Paddy O'Rafferty (jig) composer history

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ytliek
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Paddy O'Rafferty (jig) composer history

Post by ytliek »

Hi, I've searched and found sites that list the tunes by Paddy O'Rafferty, referring to jig author/composer, also known as Paddy O Rafferty’s, Paddy O’ Reafferty, Padghin O’Rafferty, Padgin O’Rafferty, Paideen O’Rafferty’s, Paidin O Raifeartai, Paidín Ó Raifeartaigh. I have the tune(s), but what I'm searching for is the history about the man and whether he even existed, or were the tunes just randomly named? Where was he from and time period? Looking for a source for a good read. TIA
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Re: Paddy O'Rafferty (jig) composer history

Post by Mr.Gumby »

The jigs, and there are many variants of the tune, developed from a song called Paidín Ó Raffartaigh. It's not the name of the composer anyway.


Bríste gan básta a bhí ar Pháidín Ó Raifeartaigh,
Hata buí ard a bhí ar Pháidín Ó Raifeartaigh,
Cosa caola arda a bhí ar Pháidín Ó Raifeartaigh,
Is d’éalaigh mo ghrá-sa le Páidín Ó Raifeartaigh.

Curfá
Faidhfilileá, faidhfilil aidió,
Faidhfilileá is faidhfilil aidió.

Bríste go glúine a bhí ar Pháidín Ó Raifeartaigh,
Hata gan bonn a bhí ar Pháidín Ó Raifeartaigh,
Cosa buí arda a bhí ar Pháidín Ó Raifeartaigh,
Ach d’éalaigh mo ghrá-sa le Páidín Ó Raifeartaigh.

Curfá

Éirigh i do shuí, a Pháidín Uí Raifeartaigh,
Faraor ní fhéadaim, tá ioscadaí laga ionam,
Tá mé san aois ach níl trí troithe ar fad ionam,
Féach mar sin fhéin go raibh mealladh na mban ionam!

Curfá

Cailín tí mhóir go deo ní ghlacfaidh mé,
Bíonn sí nuallghothach stuacach feargach,
Bíonn buille ar gach ní ar chat is ar mhada aici,
Amach sa meán oíche bíonn focal na faire aici.

Curfá

Cailín ón sliabh go fóill a bheas agamsa,
Blífidh sí an bhó agus ceanglóidh sí an capall dhom,
Déanfaidh sí an císte, mo chuid ime agus bainne dhom,
Is go deo deo ní éalóidh le Páidín Ó Raifeartaigh.

Curfá

Trousers without waistband was Pháidín O'Rafferty,
High yellow hat was Pháidín O'Rafferty,
Narrow feet high was Pháidín O'Rafferty,
The escaped my love-in with Paddy O'Rafferty....etc


And this is what the Fiddler's Companion has to say:


