Some time ago I heard this tune, which I had always thought of as Irish, and just wanted to play it. It was composed by Canadian fiddler Graham Townsend for his wife Eleanor, who came from Dungannon, Ontario - so not an Irish tune, in fact. But it certainly sounds like it has a lot of Irish influence. I am playing it in the Key of C Major on mandolin with guitar and mandolin backing.
John, what a fun tune! I can see why you would want to learn it. I envy your talent with multiple instruments.
That mando backing (bordering on BG chop, but tweaked into jig time) makes it a brilliantly hilarious tune. I searched Dungannon ON and found it to be about as downtown urban as Seanamhac, Co Galway. Does not look like too much fun, especially if you haven't got a car.
Love it!
Extremely heavy rain here, drains flooded, cat absolutely soaked but still wants to stay out hunting rats, and suddenly for breakfast there’s a joyful dance tune, masterful, fine playing, thanks John.
Thanks, all. It is such a fun tune to play and ranges from the open low G to the G two octaves above on the E string, so a good workout across the fingerboard and lots of arpeggios for amusement too. I used only C and G chords throughout.
Great song and excellent arrangement John. Perhaps if the town knew about this song people might hear of it's existence ..I have never heard of it. They have a tourism site though where people can post videos and comments about their thrilling adventures in Dungannon. You might want to add yours to the mix.
"thrilling adventures in Dungannon", trying hard to imagine what that might be. Other than in Rainbow Country all you can get lost in there seems to be corn fields ... Wait! Corn fields? I think I have an idea, but this is a family forum.
Thanks, Ginny and Bertram. Bertram, our National Bard Robert Burns has beaten you in the immortalising of the joys to be found in corn fields, or at least "amang the rigs o' barley, oh!" A song for you and Regina to do justice to at some point, if you so not already have a version on record.
I know about Mr Burns' research in the matter, John (there's a nice rendition by Ossian), but I used to think that a reaped barley field must be full of hard spikey stubbles between the rigs or stooks. The worst you can get in a field of Indian corn (or sweet corn) ist Mel Gibson hunting aliens...
Nice Canadian jig, superbly arranged and played, John.
A beautiful tune well played, John. And a nice slide show with detailed photographs of your garden flowers.
Thanks, Christian and Frithjof. Your positive comments always appreciated.
Thanks for the google map link to Dungannon in Canada. It looks remote and is certainly a place to have intimate, strong relationships!
