Artist: Tom Ennis-James Morrison-John Mueller
Author: traditional
Label: Vocalion
Year: 1920
Oranmore is a little town near Galway in the west of Ireland, 'The Bucks' as this five part reel is referred to, is an ultimate testing piece in Irish folk circles. According to Seamus Ennis it is the best of Irish reels. "You can't play anything after the Bucks". Literally. On many occasions The Bucks Of Oranmore is played as crowning piece of the session. Once the band attacks The Bucks, the crowd knows the set is about to end. Time to quickly order a final round of stouts before it's too late. According to Chief O'Neill's reports, this reel was played in the streets of Brooklyn, NY as early as 1855 by emigrated piper Patrick Flannery, but there's probably no older recording than this one by three later emigrees.
Covers:
Liam Walsh [Uilleann piper from Waterford, pupil of Willie Rowsome, Leo's father; lost the index finger of his left hand, forcing him to re-learn to play his instrument; nevertheless he kept winning competitions, made regular radio broadcasts but was always a bit nervous during recording sessions, like here in London, late '33; reissued on the Rounder comp From Galway To Dublin]
Seamus Ennis [concluding the Ireland cd in Alan Lomax' series World Library Of Folk and Primitive Music]
Joe Shannon & John McGreevy [Chicago recording]
Hughes Band [with Steve Wickham (Waterboys), Adam Clayton (U2) and Donal Lunny; in BBC documentary Bringing It All Back Home]
Hawthorne String Quartet [in film The Secret Of Roan Inish]
Sharon Shannon [with Frankie Gavin, Michael McGoldrick & Jim Murray]
If you noticed blunt omissions, mis-interpretations or even out-and-out errors,
please let me know:
Arnold Rypens
Rozenlaan 65
B-2840 Reet (Rumst)