FTX-078 - THE RAMBLING IRISHMAN

PADDY BREEN - ORCON FLUTE

Paddy was noted both as whistler and as a flute-player. On this tape, made by Peter Kennedy in Camden Town, London, March 1950, he plays an "Orcon" flute, a vertical flageolet bought in the USA, as well as a normal transverse flute. Here are 40 tunes: reels, jigs, hornpipes, waltzes, as well as "highlands" and "polkies". On some he is joined by the Co Sligo fiddler, Michael Gorman, who also plays flute for one item. Finally he sings "The Rambling Irishman" and "The Green Hills of Ireland".

1. PADDY'S POLKA - 1'02"

2. THE RED-HAIRED BOY (Tune of song: THE LITTLE BEGGARMAN) - 0'58"

3. FISHER'S FROLIC - 1'57"

4. THE ROLLING HOME POLKA - 1'32"

5. BIDDY DURKIN - 1'02"

6. MY LOVE SHE'S BUT A LASSIE YET - 0'54"

7. O THE BREECHES WE DO WEAR - 0'49"

8. MOONLIGHT IN MAYO (Waltz) - 0'45"

9. (a) THE WILD COLONIAL BOY/ (b) THE STONE OUTSIDE DAN MURPHY'S DOOR (Waltzes) - 1'17"

10. THE FRIEZE BREECHES (Jig) - 1'14"

11. THE PIPE ON THE HOB (Jig) - 1'12"

12. OFF SHE GOES (or THE LAUNCH) - 1'33"

13. THE CUCKOO'S NEST - 1'57"

14. THE CROSS JIG - 1'27"

15. THE MORNING STAR (Version 1) - 0'52"

16. THE MORNING STAR (Version 2) - 1'15"

17. BRAVE RODNEY'S GLORY (Set Dance) - 1'36"

18. THE ORANGE IN BLOOM (Jig) - 1'32"

19. Mrs CASEY (Jig) with Michael Gorman (flute) - 1'06"

20. THE BASKET OF OYSTERS (Jig) - 1'25"

21. PADDY'S POLKA - 1'31"

22. (a) THE JOLLY TINKER/ (b) THE PRETTY GIRLS OF MAYO (Reels) with fiddlers - 2'27"

23. (a) ORANGE AND BLUE/ (b) JOHNNIE, WHEN YOU'LL DIE/ (c) SOME SAY THE DEVIL'S DEAD (Highland Schottisches) - 1'38"

24. JOHNNIE, WHEN YOU'LL DIE (Jingle sung) - 0'18"

25. GEORGE WHITE'S FAVOURITE (Reel) - 0'38"

26. Jigs: (a) THE PRIEST'S LEAP/ (b) THE BLACKTHORN STICK/ (a) PRIEST'S LEAP/ (c) OFF SHE GOES/ (d) THE SWALLOW'S NEST - 2'26"

27. Hornpipes: (a) THE QUARRELSOME PIPER/ (b) THE HARVEST HOME - 2'40"

28. THE GIRL WITH THE BLUE DRESS ON (Polka) on concert flute - 1'01"

29. GREEN GROW THE RUSHES-O (Highland Schottische) - 1'01"

30. Hornpipes: (a) THE BOYS OF BLUEHILL/ (b) THE FRIENDLY VISIT with Michael Gorman & Peter Kennedy (fiddles) and Helen Kennedy (English concertina) - 1'25"

31. Song: THE RAMBLING IRISHMAN - 2'23"

32. Song: THE GREEN HILLS OF IRELAND - 2'21"

Recorded & edited by Peter Kennedy & first published on Folktrax Cassettes 1975.

PADDY BREEN was born at Kilmihill in West Clare, between Ennis and Kilrush. It was not until the early fifties, when he met up with other Irish instrumentalists in the Canden Town district of London, that he became particularly well-known for his whistle and flute playing. Although he played both the normal transverse wooden flute and the tin-whistle, the "Orcon" flageolet was his favourite instrument.

The Sligo fiddler, MICHAEL GORMAN, can be heard on FTX-077 and, with MARGARET BARRY on banjo, playing reels, on FTX-174.