PADDY O'RAFFERTY [1]. AKA and see "Padeen O'Rafferty." Irish, Scottish; Double Jig. A Major. Standard tuning. ABCD (O'Sullivan/Bunting): AABB (Carlin/Gow, Kerr): AABB’CDD’E (Feldman & O’Doherty). Breathnach (1976) remarks the tune is extremely well-known in Ireland, “and there are as many versions of it as there are musicians.” Curiously, however, is the lack of alternate titles for such a common tune (with such a relatively ancient pedigree), whereas other common tunes have myriad titles; there are, however, many songs and ditties written to it in both Irish and English. The 'A' and 'B' sections of Carlin/Gow and Kerr's version (which are very similar) correspond generally and respectively to the 'B' and 'D' sections of Bunting's version and the ‘C’ and ‘D’ sections of John Doherty’s Donegal version in The Northern Fiddler. O'Sullivan (1983) also finds the melody in the following publications: O'Farrell's Pocket Companion for the Irish Pipes (volume I, pg. 106), Holden's Collection of Irish Slow and Quick Tunes (book II, pg. 32), Brysson's Curious Selection of Favourite Tunes (pg. 11), O'Neill's Dance Music of Ireland (No. 178), McFadden's Scotch, English, Irish and Foreign Airs (volume III, No. 475), and Murphy's Irish Airs and Jigs (pg. 9). It also appears in dancing master Thomas Wilson’s Companion to the Ball Room (London, 1816). In America, “Paddy O’Rafferty” was published by John Paff in Gentlemen’s Amusement, No. 2 (New York, 1812). O’Neill himself remarked what was “probably the original setting in two strains” was printed in Aird’s Selection of Scotch, English, Irish and Foreign Airs, vol. 3, 1789, as “Paddeen O’Rafardie, Irish,” and Breathnach agrees Aird’s is the earliest printed version. Sullivan came across a single set of words to the tune, in Irish, in a booklet of songs by the late Fionan Mac Coluim called Cosa Buidhe 'Arda. Paddy O'Rafferty is also the name of a Scottish country dance, frequently taught by 19th century dancing masters. The tune was known in County Donegal, Ireland, as evidenced by the diary entry of a fiddler named William Allingham, who was employed as a customs officer and whose vocation was traditional music. He visited a poor fiddler named Tom Read in the (probably Ballyshannon) poorhouse who played for him both “Ain Kind Dearie” and “Paudeen Ó Rafferty” in November of 1847, the time of the potato famine. Allingham gave George Petrie several tunes which appear in the latter’s collection of Irish music. A rather simple setting of the tune from north Clare appears in Breathnach’s CRÉ V from the playing of father and son concertina players James and Chris Droney (see “Paddy O’Rafferty [2],” below). One of the oddest appearances of the tune is on the barrel organ from the polar expedition of Admiral Parry of 1810. In place of a ship’s fiddler (common in those days), Parry introduced a mechanical barrel organ on board ship to provide entertainment and a vehicle to which the men could exercise (i.e. by dancing). “Paddy O’Rafferty” was one of eight tunes on barrel no. 4. Sources for notated versions: The Irish collector Edward Bunting obtained the tune from J. McCalley of Ballymoney, Co. Antrim, in 1795; fiddler John Doherty (1895-1980, County Donegal) [Feldman & O’Doherty]. Carlin (The Gow Collection), 1986; No. 368. Feldman & O’Doherty (Northern Fiddler), 1979; pg. 60 (appears as “Paidin O’Rafferty”). Kerr (Merry Melodies), vol. 1; No. 19, pg. 37. O'Sullivan/Bunting, 1983; No. 85, pgs. 18-130. Saydisc SDL 234, Parry’s Barrel Organ (vol. 11 of the Golden Age of Mechanical Music).

X:1

T:Paddy O’Rafferty

M:6/8

L:1/8

R:Jig

S:Button & Whitaker’s Selection of Dances, Reels, Waltzes No. 1 (undated, early 19th century)

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:B Flat Major

c |: B/c/dF FGF | Fed cBc | B/c/dF FGF | BcB BGF |

B/c/dF FGF | Fed efg | fdb fdB | BcB BGF :|

|: Fdd Fcc | Fdd cBc | Fdd Fcc | BcB BGF |

Fdd Fcc | Fdd cBc | def gab | BcB BGF :|



PADDY O'RAFFERTY [2] (Páidín Ua Rabartaig). AKA - "Paudeen O'Rafferty." AKA and see "Drink of This Cup." Irish, Double Jig. G Major (most versions): A Major (Gow). Standard tuning. AAB (Gow): AA’BB’ (Breathnach): ABCD (Mitchell): ABBCC (Cole, Kerr): AABBCCDD (Kennedy): AABBCCDDEE (Mulvihill, O’Neill). Similar in many places to version #1. O’Neill (Irish Folk Music, 1910) reports it to be:

***

…another of those ancient tunes which has been the subject of

embellishments or variations about the end of the 18th century.
It is said to have been composed by O’Carolan in honor of a

little boy of that name who won immortality by obligingly

opening the gate for the bard while paying a visit to his first

love, Bridget Cruise.

