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FTX-174 - PIGEON ON THE GATE

GORMAN & BARRY fiddle & banjo

24 Irish Reels & Jigs, played by Michael GORMAN, the outstanding Sligo fiddler, with 14 of them accompanied on the tenor-banjo by Margaret BARRY, tinker-singer from Cork. Margaret, after meeting Michael in London, during the 50's and 60's, worked with him, performing at concerts and festivals in Britain & America. This selection contains a number of Michael's own compositions, such as his best-known reel composition, THE MOUNTAIN ROAD and Margaret's STRAYAWAY CHILD and Co Clare CHANTER SONG.

Michael Gorman (fiddle)

1. LORD GORDON'S REEL (with banjo) - 3'19"

2. Jig: Mc FADDEN'S FANCY - 1'01"

3. Jig: THE LARK IN THE MORN - 1'55"

4. Reel: THE BROKEN PLEDGE - 1'50"

5. MICHAEL GORMAN'S REEL (composed by Gorman 1947) - 1'48"

6. Reel: THE PIGEON ON THE GATE two versions with talk - 3'40"

7. Mc FADDEN'S REEL - 1'55"

8. Reel: THE BURNT CABBAGE (comp by Gorman 1953) story of tune after - 2'33"

9. Reel: THE MOUNTAIN ROAD (comp by Gorman 1922) story of tune before - 3'50"

10.Jig: THE STRAYAWAY CHILD (comp by Barry 1956) - 1'58"

11.THE CHANTER SONG (Co. Clare Lament arr Gorman/Barry) played on PK's 5-string fiddle - 4'55"

The following tracks are all accompanied by Margaret BARRY (banjo):-

12. THE WOMAN OF THE HOUSE - 2'33"

13. THE BOYS OF BALLISADARE - 2'35"

14. BONNIE ANNE - 2'28"

15. THE SLIGO MAID/ UNTITLED REEL (from James Gannon) - 2'52"

16. THE STAR OF MUNSTER - standard & old style - 2'58"

17. THE HUMOURS OF LISNADARE - 3'01"

18. ROARING MARY/ THE MAID OF CASTLEBAR - 3'37"

19. CARRACASTLE LASSES - 3'55"

20. JENNY'S WELCOME TO CHARLIE - 4'40"

Recorded by Peter Kennedy, London 19th August 1956. Edited by Peter Kennedy and first published by Folktrax 1975.

#1: A popular Scots reel in D, also called "Miss Gordon's", widely played in Ireland. See: O'Neill 670/1433/Roche/Breathnach 1 203/ Roche 1 162/ Allan's/ Kerr/ Cole etc./ FTX-075 (John Doherty)/ FTX-154 (Michael Coleman)

#2: See: O'Neill 716 "Mc Fadden's Favorite"

#3: See: O'Neill 240/ 1019/ Breathnach 50 "Morrison's Jig"/ Clancy 78/111-2/ Cole 58./ FTX-172 (Felix Doran: U-pipes) & FTX-154 (Michael Coleman) "Doherty's Jig"

#4: See: O'Neill 458/1178 Low D

#6:See: O'Neill 648/1406/ Roche 1 p168-9/ Allan 59/ Cole 8/ Kerr 4 p14/ FTX-170 (Neil Boyle; fid)/ FTX-171 (Paddy Taylor: flute)/ FTX-172 (Felix Doran: U-pipes)

#7: Not the same as O'Neill 558: "Mc Fadden's Own"

#9: See: Clancy 38.

#12: See: O'Neill 565/1300/ Breathnach 1 p86/ THE HARE IN THE HEATHER Also rec. John Doherty & Willie Clancy, sometimes called "The Maid in the Cherry Tree"/ See: Breathnach 1 p198/ Kerr 4 p.16 "The Hare among the heather"

#15: See: FT-375 (Sean Maguire/Bill Montgomery)/ Breathnach 1 p124/ Clancy 121/ Sullivan 2 p.4/ Kerr 4 p.20/ GANNON'S REEL

#16: Also called "My Love among the bushes" See: O'Neill 121/ 495/ Breathnach 1 p87 "Bird on the Tree"/ Clancy 64/ Roche 1 p136

#17: Breathnach CRE 1 p191

#18: See: FTX-124 (Bob Rundle: whistle)/ FTX-375 (Sean Maguire)/ FTX-376 (Sean Maguire: whistle)/ Breathnach 1 p161/ John Doherty/ THE MAID OF CASTLEBAR See: O'Neill 544

#19: Also titled "George White's Favourite" See: Breathnach 1 p97/ FTX-078 (Paddy Breen: whistle)/ FTX-172 (Felix Doran: pipes)

#20: Also titled "Scotch Jenny" See: O'Neill 687/ 1456/ Clancy 144

MICHAEL GORMAN (1902-1969) born at Doocastle, Co. Sligo, started playing at the age of seven when he became a pupil of James Gannon, who also taught James McDermott and Michael Coleman who both emigrated to America and made a number of famous Irish fiddle recordings. In the late 40's Michael came to London and it was while he was working as a railway porter at Liverpool Street Station that Peter Kennedy heard of him and made the first recordings of him in 1950.

See also FTX-077 "Techniques of an Irish fiddler": A unique documentary, recorded by Peter in 1952, including 20 fiddle tunes, of which 6 are treated analytically. Michael explains how he learned from his teacher and the methods by which he would encourage future generations of Irish fiddlers to learn and study.

FTX-070 Margaret Barry: 15 Ballads of an Irish street singer, including her "Banjo Breakdown" instrumental.

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