The angry peeler, jig

In December 1942 Séamus Ennis was in Carna where, on the afternoon of 14.12.42, he ‘recorded two tunes from Micheál Choilmín Mac Fhualáin’, a fiddle player whom he had met previously in November when he attended ‘a great night’s music’ with five musicians.  This jig was likely among the tunes transcribed and in his notes to the transcription Ennis indicates that Mac Fhualáin believed this to be a very old tune. The jig was published as ‘The Angry Peeler’ in O’Neill’s Music of Ireland (No. 1041). Breandán Breathnach suggested that it is related to ‘Carraig an tSoip’ [The Rock of the Bundle of Straw?]  in Ceol Rince na hÉireann 1 (No. 3). The Kilfenora Céili Band recorded a version which they titled ‘Brodie Kierce’s’ while concertina player, Chris Droney, recorded another variant with the title The Clogher Rose.

Ennis noted on the music transcription for the two tunes written from Maidhcil Choilmín on this occasion, by means of an asterisk * ‘These are both c# although the inclination would be to play c natural – may be the performer’s own whim.’

Referring to the fiddle player Maidhcil Mac Fhualáin from whom Ennis transcribed other tunes, the collector wrote in Irish: ‘He never heard it anywhere else apart from that district. December 1942.’