***

Sources for notated versions: piper Willie Clancy (1918-1973, Miltown Malbay, west Clare)[Mitchell]; Tony Smith (County Cavan & Dublin) [Mulvihill]; father and son concertina players Janes and Chris Droney (north Clare) [Breathnach]. Breathnach (CRÉ V), 1999; No. 14, pg. 9. Cole (1000 Fiddle Tunes), 1940; pg. 55. Gow (The First Collection of Niel Gow’s Reels); 1784 (revised edition, 1801); pg. 36. Kennedy (Traditional Dance Music of Britain and Ireland: Jigs & Quicksteps, Trips & Humours), 1997; No. 146, pg. 36. Kerr (Merry Melodies), vol. 2; No. 261, pg. 29. Mitchell (Dance Music of Willie Clancy), 1993; No. 61, pg. 65. Mulvihill (1st Collection), 1986; No. 35, pg. 72. O'Neill (Krassen), 1976; pg. 46. O'Neill (Music of Ireland: 1850 Melodies), 1903/1979; No. 954, pg. 177. O'Neill (Dance Music of Ireland: 1001 Gems), 1907/1986; No. 178, pg. 44. Ryan’s Mammoth Collection, 1883; pg. Claddagh 4CC 32, Willie Clancy – “The Pipering of Willie Clancy, vol. 1” (1980. Appears as “Páidín Ó Raifeartaigh”). Green Linnet GLCD 1184, Patrick Street – “Made in Cork” (1997).

See also listings at:

Alan Snyder’s Cape Breton Fiddle Recording Index

Jane Keefer’s Folk Music Index: An Index to Recorded Sources

Alan Ng’s Irishtune.info

X:1

T:Paddy O’Rafferty [2]

M:6/8

L:1/8

S:O’Neill – Dance Music of Ireland: 1001 Gems (1907), No. 178

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:G

GAB DED|DcB AGE|GAB DED|GAG GED| GAB DED|DcB ABc|dcB AGE|GAG GED:|

|:DBB DAA|DBB AGE|DBB DAA|GAG GED| DBB DAA|DBB ABc|dcB AGE|GAG GED:|

|:dcd efg|ded dBG|dcd efg|GAG GED| dcd efg|ded def|gfe dcB|GAG GED:|

|:BDD EDD|BGB AGE|BDD EDD|GAG GED| BDD EDD|BGB ABc|dcB AGE|GAG GED:|

|:B2G A2G|B2G AGE|B2G AGE|GAG GED| BGG AGG|BGG ABc|dcB AGE|GAG GED:|

X:2

T:Paddy o Rafferty

M:6/8

L:1/8

R:Jig

S:Gow – The First Collection of Niel Gow’s Reels (revised edition, 1801)

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:A

B|:(A/B/c)E “tr”E>FE|Edc “tr”BAB|(A/B/c)E “tr”E>FE|(Ac).B A<FB|((A/B/c)E “tr”E>FE|(Ed).c “tr”d>ef|

ecA “tr”B>cd|(c<d).B (AF).B:||(Ac).e (Ac).e|(Ac).e fdB|Ace “tr”f>ga|(Ac).B (AF).B|(Ac).e (Ac).e|

