Kitty’s Wedding

Hornpipe, D, Traditional Irish

This is a cheerful tune that reminds fiddlers what that low string is for, reminds whistle players about transposing low notes, and brings you a smile for the wedding party. Be sure to look at the “Nifty Mnemonics” lyrics below for a handy way to remember the melody.

Recordings

• Audio – Comhaltas: Kitty’s Wedding – session recording from the album Foinn Seisiún Volume 1
• Audio – Kanako Machida and Brian McGrath: Barndance and Hornpipe – Stack Of Barley, Kitty’s Wedding – from the album Jiggin’ in Japan (Galway, Ireland). (Kitty’s Wedding starts at time 2:05 in this recording.)
• Audio – Eileen Ivers: Kitty’s Wedding – from the album Beyond the Bog Road

Dots (Music Notation)

As always for traditional tunes, the musical notation and chords do not indicate the “right” way to play the tune, but are a useful reference.

Sets

Examples of sets that include this tune.

• Barley & Bride Hornpipe Set: The Stack of Barley (G) / Kitty’s Wedding (D)
• Ha’penny Hornpipe Set: Poll Ha’penny / Tuamgraney Castle / Kitty’s Wedding
• The Home Ruler / Kitty’s Wedding
• Murphy’s Hornpipe / Kitty’s Wedding
• Chief O’Neill’s ​/​ Kitty’s Wedding

Nifty Mnemonics –
Lyrics for Remembering the Tune

Here are some lyrics to help you remember how the tune goes. (They are not traditional, and are pretty silly.)

Kitty's Wedding -- memory aid lyrics by Jonathan Lay

A Part (2x):
   Bring your ma, bring your da, bring your little yellow dog
   We are going to Kitty's wedding, everybody will be there
   Bring a scarf, bring a hat, bring your little striped cat
   For we're going to Kitty's wedding just to see our Kitty wed

B Part (2x):
   We are going to Kitty's wedding, by the hedgerows we are treading
   And we'll gladly walk the dusty miles to reach the chapel door
   Now our arms and legs are swingin' and our 
   Voices raised in singin', 'cause we're
   Going to Kitty's wedding just to wish our Kitty joy

(Copyright Jonathan Lay 2021)

References and Resources

For those who want to dig deeper, here are some other resources.

• More recordings
  • Audio – Fiddlehead: Chief O’Neill’s​/​Kitty’s Wedding — Kitty’s Wedding (played on tin whistle and fiddle) begins at time 3:09 in this recording. From the album The Pure Drop.
  • Video – Dulahan Ireland: The Home Ruler and Kitty’s Wedding Hornpipes – played on fiddle, with guitar backup. (Kitty’s Wedding starts at time 1:20 in the video.)
  • Video – concertinette: Kitty’s Wedding (Irish hornpipe on concertina) – played on concertina
  • Audio – Stephen Ducke: Kitty’s Wedding (Hornpipe) – played on D tin whistle. From the book Irish Music – 400 Traditional Tunes.

• Books
  • Book – Stephen Ducke: Irish Music 400 Traditional Tunes – with audio tracks of the tunes played on tin whistle.
• Lessons
  • Lesson – FiddleVideo: Kitty’s Wedding (Hornpipe) – Trad Irish Fiddle Lesson by Niall Murphy – sample of lesson on fiddle. (Full lesson requires subscription to FiddleVideo.)
  • Lesson – Online Academy of Irish Music: Kitty’s Wedding – taught for fiddle. (Requires subscription.)
  • Lesson – Peghead Nation: Kitty’s Wedding (Irish Mandolin) with Marla Fibish – mandolin lessons for Kitty’s Wedding taught by Marla Fibish. (Requires subscription.)
  • Video – Kozo Toyota: Kitty’s Wedding (Hornpipe) – Demonstration of playing the tune on tin whistle, slowly and then up to speed.
• Other resources
  • Webpage – TheSession: Kitty’s Wedding (Hornpipe) – crowdsourced sheet music, comments and other information