The Letterkenny Blacksmith/John Doherty’s Favourite/Scread na Bealtaine (Reels)

The great Ed Reavy (1898-1968) of Co. Cavan and Philadelphia composed this first reel in praise of a well-respected blacksmith from Letterkenny, County Donegal. The second reel we associate with the wonderful fiddler and a source of many of our fiddle tunes, John Doherty (1900-1980). The final reel of this selection Mairéad wrote during lockdown in May of 2020 as part of a commission from the annual Earagail Arts Festival.

“Scread na Bealtaine,” means “The Roar of May,” referring to the name which the older people would call the unusual sound of the wild wind that can occur in Co. Donegal during that month.

The Letterkenny Blacksmith: (Ed Reavy) The Collected Compositions of Ed Reavy No. 34 p.36

John Doherty’s Favourite: Trad., arr Altan: Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh/Ciarán Curran/Dáithí Sproule/Mark Kelly/Martin Tourish/Clare Friel and published by Compass Rights Management (SESAC/IMRO/MCPSI/MCPS)/Martin Tourish Music (IMRO/MCPS)/IMRO/MCPS

Scread na Bealtaine: (Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh) Compass Rights Management (SESAC/IMRO/MCPSI/MCPS)