I love this tune, found on the Battlefield Band’s “On the Front” album.
The notation for it that I can find has it in D, but I believe they play it in another key… perhaps G? I am playing it on a D whistle and it starts on G.
Anyone familiar with it?
EDITED to update : I have added links below to the finished notation for this lovely tune in both D and G, with chords.
Frank Maher plays it as one of his standard solo pieces on his 4-stop (ie one-row accordion). I’ve been meaning to learn his version.
Least, I assume the tune is the same “Stirling Castle”! Don’t really listen to the Battlefield Band…
It’s a really neat bouncy strathspey… Here is the notation, with chords, as I could work it out for both G (they key played in the recording I got it from) and D (apparently the standard key to play it in according to several here) … I am no expert, and if you find any problems with it, I would appreciate constructive criticism.
http://www.angelfire.com/mo/sassafrassgrove/images/Stirling_Castle_in_D.pdf
http://www.angelfire.com/mo/sassafrassgrove/images/Stirling_Castle_in_G.PDF
EDITED to update and add link(s)
That certainly describes the tune Frank plays.
A well-known Scottish strathspey, also popular with Donegal fiddlers, and once recorded by Andy McGann and Paddy Reynolds. I did a “google” search for it and found sheet music in pdf form at the " valley of the moon" fiddle school website.
Do a search for " valleyofthemoon.org " and you’ll get it there. Unfortunately the 2nd and 6th bars go onto the low string on the fiddle, so a whistle player just has to play the notes “up” an octave.
It is in the key of “D”, and I’d be surprised if The “Battlefield Band” played it in any other key, but I could check.
Good luck.
I looked at your transcription, annie, and it follows the tune right enough, but in “G”, your 3rd, 4th, 7th and 8th bars are all going to be an octave too low. In my opinion, the original key of “D” is best. I’ve never heard anyone, in or out of Scotland, play it in “G”, but nobody can tell you not to, and I certainly wouldn’t.
Thanks, kenny. I appreciate your input.
The recording that I referred to is in G. I did find it in notation in D, but that would not work with the recording, so I decided to transpose. I intend to play the parts you questioned alternating the lower and upper octave on the repeats. (the lower works much better for being allowed to practice in the house 
) The notation I found had a couple of problems, so I used the recording to try to correct them. This helped me figure out the tune, and was a good exercise for me.
I think maybe I’ll go back and raise those few bars into the proper octave. Then I can play them lower if I choose, but they’ll be notated correctly.
As I said, I’m not very experienced with either transposing or transcribing, so I’m sure there are better ways to deal with some of it.
Thanks again!
Annie,
What notation program are you using?
ummm… me?!
Yes, you!
The PDF wasn’t written by hand… What notation program did you use?
Is this ABC?
Nope. It’s me, alright.
I did it, by hand (and mouse) in my graphics program. I didn’t use a notation program. I did use the notation I found online for the tune in D (edited here to correct that key), though I found problems with it, so had to work out my own. I haven’t been able to get around to learning how to do the ABC stuff yet… I sort of understand how it works, but figured my efforts would pay off more if I actually practiced with writing notation and reading it.
I was having so much trouble getting the transition from the low to high octave on the high D whistle, that I decided to try the Low G. I like it much better, as you can get closer to the tune as played on that album. I have posted the notation redone with the Low G whistle in mind (again, I am new to transcribing, and admittedly don’t have the very best ear):
http://www.angelfire.com/mo/sassafrassgrove/images/Stirling_Castle_in_G.PDF
Let me know if you find problems.
This is fun… frustrating at times… but fun! If I can finally get the tune practiced to a point of at least recognisability, I’ll post a clip on Clips and Snips.
EDITED to update links to the same version but now with chords
I have submitted an mp3 of this on the D whistle to the Tin Whistle Tunes (formerly Clips and Snips) page. I’ll add the disclaimers now 
I make no warrants as to quality of playing, or actual matching of playing to notation, and I had someone in the background chopping foodstuffs to a very different rythym. There. I’m absolved of all blame for crappy technique. 
http://tinwhistletunes.com/clipssnip/Audio/10-05/StirlingCastleBurkeDBSBT2Anniemcu.mp3
Not positive, but here’s a bit of historical info that may relate to this great little tune:
Robert the Bruce returned to power in 1307, leading Scots long-suppressed by Edward I & ready to self-govern. Bruce avoided direct confrontation with the English, now led by Edward II (not the warrior his father had been); waiting until the English withdrew, the Scots (represented by about 22 Clans) crossed the border into Northumbria, reducing English-held castles of the Scottish lowlands one at a time, until only Sterling (Stirling) held out.
In 1314 Edward II, commanding a vast host, marched again, to raise the siege of Sterling. The armies met at the burns of Bannock (Bannockburn), where after 2 days the English had received a defeat from a well-organized Scots army roughly ¼ their size.
(Information drawn from Celtic Warriors: 400 BC – AD 1600 [pp 98-103] by Tim Newark; Blandford Press, Poole/NY/Sydney, 1986).
Bless my hubby, the history nut.