Tunes for St Patrick's day

PiperPaul · Post by **PiperPaul** » Tue Jan 23, 2007 8:44 am

Hello guys,

I've tryied the search mode but I've not found anything. Which are the tunes played during this day (if any traditional)?

Cheers.
Paolo

Bill Reeder · Post by **Bill Reeder** » Tue Jan 23, 2007 9:08 am

I have never been aware that there were any particular tunes that received "special play" on St. Patrick's day. Of course, it never occurred to me to ever ask that question, either.

Innocent Bystander · Post by **Innocent Bystander** » Tue Jan 23, 2007 9:09 am

"The Washerwoman".

<hastily ducks and runs away>

djm · Post by **djm** » Tue Jan 23, 2007 9:14 am

Well, there's a jig called St. Patrick's Day, and a reel called St. Patrick's Night. An alternate name for for the jig King of the Pipers is Knights of St. Patrick.

Oh, and don't forget to play Patrick Street.

djm

fearfaoin · Post by **fearfaoin** » Tue Jan 23, 2007 9:19 am

Well, in many parts of America you'll hear Danny Boy a lot on
St. Patty's day, since it's the only tune the majority of Americans
associate with Ireland (even though it isn't really Irish).

Pat Cannady · Post by **Pat Cannady** » Tue Jan 23, 2007 10:02 am

The tune IS irish, and very old...but the lyric most commonly sung to it and most associated with irish culture by Americans, "Danny Boy", is not irish, although the air can be lovely.

fearfaoin · Post by **fearfaoin** » Tue Jan 23, 2007 10:10 am

Pat Cannady wrote:The tune IS irish, and very old...

Maybe, but it's controversial, since in modern times, it's been
called Londonderry Air, and Londonderry appears to be the
Anglicised name for Co. Derry, reminding folks of that whole
Northern Ireland thing...

Martin Milner · Post by **Martin Milner** » Tue Jan 23, 2007 10:48 am

fearfaoin wrote:
Pat Cannady wrote:The tune IS irish, and very old...
Maybe, but it's controversial, since in modern times, it's been
called Londonderry Air, and Londonderry appears to be the
Anglicised name for Co. Derry, reminding folks of that whole
Northern Ireland thing...

Londonderry is the other name for Derry, the county town of County Derry. Unless you mean Londonderry NH.

Cayden · Post by **Cayden** » Tue Jan 23, 2007 11:47 am

The only tune that comes up once a year is the set dance (surprise surprise) St Patrick's Day

The Derry air was collected gann ainm from a harper from Co Derry and published as 'a Derry Air'.

Calling Derry 'LondonDerry' would be considered a definite political choice by a majority of people.

Ro3b · Post by **Ro3b** » Tue Jan 23, 2007 1:08 pm

The 13-year-old in me can't stop thinking of that tune as London Derriere.

Cathy Wilde · Post by **Cathy Wilde** » Tue Jan 23, 2007 2:17 pm

Ro3b wrote:The 13-year-old in me can't stop thinking of that tune as London Derriere.

I thought that's what it actually WAS called for years!

straycat82 · Post by **straycat82** » Tue Jan 23, 2007 2:27 pm

We really don't have much good traditional music locally. They're all "celtic fusion" or "folk rock", etc. Most of the stuff you hear on this holiday (in my locale) is just the pub songs that get all of the once-a-year pub patrons excited (not that it takes much after drinking five pints of green-dyed beer). Songs like The Wild Rover, Finnegan's Wake, Whiskey in the Jar, etc. I don't think the tunes are associated with the holiday so much as the majority of America's perception of what "Irish" music is.
A pub on St. Patricks day here is a bit like church on Christmas and Easter morning... there's hardly enough chairs in the house to sit everyone and the regular attenders are the minority.
Aside from songs, I've never heard of any tunes that are affiliated or associated with the holiday itself.

Il Friscaletto · Post by **Il Friscaletto** » Tue Jan 23, 2007 3:12 pm

I'm not sure what to expect at our session on St. patricks day, since it will be my first time experiencing it. I really hope the powers that be don't lead us down the pub song road. Not that I don't enjoy those songs in a tongue-in-cheek sort of way. I just don't want to propagate the myth that drinkin' songs are what irish music is. I know the regular patrons appreciate trad, but who knows what kind of drunken riff raff will show up on St. pat's Day. Unfortunately, our session leader tends to cater to holiday themes (see my rant re: Christmas carols).