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High Part of the Road

Also known as
Ard A BhothairArd An BhothairArd An BhotharArd An BothairArd An BotharDown The Dark LaneEllen FlanaganThe Hill On The RoadWillie Clancy'sWillie Clancy's FancyWilly Clancy's

Key

G Major

Type

Jig

Level

BIA

Instrument

Irish Flute

About this tune

The English title is a round trip through Irish. The jig went under "Top of the Road" until Breandán Breathnach gave it the Irish name "Ard an Bhóthair" for the first volume of Ceol Rince na hÉireann (1963), and a clumsy retranslation back out of the Irish produced "The High Part of the Road." Breathnach had his setting from the Miltown Malbay piper Willie Clancy, west Clare, and the tune is still known in places as "Willie Clancy's." It is the title tune of Tommy Peoples' first Shanachie LP.

Preview — full lesson available to subscribers

Lesson segments

  • 1:23
  • 9:39
  • 6:39
  • 2:12

Heard on these recordings

422One
Alan Coakley & Aengus Kirakowski with songs by Pat CoakleyThrowing Time
Andy LamyThe New Blackthorn Stick
Anna FalkenauFéileacán na Saoirse
Brendan Mulhaire Céilí Band, Bridge Céilí BandIrish Ceili
Tune data via thesession.org

Part of a set·Tune 2 of 3

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