Ace efg|”tr”aga ecB|(Ac).B (AF).B|(Ac).e (Ac).e|(Ac).e fdB|Ace “tr”f>ga|

(Ac).B (AF).B|(Ac).e (Ac).e|Ace efg|”tr”agaecB|(Ac).B (AF).B||



PADDY O'RAFFERTY [3] (Páidín Ó Raifeartaig). Irish, Double Jig. D Major. Standard tuning. AABBCC (Mulvihill, Taylor/Crack, Taylor/Crossroads): ABB’CC (Mitchell): AA’BB’CC (Boys of the Lough, Taylor/Blue): AA'BB'CC'DD' (Breathnach): AABBCCDDEEFFGGHH (O’Farrell). "A popular pipe tune,” note the Boys of the Lough, well-known as well in Scotland. Perhaps the earliest recording of the tune was by melodeon player James Brown (1880-1919), a Scot born in Edinburgh. He recorded it in November, 1912, for the Gramaphone Company in London, as an untitled jig. Brown was a Scottish champion on the instrument, winning a title in 1909, with subsequent recording sessions in 1909, 1911 and 1912. He recorded until the year before his death; lastly for the Winner Record Company in September, 1919 (Treoir). Sources for notated versions: piper Seamas Ennis (Dublin, Ireland), in Miltown Malbay, County Clare, 1959 [Breathnach]; piper Willie Clancy (1918-1973, Miltown Malbay, west Clare) [Mitchell]; Tony Smith (County Cavan & Dublin)[Mulvihill]; Sean McAloon, a piper and fiddler from Co. Fermanagh [Boys of the Lough]. Boys of the Lough, 1977; pg. 7 (appears as “Padeen O’Rafferty”). Breathnach (CRÉ II), 1976; No. 11 [1], pg. 8. Mitchell (Dance Music of Willie Clancy), 1993; No. 60, pg. 64. Mulvihill (1st Collection), 1986; No. 31, pg. 71 (appears as “Padeen O’Rafferty”). O’Farrell (Pocket Companion, vol. II), c. 1806; pgs. 106-107. Taylor (Where’s the Crack?), 1989; pg. 22. Taylor (Crossroads Dance), 1992; No. 47, pg. 35. Taylor (Music for the Sets: Blue Book), 1995; pg. 11 (appears as “Paidín Ó Raifeartaigh”). Treoir, vol. 35, No. 2, 2003; pg. 23. Compass Records 7 4446 2,Oisíin McAuley – “From the Hills of Donegal” (2007). Shaskeen - "Mouse Behind the Dresser" & "Shaskeen Live."

X:1

T:Paddy O’Rafferty [3]

M:6/8

L:1/8
R:Jig

S:O’Farrell – Pocket Companion, vol. II (c. 1806)

Z:AK/Fiddler’s Companion

K:D

AB | dff dee | dff ede | Aff Aee | ded dBA | dff dee | dff gab | agf edB | d2d dBA :|

|: d/e/fA A2B | Agf ede | d/e/fA A2B | ded dBA | c/d/fA A2B | Agf gab | agf ede |

d2d dBA :: f2d e2d | f2d edB | f2d edB | d2d dBA | fdd edd | fdd gab | afd edB |

d2d dBA :: dfa dfa | efe edB | dfa dfa | ded dBA | df/g/a/f/ af/g/a/f/ | af/g/a/f/ g2e |

f2d e2B | ded dBA :: A2A BAB | e2e fdB | A2A BAB | dfe dBA | A2A BAB |

efe efg | f2d e2B | d2d dBA :: fAA eAA | fAA e2d | fAA eAA | ded dBA |

fAA eAA | fAA edB | dfa dfa | ded dBA :: faf aff | aff edB | faf af/g/a/f/ | af/g/a/f/ dBA |

faf gbg | faf edB | fgf ede | d2d dBA :: A/B/AF A2B | dgf e2d | A/B/AF A2B |

dfe dBA | ABA BAB | efe efg | fad edB | d2d dBA :|



PADDY O'RAFFERTY [4] (Páidín Ó Raifeartaigh). Irish, Double Jig. G Major. Standard tuning. AABCDD'EE. Source for notated version: whistle player Des O'Conner, 1968 (Dublin, Ireland) [Breathnach]. Breathnach (CRÉ II), 1976; No. 11 [2], pgs. 8‑9.
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ytliek
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Re: Paddy O'Rafferty (jig) composer history

Post by ytliek »

Thank you.
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