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.
