100 Vital Irish Session Tunes

Many of the tunes found in 100 Vital Irish Session Tunes might be described as "old hat" and would be shunned by many seasoned players. However, it's absolutely vital that you are familiar with these tunes, as you'll find them cropping up time and time again. They are the foundation on which Irish music sessions are built. You could say that these tunes are even more essential than those in 100 Essential Irish Session Tunes. Every type of dance tune is represented: reels, jigs, hornpipes, polkas, slides, slip jigs, marches, set dances, waltzes, mazurkas, flings, a varsovienne, a barn dance, a single reel and a single jig

The tune settings in this book are all ‰Û÷session friendly‰۪, i.e. you can learn them exactly as written and know that you will have a perfectly acceptable version. However, I consider it unwise to learn a tune from only one source and I would suggest strongly that, when learning a new tune, you pay heed to other books, recordings and live performances. It is important to note that the settings in this book are greatly influenced by the instrument I play, the D/G melodeon (an accordion system rarely found in Irish music circles - B/C and C sharp/D are the norm). I‰۪ve made a conscious effort to allow this to happen in order to give the book its own unique character. The list below would constitute an excellent nucleus towards forming a valuable Irish music library. When choosing books, take care not to be put off by the title; some of the best sources of tunes are from tuition books. Just because the book cover says ‰Û÷Learn to Play the Banjo‰۪, don‰۪t think it‰۪s of no use if you play the tin whistle.

Books will only help you to learn the notes of a tune. To pick up the rhythm of Irish music you must devote a large amount of time listening to both recordings and live musicians. Of greatest importance, you must practise; the value of this book is directly proportional to the number of hours a day you spend practising.

Chord arrangements are more or less as played on the soundtrack, but nevertheless, are only suggestions. The dominant chords (i.e. D in the key of G, A in the key of D and E in the key of A etc.) throughout this book are noted as plain major chords, whereas many musicians prefer to play the seventh (D7, A7, E7 etc.). Feel free to play either type of chord as the mood takes you.

• Sheehan‰۪s
• Come West Along the Road
• Drowsy Maggie
• Maid in the Cherry Tree
• The Old Torn Petticoat
• The Donegal
• The Wild Irishman
• The Primrose Lass
• Green Fields of America
• The Teetotaller
• The Flannel Jacket
• The Heather Breeze
• Rolling in the Ryegrass
• John Brennan‰۪s
• The Scholar
• The Fairy Dance
• A Rainy Day
• The Kilmaley
• Miss McLeod‰۪s
• Pigtown Fling
• The Galway Rambler
• Bonny Kate
• Morning Star
• The Road to Lisdoonvarna
• The Woman of the House
• The Merry Blacksmith
• Boys of Ballinahinch

• Father Kelly‰۪s
• Shandon Bells
• Rakes of Kildare
• Larry O‰۪Gaff
• The Idle Road
• The Irish Washerwoman
• Frost Is All Over
• Saddle the Pony
• Gallagher‰۪s Frolics
• The Sweets of May
• Humours of Donnybrook
• Paddy Whack
• Top of the Cork Road
• Munster Buttermilk
• The Black Rogue
• The Blackthorn Stick
• The Mist on the Meadow
• The Humours of Lisheen
• Pay the Reckoning
• Tongs by the Fire
• The Maid on the Green
• The Tenpenny Bit
• Haste to the Wedding

• Boys of Bluehill
• The Plains of Boyle
• The Belfast
• Off to California
• Dunphy‰۪s
• Harvest Home

• The Siege of Ennis
• Maggie in the Wood
• The German Beau
• Leslie‰۪s HornpipeåÊ
• Dennis Murphy‰۪s
• John Ryan‰۪s
• Egan‰۪s
• Tralee Gaol
• Rattlin‰۪ Bog

• Dingle Regatta
• Pete Bradley‰۪s
• Scattery Island
• The Cat Rambles to the Child‰۪s Saucepan
• Bunratty Boys
• The Weaver‰۪s
• Merrily Kiss the Quaker

• Foxhunters‰۪ Jig
• Barney Brannigan
• To Limerick We Will Go
• The Rocky Road to Dublin
• Drops of Brandy

• Napoleon Crossing the Rhine
• The Boys of Wexford
• The Triumphal
• The Centenary

• Three Sea Captains
• Saint Patrick‰۪s Day
• Maggie Brown‰۪s Favourite
• The Downfall of Paris
• Madam Bonaparte
• The Piper through the Meadow Straying

• Planxty Irwin
• Si Bheag, Si Mhor
• Planxty Fanny Power
• The South Wind
• The Munster Cloak

• The Barnacle Redowa
• Donegal Mazurka
• Varsovienne
• Shoo the Donkey
• Barn Dance
• The Curlew Hills
• Flings
• Love, Will You Marry Me?
• Green Grow the Rushes-o

• Smash the Windows

• Rakes of Mallow