The Rambling Pitchfork
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Transcription: by Darryl D. Bush
"The Rambling Pitchfork", in Gaelic ("Ab Gabhal siúlach" or "An Píce Fánach"),<br> also known as "Baxter's Big", "Fisherman's Jig", "The Fisherman's Widow",<br> "The Friendly Neighbor", "Guertin Boys", "Roland's Return", "St. Patrick's Day in<br> the Evening" or "Wedding Trip" is an Irish double jig in 6/8 time and<br> D Minor (Goodman, Levey), D Major (most versions) or G Major (Kerr). The parts are<br> played AAB (Kerr), AABB (Cranitch, Levey, Mallinson, Taylor/Tweed), AABB' (Allens)<br> or AA'BB' (Alewine).<br> The title "Rambling Pitchfork" refers to an itinerant farm laborer.<br> The jig appears in the mid-19th century music manuscript collection of County Cork<br> uilleann piper and Church of Ireland cleric James Goodman, set in the key of D minor<br> and was nearly identically reproduced under the title "Roland's Return" in Frank<br> Roche's Collection of Traditional Irish Music, vol. 1 (1912).<br> The tune was paired with<br> "The Sporting Pitchfork"<br> on the 1978 Paddy Glackin/Paddy<br> Keenan album Doublin’, the medley being known as "The Pitchforks".<br> It was printed in Alewine's Maid that Cut Off the Chicken’s Lips (1987),<br> Cranitch's Irish Fiddle Book (1996),<br> Giblin's Collection of Traditional Irish Dance Music (1928),<br> Kerr's Merry Melodies, vol. 1 (c. 1880),<br> R.M. Levey's First Collection of the Dance Music of Ireland (1858),<br> Mallinson's 100 Enduring (1995),<br> McDermott's Allan's Irish Fiddler (c. 1920’s),<br> Songer's Portland Collection, vol. 2 (2005) and<br> Taylor's Traditional Irish Music: Karen Tweed’s Irish Choice (1994).<br> It was recorded by James Kelly on Traditional Irish Music (1996),<br> Tom Ennis & James Morrison (1922),<br> Paddy Killoran (1937) (as "Guertin Boys"),<br> Michael Coleman on Stack of Barley & Wheat,<br> Paddy Keenan on Paddy Keenan (1975),<br> Rodney Miller on Rodney Miller’s Airdance (2000),<br> Matt Molloy, Sean Keane & Tommy Peoples on Molloy, Keane & Peoples,<br> Paddy Glackin & Robbie Hannan on The Whirlwind (1995),<br> Paddy Glackin & Paddy Keenan on Doublin’ (1978),<br> Mary Custy on After 10:30,<br> Ballinakill Traditional Dance Players on Irish Dance Music (1995) (reissue of the 1931 original),<br> Michael Coleman on Michael Coleman 1891-1945 (1992. Reissue recordings) and<br> Michael Coleman (1921) (78 RPM).<br>
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