The Geese in the Bog

Jig, C, Traditional Irish
TrailJams Tune of the Week: November 3, 2024; August 23, 2026

A very popular session tune, this is one of the rare Irish traditional tunes that is played in the key of C. Even though it is in C, the tune lays out just fine on a D tin whistle.

Recordings

• Video – Comhaltas: The Geese in the Bog – session recording, from the album Foinn Seisiún 1, published by Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann
• Video – Eileen Ivers: Geese In The Bog/The Wandering Minstrel/The Pride Of Moyvane/The Low Road To Glin/The High Road To Glin – from the album Traditional Irish Music
• Video – John Whelan: New York Jig / The Geese In The Bog – from the album Celtic Roots (Spirit Of Dance). (The Geese in the Bog starts at time 1:36 in this recording.)

Sheet Music

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.

• Bog Mud & Blarney Jig Set: The Geese in the Bog (C) / Scatter the Mud (A Dorian) / The Blarney Pilgrim (D Mixolydian)
• The Geese In The Bog / The Blarney Pilgrim / The Connaughtman’s Rambles
• The Rose In The Heather / The Geese In The Bog / Tripping Up The Stairs
• The Geese In The Bog / The Castle Jig / The Cliffs Of Moher

References and Resources

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

• More Recordings
  • Audio – Stephen Ducke (Tradschool): The Geese in the Bog – solo tin whistle. From the book 400 Irish Tunes, Tin Whistle Tunes.
• Books
  • Book – Gary Coover: 75 Irish Session Tunes for Anglo Concertina (Rollston Press). One of a series of Anglo concertina tune books by this author.
  • Book – Foinn Seisiún, Volume 1 Published by Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann.
  • Book & Audio – Stephen Ducke: Irish Music – 400 Traditional Tunes
• Lessons
  • Lesson – Tola Custy (Online Academy of Irish Music): Irish Fiddle Lesson – Geese in the Bog – video lesson. (Free lesson. Sheet music and other materials are available with subscription to OAIM.)
  • Lesson – Sean Cunningham (whistletutor): Tin Whistle Lesson: Geese in the Bog (Jig) – video lesson
  • Lesson – James Finnegan (TheBanjoBuddy): Learn Geese in the Bog – Trad Tutorial – tenor banjo tutorial
  • Lesson – Pat Barton: Learn “The Geese in the Bog,” Irish b/c button accordion – video of jig played slow and faster on a button accordion
  • Lesson – David Benedict: “Geese in the Bog” Mandolin Lesson – video mandolin lesson with sheet music and tab displayed in video
  • Lesson – Shannon Heaton: Geese in the Bog [Jig] – Tune of the Month with Shannon Heaton – video lesson for flute, with Keith Murphy playing mandolin
• Additional Resources
  • Webpage – The Session: The Geese in the Bog – crowdsourced sheet music, comments, and more