TOTW for 2/5/2021. Played CH in G tuning on a Wildwood.

TOTW 8/30/2019. A tuning. Clawhammer on a Wildwood Banjo.

Couple of traditional tunes here.

The O'Reilly's of 17th century Ireland were amongst Turlough O'Carolan's supportive patrons as the blind harpist traveled far and wide. When O'Carolan wrote a tune in their honor it was given the label "planxty." Unable to play for several weeks due to my broken shoulder, I offer something recorded previously on my clawhammer banjo.

This traditional air honors the Irish soldiers who left Ireland to fight for France. The last time they left marked the 1691 Treaty of Limerick , a momentous time in Ireland's history which ended the Williamite war and the reign of King James, who left, too, after the Battle of the Boyne (which has a namesake tune as well). When the Chieftains recorded The Wild Geese they were picturing women singing on shore while the soldiers sailed off forevermore to fight elsewhere. At the end of my recording listen for the geese flying off...

There was really a harper in Ireland called Maire Dhall (Blind Mary) who is known to have taught harp to friends of Turlough O'Carolan (1670 - 1738), so it's assumed he knew her, too. The melody is rather dramatic and you get a feeling of respect for this woman, who, like O'Carolan, must have traveled, played harp, and taught for a living.

This tune in 3/4 time is a rare find from Turlough O'Carolan (1670 - 1738). It's only found in one source dated in the early 1900's from Chief Francis O'Neill who had procured a rare notebook of old Irish tunes. The melody and title didn't sync well until I made a slide-show video (in the BHO archive) of people happy with tears. As several of my O'Carolan pieces, I've added cello banjo in the background.

Here's a clawhammered planxty from Turlough O'Carolan (1670 - 1738) in 6/8 jig time with cello banjo accompaniment.

Blackberry Blossom with some octave jumping

Three Bluegrass tunes played in an Irish style. Tunes are Whiskey Before Breakfast/ Big Sciota/ Daley's

recorded these before, but i re recorded them last night for my Soundcloud and Bandcamp page and thought the good folks at BHO would enjoy them.

A tune inspired by a recent trip to the Emerald Isle. In Double C. Thanks too to the folks who didn't comment but hit the like button. :)

This is a traditional tune from Scotland going back as far as 1549 in a published ballad format. Dave Hum played this tune and his videos are still on-line to view -- what an amazing picker he was! I'm playing on a Mac Traynham Whyte Laydie openback, but also enjoyed it played lower on the cello banjo. You can compare the two, as I've uploaded them both.

After hearing Dave Hum play this I wondered if I could, too. It's taken some effort, but here's what I came up with, thanks to banjukebox's tab and some further exploration. Though simpler than Dave's expressive, creative version, it's fun to play. I like the cello banjo's lower tone on Tam Lin compared to my Whyte Laydie openback, but you can compare them as I've uploaded them both.

I learned this version mostly from Hot Rize

A planxty written to honor the head of an important Irish clan. The O'Connors were generous hosts of O'Carolan many a-time. A boyhood friend of O'Carolan's was also an O'Connor named Dennis. They would have known each other as neighbors before O'Carolan's blindness at age 18.