place name tunes-- love 'em or hate 'em?

[Jennie]

I've been wondering about this one for a while...

When folks get off the tour bus at the Cliffs of Moher with their tin whistles and play that jig, do the locals roll their eyes and plug their ears? Do people in Ennystimon clamor for their namesake or run away when someone begins it? How cliche do these tunes get near their places of origin?

I learned the Glenn Allen reel and taught it to my neighbors up the road in Glennallen, Alaska. So far nobody's complained. But I'm planning a trip to a family wedding in Ireland and I want to make sure not to start a tune that will get the same kind of reaction as "Kum Ba Yah."

Any discussion appreciated!

Jennie

[straycat82]

I guess it would depend on if they actually do hear it all of the time. I wouldn't know.
Would a Canadian get sick of hearing "O Canada" or an American hearing "O Say Can You See"? I would imagine that any tune would get old when heard repeatedly (especially if played poorly repeatedly) regardless of the name.

I know that I get sick of hearing my national anthem sometimes... especially since folks tend to drag it out.

On the other hand, if it's a tune/song that a nation or community holds dear then maybe they wouldn't get sick of it?

Interesting question, Jennie.

[The Sporting Pitchfork]

Well, when I lived in Dingle, people played "The Dingle Regatta" often enough and didn't seem to get (too) sick of it. The tune that did drive musicians nuts there (and in many other places as well) was the Kesh Jig. Whenever some unknowing tourist would pull out his whistle and start warbling through that one, everyone else would stop playing and roll their eyes...There was a nice "localized" version of the Kesh Jig that they'd play instead though, sometimes in G, sometimes in A. Begley & Cooney play it on the "Meitheal" album.

[MTGuru]

When folks get off the tour bus at the Cliffs of Moher with their tin whistles and play that jig, do the locals roll their eyes and plug their ears?

As I recall, the Irish authorities have teams of "pushers" standing by for just this situation. These are similar to the guys who push commuters into the train cars on the Tokyo subway/metro. As soon as someone launches into "Cliffs of Moher" on the whistle they just purchased at the visitor centre gift shop, these teams rush forward and propel the vile miscreant over the edge onto the rocks below. As a side benefit, I understand that combing the base of the Cliffs at low tide is a great way to satisfy the most ardent case of WhOA.

[anniemcu]

When folks get off the tour bus at the Cliffs of Moher with their tin whistles and play that jig, do the locals roll their eyes and plug their ears?

As I recall, the Irish authorities have teams of "pushers" standing by for just this situation. These are similar to the guys who push commuters into the train cars on the Tokyo subway/metro. As soon as someone launches into "Cliffs of Moher" on the whistle they just purchased at the visitor centre gift shop, these teams rush forward and propel the vile miscreant over the edge onto the rocks below. As a side benefit, I understand that combing the base of the Cliffs at low tide is a great way to satisfy the most ardent case of WhOA.

Thou cad!

[MTGuru]

Actually, one of the (slightly inane) fun aspects of traveling around Ireland is recognizing familiar place names on road signs, maps, etc. "Wow, there's Lisdoonvarna!", that sort of thing. And those around you who are not members of the ITM secret society wonder what you're so excited about.

I was talking to an Irish non-musician I met here in San Diego once, when the phone in his pocket suddenly started blaring out "The Bucks of Oranmore" as a ringtone. So I asked him if he was from Oranmore, and he looked at me as if I were the Amazing Kreskin.

[FJohnSharp]

The worst place to live would be in Danny Boy, County Meath.

[Jennie]

The worst place to live would be in Danny Boy, County Meath.

What a horrible fate! That must be one of the levels of hell.

MTGuru, what's a Kreskin?

Jennie

[bradhurley]

I was talking to an Irish non-musician I met here in San Diego once, when the phone in his pocket suddenly started blaring out "The Bucks of Oranmore" as a ringtone. So I asked him if he was from Oranmore, and he looked at me as if I were the Amazing Kreskin.

Hah!

That reminds me of something similar: a friend of mine and I were playing a concert near Poultney, Vermont, in a little museum. One of the tunes we played was The Rolling Wave, and my friend introduced it by its other name, The Humours of Trim. He said, "we're not sure where Trim is exactly, but it's somewhere in Ireland," and a voice piped up out of the audience, "I'm from Trim!" It turned out this fellow was indeed from Trim and was visiting some relatives nearby for the week; he just happened to show up at our concert that night.

[Cathy Wilde]

The worst place to live would be in Danny Boy, County Meath.

What a horrible fate! That must be one of the levels of hell.

MTGuru, what's a Kreskin?

Jennie

Here you go, Jennie.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kreskin

He's also got an official website if you're so inclined ... but careful, they'll try to sell you a video. (Of course, I already knew that. )

[flanum]

You could always try "The Coast Of Austria"

[Nanohedron]

I think I'll rename the reel "Don't Bother Me" as "The Humors of Minneapolis".

[Innocent Bystander]

You could always try "The Coast Of Austria"

I never really got the joke about the coast of Austria. Yes, I know Austria is landlocked, but it has not always been so. Trieste has been Austria's main seaport on more than one occasion. And it's a nice tune. It makes me think of Trieste.

I wonder how often they play the Cúil Aodh jig at Cúil Aodh?

[dubhlinn]

Coming from Ballymun, on the northside of Dublin, the "Ballymun Regatta" kills me..realy kills me.

Slan,
D.

[PallasAthena]

I'd imagine listening to nonmusical tourists blow through probably shoddy whistles would drive one crazy after a while regardless of what they were playing. Probably someone playing an even over-played tune well would be less likely to considered annoying than someone playing really badly.

And tourist behavior can be bizaar on more levels. I recall that the last time I was in Ireland, while standing in the rental car place parking lot, I saw some other tourists proudly taking pictures of their rental car...