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I've definitely been listening to a few hornpipes in my playlists but they weren't really on my radar too much until recently. I've had this Ceili record on fairly heavy rotation lately and a few of the tunes really popped for me. In particular, the Belfast hornpipe. I have a lot of tunes on deck that I want to learn and I'm not what you would call a "quick learner" but this tune is a real ear worm for me and I think that it may get moved to the front of the queue. Any other favourite hornpipes out there?

Also, sorry about my Flickr link. I'm not sure why it's not working for me.

https://flic.kr/p/24KQDhr

https://flic.kr/p/RB1NNV

On the record they list both 'the Sweep's' and the 'Belfast' which are names usually referring to the same tune. Do they play it twice and are trying to be coy about it on the sleeve or do they actually play two different ones?

Not sure The Belfast hrnp is the best choice for a first hornpipe but on the other hand, if you like it give it a go, and the next ones will appear easier.

There are an awful lot of reasonably suitable tunes you can tackle but it makes sense to pick ones you know and like (so I won't rattle off a list of random tunes).

Mr.Gumby wrote:On the record they list both 'the Sweep's' and the 'Belfast' which are names usually referring to the same tune. Do they play it twice and are trying to be coy about it on the sleeve or do they actually play two different ones?

Not sure The Belfast hrnp is the best choice for a first hornpipe but on the other hand, if you like it give it a go, and the next ones will appear easier.

There are an awful lot of reasonably suitable tunes you can tackle but it makes sense to pick ones you know and like (so I won't rattle off a list of random tunes).

I'll get back to you the apparent repetition.

By all means suggest an easy one or three. Rattle away.

I'll get back to you the apparent repetition.

I was just asking because if they're not the same, we may be talking about completely different Belfast hrnps. I am assuming the one with the long downward strings of triplets in the third part.

The "Red Haired boy," also known as "little Beggerman" is a good one. It's also one of those tunes that lives in both the Irish and the US Appalachian traditions

Micho played it in a typically distinctive way

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1kW_wfqzSms


Here's a more american version

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qRg8w3dBpng

Here are a few, moderately random choices:

Maguire's Fiddle

Alexander's / Higgins'

Scully Casey's / Sruthan an Chait

Plains of Boyle / Lawson's

Plains of Boyle / Leitrim Fancy

If the goal is to play with others, it seems that everybody plays the pair The Home Ruler/Kitty's Wedding.

The Home Ruler https://thesession.org/tunes/310

Kitty's Wedding https://thesession.org/tunes/869

it seems that everybody plays the pair The Home Ruler/Kitty's Wedding.

Home Ruler / Kitty's Wedding

it seems that everybody plays the pair The Home Ruler/Kitty's Wedding.

Home Ruler / Kitty's Wedding

Yes, that is how I play the tunes.

Great bit of response, thanks gang. Learning an easier Hornpipe is probably the way to go. I've painted myself into a few corners with trying to learn tunes that are beyond my ability. Just out of curiosity, are the above tunes listed with alternate names or are they two hornpipes rolled together? Just curious since I've been playing most of my tunes in pairs.

are the above tunes listed with alternate names or are they two hornpipes rolled together?

The ones I listed are sets of two, I didn't name one (Sault's own, the second one Killoran plays on the 78rpm) because of the low notes that wouldn't suit the whistle (it's not a big deal but maybe not as a first one).

Higgins' (or, The Cliff, as it was originally named) would be a nice simple one to start with, Scully Casey's is in similar vein, once you have those a lot of tunes in D are open to you. Something like the old McKenna tune 'The Buck from the Mountain' would do nicely as well (and straight on into the Greencastle while you're at it).

Struthán a' Chait (or 'the Stream of the cats' translated although for some reason a lot of people call it the Humours of Tullycrine these days, which at one time was connected to a different tune altogether) is a bit of a different type of hornpipe perhaps, Tuamgraney Castle and tunes like that move in the same tonality/mood but I couldn't find a clip I liked to put up (I was thinking of Andrew MacNamara's take on it).

The Plains of Boyle (sometimes tongue in cheek Roscommon International airport, 'Planes of Boyle' <groan>), is a lovely one, often played for the last figure of the set around here and a lot of people would play 'Cronin's' after it, if they don't go the classic Mike Gallagher 78rpm route like Clancy does in the clip.

I included Maguire's fiddle because I like the change into the second part, which the pianoplayer on the recording completely misses, and because I learned the the whole set from a tape made in the house of a neighbour, which was quite lovely. The triplet runs at the end of the second part may be a bit tricky for a first hornpipe but the rest of it is simple enough.

But what I did really was list tunes I like, for loads of different reasons, and play myself, take away from that what you will, you may be better off picking up tunes that speak to you when you come across them rather than what someone else likes.

Mr.Gumby wrote:

are the above tunes listed with alternate names or are they two hornpipes rolled together?

The ones I listed are sets of two, I didn't name one (Sault's own, the second one Killoran plays on the 78rpm) because of the low notes that wouldn't suit the whistle (it's not a big deal but maybe not as a first one).

Higgins' (or, The Cliff, as it was originally named) would be a nice simple one to start with, Scully Casey's is in similar vein, once you have those a lot of tunes in D are open to you. Something like the old McKenna tune 'The Buck from the Mountain' would do nicely as well (and straight on into the Greencastle while you're at it).

Struthán a' Chait (or 'the Stream of the cats' translated although for some reason a lot of people call it the Humours of Tullycrine these days, which at one time was connected to a different tune altogether) is a bit of a different type of hornpipe perhaps, Tuamgraney Castle and tunes like that move in the same tonality/mood but I couldn't find a clip I liked to put up (I was thinking of Andrew MacNamara's take on it).

The Plains of Boyle (sometimes tongue in cheek Roscommon International airport, 'Planes of Boyle' <groan>), is a lovely one, often played for the last figure of the set around here and a lot of people would play 'Cronin's' after it, if they don't go the classic Mike Gallagher 78rpm route like Clancy does in the clip.

I included Maguire's fiddle because I like the change into the second part, which the pianoplayer on the recording completely misses, and because I learned the the whole set from a tape made in the house of a neighbour, which was quite lovely. The triplet runs at the end of the second part may be a bit tricky for a first hornpipe but the rest of it is simple enough.

But what I did really was list tunes I like, for loads of different reasons, and play myself, take away from that what you will, you may be better off picking up tunes that speak to you when you come across them rather than what someone else likes.

Wow, thanks. Looks like I'll be a busy man with a list like that. I think I'll try to make a playlist of sorts with some of these suggestions and try to learn the ones that stick in my head like the Belfast.

The Boys of Bluehill was the first hornpipe that I learned. In fact, it was the first Irish tune of any kind that I learned. It's not too hard and is pretty popular at sessions. I often follow it with the Belfast Hornpipe. That one sounds tough, especially the third section , but it's not as hard as it sounds. Just take it nice and slow at first.

brewerpaul wrote:The Boys of Bluehill was the first hornpipe that I learned. In fact, it was the first Irish tune of any kind that I learned. It's not too hard and is pretty popular at sessions. I often follow it with the Belfast Hornpipe. That one sounds tough, especially the third section , but it's not as hard as it sounds. Just take it nice and slow at first.

Good advice. I've only been playing a year and a half and sometimes get hung up on hard tunes. Knowing and liking the melody is key, for me anyways.