The Irish Traditional Music Archive (ITMA) is committed to providing free, universal access to the rich cultural tradition of Irish music, song and dance. If you’re able, we’d love for you to consider a donation. Any level of support will help us preserve and grow this tradition for future generations.
In his fieldwork, musicians provided tunes to Séamus Ennis in a number of different ways. Some played instruments, others lilted while still others whistled as was the case with Peait Canavan, the piper from An Aird Mhóir in Carna. Ennis noted that ‘his whistling was sweet and tuneful’ (21.5.43). According to Séamus Ennis, in his notes on the transcription of this reel, Peait heard this tune being lilted by older people in his neighbourhood when he was growing up. In another transcription of the same tune Ennis comments on an old piping trick referring to the second last bar of the B part of the tune where three high B notes and three high A notes are played. The reel has been recorded with the title ‘Ceo na gCnoc’ by a number of pipers including Tommy Keane (The Piper’s Apron) Jimmy O’Brien Moran (Seán Reid’s Favourite) and Conor, Gay and Seán McKeon (The Dusty Miller).