The first jig played here (wonderfully) is said to be
Paddy Fahey’s jig. There is some discussion on another
thread of whether it is–in fact, it’s often called
Matt Hayes’ jig. I’ve managed to learn it now
and I guess it’s Fahey’s, because it has a structure
and note changes like the more widely played
jig by Fahey that I already know.
Anyhow there is something musically very rich
here, words fail me, of course, but this is very
different from Diddle Dee Dee sort of jigs,
though I mean no disrespect to the latter,
these being fine.
I wonder if anyone knows more jigs (and reels)
of the quality of this jig? Their names
and where to find them?
As I said on the other thread, and I was the first to volunteer the Fahey name, I have my doubts about the provenance of this one. It’s a gut reaction and I have no recollection of ever hearing Fahey play it, including the tape on which he plays all his compositions (although ofcourse it could be a more recent composition and there’s the caveat I haven’t listened to that tape for some years). A fine tune though.
There is a G version circulating of the same tune by the way, with the alternative name of ‘Mulvihill’s’ :
“Dervish” recorded the jig under the name “Matt Hayes’”. Matt Hayes’ name appears as the source for several tunes on recordings made by the Cliffords, which would suggest a Kerry connection. I’ll check out the Cliffords’ recordings, as I’m pretty sure there are some “Matt Hayes’” jigs on them. The mystery continues.
On the thread where this tune came up first the tune was identified as from Billy Clifford who recorded it as Mat Hayes’.
We can get something of a timeline from this, the Clifford’s recording pre-dates Maria Holohan’s recording of Fahey playing his ‘complete’ compositions, Fahey didn’t play the tune for that so unless he forgot the tune this adds some weight to the case for it not being a Fahey tune.
We’ll have to shoot this by Paul de Grae once he returns from his travels.
In response to Jim’s request, Winnie Hayes’ is a favourite at my local sesh… - it’s on one of my YouTube clips on F flute. The one I (we at the sesh) play with it is rather nice too. Put together as a set by John Neilson, one of the session regulars, so far as I know.
Here’s Conor Tully (fiddle) and Padraig Mac Donnchadha (banjo) playing a beautiful East Galway/East Clare version of Statia Donnelly’s, followed by the aforementioned jig (Fahey’s?) that we’re all trying to figure out the source of:
Excellent, everybody. Most grateful.
Owls bearing pennies en route to you
as I write these words.
I have a Gallagher D flute and a Copley
D flute and the Gallagher headjoint
on the Copley body yields a
perfectly lovely Eb flute.
Why? I leave that deep question
for another day.
