I would like to give some tunes that are fairly easy for me ( beginner) to give to some friends that play fiddle; preferably out of the John Walsh book so we all have a common reference. Maybe three sets? We did Planxty Irwin yesterday and it sounded great (honest!!) Currently working on the black rogue, blarney pilgrim, o’sullivan’s march. I dabble (fiddle??) in fiddle so something out of the fiddler’s fake book could also work .
Thanks
Let’s start the battle out right away. I would suggest you avoid the Walsh book, as few of the transcriptions are very good or accurate. You would be better to look at the Ceol Rince na hÉireann books, as these versions are taken from top players, and are suitable for both pipes and fiddle.
djm
Fel,
I would avoid reading posts from DJM as few of them are very good or accurate 
No E
John Walsh puts out a fine product!
The first three Ceol Rince books are very subjective, you could say. They’re transcriptions of how a person played a tune, like the Willie Clancy book. Great to have but keep that in mind. You’d be fine with one of those Session Tunes books. Plenty of common ground there I’d think.
KevinR, true, but they are very good versions for the most part. I haven’t found many arrangements in the Walsh book I like. The NPU books, Yellow and Blue Music for the Sets, have some good versions intended for most instruments. Also the book Johnny O’Leary of Sliabh Luachra.
NoE, very constructive. 
djm
Touché, but at least I didn’t hijack the poor guy’s thread into a debate about tune books. 
Back to the question at hand: how about the Hag set? that’s “The Hag at the Churn,” “Old Hag You Have Killed Me” and “The Hag With the Money.”
No E
… or the “bread set”; The Wind That Shakes the Barley and Rolling in the Rye-grass. 
Ted
Two points:
a) Garret Barry’s, I Buried My Wife and The Rambling Pitchfork is a fine set for a beginner. These songs have many opportunities for the basic ornaments we beginners need to work on.
b) Saddle The Pony / Kesh / Blackthorn Stick is a fun set to… real toe-tapper.
Cheers,
Virgil
one more and the madness will end!!
I could hijack this thread and start off on bikes again
Devinci.
The one and only.
Accept no substitute.
Not available everywhere.
Handmade, Canadian and soooooooooo lithe, just loves to hop, just loves the dirt… mmmmm, so glad I got 'un. Likes it when you talk dirty in Franglais.
Mark
(It’s a bike, y’know.)
But how does it handle the snowbanks?
My favourite set of jigs: Fraher’s, Paddy Fahy’s, The Lady’s Pantalettes
The Dublin set: Within a Mile of Dublin, The Flags of Dublin, The Dublin Reel.
djm
NO ONE, But NO ONE will understand that ROT"fing"G,LOL
and I’ll bet you do poach rides as well let’s do NORTH SHORE or Whistler- oh my, that hurts
That last is a reel, silly person! I spit in your general direction!
Dublin Lasses, The Four Courts of Dublin, Off to Dublin. Rocky Road to Dublin. I believe there are more, look up Baile Claithe etc. etc. in the Ceolas Fiddler’s companion.
How about Fasten the Leg in Her and the Bride’s Favorite? Similar tunes, too…
Maybe djm is thinking of the jig, “The Donkey’s Underpants” …he could get a little mixed up you know.
Anyone else have any trouble keeping these two tunes straight while playing them together? They’re so close I can’t help but wonder if one isn’t derived from the other, maybe one’s failed memory trying to recall the other…like, “there’s this tune I learned. It has something to do with grain, kinda goes like this…” all the while embibing of the liquid product.
OOPS! How’d that get in there? I meant, of course, Petticoat Loose. Good eye, Kevin. Thx.
Lorenzo, that’s the last time I date your sister!
djm
I believe you. I’m sure they must all look the same looking up from the gutter.
Well … well … oh yeah?
djm
Thass telln ‘em Deejayemm… don’ let thoss (hick) guys tell ya wot for… n’ stuff…
M(hick)ark 