Reels

Drowsy Maggie

Reel (E Minor)

first part

• | e B e   D e B e | e B e   A f# d f#| e B e   D e B e | B A B C#   D A f# d |
• | e B e   D e B e | e B e   A f# d f#| e B e   D e B e | B A B C#   D A f# A |

second part

• | D F# D   C# D E C#| D E F# G’   A’ F# G’ E | D F# D   C# D E C# | B A B C#   D A f# A |
• | D F# D   C# D E C#| D E F# G’   A’ F# G’ E | A’ F# G E   F# D C# A | B A B C#   D A f# d |

Crowley’s Reel

Reel (D Major)

first part

• | A A   D  BB  D  A  dd  A  dd |  A A  D B A B C# D F# E G’ F# E D B |
• | A A   D  BB  D  A  dd  A  dd |  A A  D B A B C# D F# E G’ F# D D E ||

second part

• | F#F#   A’  G’  F# G’ E   AA  E  AA | F#F#   A’  G’  F# G’ A’ F# E G’ F# D D E|
• | F#F#   A’  G’  F# G’ E   AA  E  AA | F#F#   A’  G’  F# G’ A’ F# E G’ F# D D B ||

Notes:

I have highlighted the triplets in orange text which consists of three notes played down-up-down and usually followed by the same note as a down stroke i.e. AA (down-up-down-down) The golden rule of triplets is always down-up-down and followed by a down stroke after the triplet.  In the first bar the D triplet is played as dd which is usually a down stroke followed by a triplet (down-down-up-down). I feel the rule is looser here as sometimes you can play an up stroke before the triplet. Try playing the tune very slowly and concentrate on how you play the triplets.

The Famous Ballymote

Reel (G Major)

first part

• | f# d A d | f# A A B | C A B G | e f# G e | f# d A d | f# A A B| C A G e e d d –
• | f# d A d | f# A A B | C A B G | e f# G e | f# d A d | f# A A B| C A G e e d d –

second part

• | f# d f# A | D – E D | C A B G | e f# G e | f# d f# A | D – E D | C A G e e d d –
• | f# d f# A | D – E D | C A B G | e f# G e | f# d f# A | D – E D | C A G e e d d –

Ballintore Fancy

Reel (G Major)

first part

• | G – B B | G B D B | G – B B | G f# G A f# | G – B B | G B D G’ | E C A G f# G A f#
• | G – B B | G B D B | G – B B | G f# G A f# | G – B B | G B D G’ | E C A G f# G A G

second part

• | B e e | B e G  A | B e e A | G A | B e e | C A B G | A G f# G A | G A –
• | B e e | B e G  A | B e e A | G A | B e e | C A B G | A G f# G A | C B A –

Five Mile Chase

Single Reel (G Major)

first part

• | G – B G | D  G  B G | f# A  d A | f# A  d A | G – B G | D  G  B D | E G’  F# A’ | G’ E  D B |
• | G – B G | D  G  B G | f# A  d A | f# A  d A | G – B G | D  G  B D | E G’  F# A’ | G’  G’ – | x1

second part

• | F#| G’ D B D|  E D B D| G’  B’ G’ | A’ G’ E F# | G’ D B D |  E D B D | E G’ F# A’| G’ G’-
• | F# G’ – B’ G’ | E F# G’ E | D’ D C | B G B D | E E D | E D B D | E G’ F# A’ | G’ E D B | x1

Come West Along the Road

Reel (G Major)

first part

• | D B G | D G B G | G B D | E F# G’ E | D B G | D G B G | A B C D | E D B C |
• | D B G | D G B G | G B D | E F# G’ E | D B G | D G B G | A B C D | E D B D ||

second part

• | G’ – B’ G’ | E G’ D G’ | E F#G’  D G’ | E D B D | G’ B’ G’ | E G’ D B | A B C D | E D B D |
• | G’ – B’ G’ | E G’ D G’ | E F#G’  D G’ | E D B D | G’ A’ B’ G’ | E F# G’ E | D E G’ A’ | B’ A’ G’ E ||

played at normal speed

played with triplets

Paddy Has Gone to France

Reel (B Minor)

first part

• | A | B f# f# B f# A f# | e f# d e f# A  A |  B f# f# B f# A f# | e f# d e f# d d
• | A | B f# f# B f# A f# | e f# d e f# A  A |  B f# f# B f# A f# | e f# d e f# d d ||

second part

• | A | D F# E D B D A B | D F# E D B E E | D F# E D B D A f# | e f# d e f# d d
• | A | D F# E D B D A B | D F# E D B E E | F# D E C# D B A f# | e f# d e f# d d ||

I have highlighted the f#, A and E crotchets (quarter notes) in orange to show were you can add triplets in the reel. These notes would effectively translate as 4 notes i.e. f#   f# f# f#, playing the first note with a down stroke followed by down up down. Don’t try to play the tune at speed, practice the triplets slowly so as you hit each notes with accuracy.

The Glentaun

Reel (G Major)

 first part

• | e | d G B G A G B G | d G B G A e e |  d G B G A G A B | D G’ E D B G G
• | e | d G B G A G B G | d G B G A e e |  d G B G A G A B | D G’ E D B G G ||

second part

• | A | B D D C#  DD  E F# | G’ A’ F# G’ E  AA | B D E F# G’ F# G’ E | D B A D B G G
• | A | B D D C#  DD  E F# | G’ A’ F# G’ E  AA | B D E F# G’ F# G’ E | D B A D B G G ||

triplets are highlighted in orange type.

Andy McGann’s

Reel

part one

• e B E D | A B B C# | D B E B | D B A f# | e B E D | B C# D E | F# D E F# | D B A f# |
• e B B D | B B E B | B B A B E D | B A B f# | B A B D E | F# D E F# | D B A f# E F C |

part two

• A’ A A’ G | F# D D E | E F# A F# | D B A | G F# A A | B A A F# | E A F# E | D E F# G |
• A’ A A’ G | F# D D E | E F# A F# | D B A | G F# A A | B A A F# | E A F# E | D E F# G B A F# |

A great reel which Paul Meehan recently taught at the Tenor Banjo workshop hosted by Belfast Trad. Paul learned the tune from box player Martin Quinn, have a lesson to the tune played slowly.