The Leitrim Fancy

Jig, E Dorian, traditional Irish
Also known as: Leitrim Jig

This savory Irish jig is named for the Irish village and county of Leitrim. The tune hovers between the brightness of a major key and the dusk of a minor key, without really committing to either one.

What key is it in? The tune is in E Dorian. The key signature for E Dorian has two sharps: F# and C#. But this tune does not have any C (or C#) notes in it, making it’s key and mode somewhat ambiguous. (You can’t “sharp” a C if it isn’t there.) While the tune pulls toward resolving on an E note in an E minor chord, it also pulls toward resolving in G major and D major. (If you are a bit hazy on the Dorian mode, see the article “Dorian, Mixolydian, Oh My: Modes in a Nutshell” for a brief and friendly explanation.)

Recordings

• Video – Comhaltas: Leitrim Jig – session recording, from the album Foinn Seisiún 1, published by Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann
• Video – The Bothy Band: Rip the Calico: Leitrim Fancy/Round The World For The Sport/Rip The Calico/Martin Wynne’s/The Enchanted Lady/The Holy Land (Jig And Reels) – from the album The Best of the Bothy Band
• Video – John Whelan: Humours Of Glendart/Leitrim Fancy/Paddy In London – from the album Celtic Roots (Spirit Of Dance). (Leitrim Fancy starts at time 1:32 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.

• Leitrim Mountain Jig Set: The Humours of Ballyloughlin (D Mixolydian) / The Leitrim Fancy (E Dorian) / Mist Covered Mountain, The (A Dorian)
• Kid on the Mountain / Morrison’s / The Leitrim Fancy
• The Leitrim Fancy / Tripping up the Stairs

References and Resources

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

• Books
  • Book & audio – Grey Larsen: First Lessons Tin Whistle – includes the this tune with and without ornamentation
  • Book & audio – Grey Larsen: 300 Gems of Irish Music for All Instruments
  • Book & Audio – Matt & Shannon Heaton: In Harmony 
  • Book & Audio – Stephen Ducke: Irish Music – 400 Traditional Tunes
  • Book – Foinn Seisiún, Volume 1 Published by Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann.
• Lessons
  • Lesson – Tergal14 Mandolin: Irish mandolin lessons. The Leitrim fancy (jig) – video of the tune played on mandolin, broken down part-by-part with tablature
  • Lesson – Shannon Heaton: Leitrim Fancy [Jig] – Tune of the Month with Shannon Heaton – video of the tune taught phrase-by-phrase on flute
  • Lesson – Grey Larsen Irish Flute and Tin Whistle: Ornamented Version of The Leitrim Fancy – video demonstration of the tune played on tin whistle, as it is notated in Grey Larsen’s book, First Lessons Tin Whistle
• Additional Resources
  • Article – Jonathan Lay (TrailJams): Dorian, Mixolydian, Oh My: Modes in a Nutshell
  • Web page – The Session: The Leitrim Fancy (Jig) – crowdsourced sheet music, comments, and more