Banjo Hangout Top 100 Fiddle/Celtic/Irish Songs

TOTW 03/11/23: Waltz written by James Scott Skinner, also known as "The Rose Of Sharon Waltz" and "Rosebud Of Avonmore"

Trad reel in G played CH style.

TOTW for 2/5/2021. Played CH in G tuning on a Wildwood.

With a bit of guitar and mandolin too. A touch too slow perhaps.

TOTW 8/30/2019. A tuning. Clawhammer on a Wildwood Banjo.

Couple of traditional tunes here.

The O'Reilly's of 17th century Ireland were amongst Turlough O'Carolan's supportive patrons as the blind harpist traveled far and wide. When O'Carolan wrote a tune in their honor it was given the label "planxty." Unable to play for several weeks due to my broken shoulder, I offer something recorded previously on my clawhammer banjo.

Clawhammer take on Trad march. Double D tuning. Wildwood.

CH take on Irish Reel composed by Michael Gorman. AB AB. Wildwood. D tuning

This traditional air honors the Irish soldiers who left Ireland to fight for France. The last time they left marked the 1691 Treaty of Limerick , a momentous time in Ireland's history which ended the Williamite war and the reign of King James, who left, too, after the Battle of the Boyne (which has a namesake tune as well). When the Chieftains recorded The Wild Geese they were picturing women singing on shore while the soldiers sailed off forevermore to fight elsewhere. At the end of my recording listen for the geese flying off...

There was really a harper in Ireland called Maire Dhall (Blind Mary) who is known to have taught harp to friends of Turlough O'Carolan (1670 - 1738), so it's assumed he knew her, too. The melody is rather dramatic and you get a feeling of respect for this woman, who, like O'Carolan, must have traveled, played harp, and taught for a living.

This tune in 3/4 time is a rare find from Turlough O'Carolan (1670 - 1738). It's only found in one source dated in the early 1900's from Chief Francis O'Neill who had procured a rare notebook of old Irish tunes. The melody and title didn't sync well until I made a slide-show video (in the BHO archive) of people happy with tears. As several of my O'Carolan pieces, I've added cello banjo in the background.

Here's a clawhammered planxty from Turlough O'Carolan (1670 - 1738) in 6/8 jig time with cello banjo accompaniment.

Blackberry Blossom with some octave jumping