ok elbogo, that was just another posting of mine.Thanks.
The popularity of Lord McDonald can be traced back to Michael Coleman’s recording of it, probably one of his best. The tune caught on from there. I suppose everybody plays it, can’t think of many recordings, though I remember a Planxty recording of it, on one of these out-take samplers The High Kings of Tara.
While Lord McDonald is a grand tune alright I have heard a two part version of the tune played by Sliabh Luachra musicians. It is usually the middle tune of a set of three and I think that Padraig o’Keefe called it ‘The New Post Office’. Jackie Daly claims that these three tunes are the national anthem of Sliabh Luachra. I have heard Micho playing it and I think that he recorded it.
The tune lends itself nicely to the pipes and its one that I have been playing for years.
Cheers
Sean
Great tune-it’s traveled all over. There’s a Cape Breton version of it and a Prince Edward Island version as well, both work on the pipes.