The Monaghan Twig

Reel, A Mixolydian, traditional Irish
Also known as: The Tinker’s Apron

This tune, a traditional Irish reel, is one that takes some surprising turns and then refuses to come to an end. The town and county of Monaghan, which give the tune part of its name, are in the northeast corner of Ireland, in the province of Ulster. In the image above, the twig is a perch for a Blue Tit, one of the most widespread birds in Ireland. (The Irish name for the bird species is Meantán gorm.)

Be sure to look at the “Nifty Mnemonics” lyrics below for a handy way to remember the melody.

Recordings

• Video – Arcady: Breton Reels a) Rond-de-Loudeac, b) The Monaghan Twig – from the album After The Ball. (The Monaghan Twig starts at time 1:06 in this recording.)
• Video – Paddy Keenan: The Monaghan Twig / Collier’s – played on uilleann pipes with rhythm guitar. From the album Poirt an Phíobaire.
• Video – James Kelly, Paddy O’Brien & Dáithí Sproule: The Monaghan Twig – from the album The Center for Irish Music – Young Irish Musicians Weekend Vol. 1

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.

• Monaghan Maid Reel Set: The Monaghan Twig (A Mixolydian) / Rakish Paddy (D Mixolydian) / The Wise Maid (D)
• The Monaghan Twig / The Limerick Lasses / The Fermoy Lasses
• The Scholar / The Teetotaler / The Monaghan Twig
• The Congress Reel / The Monaghan Twig

Nifty Mnemonics – The Monaghan Pig
Lyrics for Remembering the Tune

Here are some lyrics (below) to help you remember how the tune goes. The song is “The Monaghan Pig.” To get a PDF file of the sheet music with these lyrics, click a link: The Monaghan Pig in A Mixolydian | The Monaghan Pig in D Mixolydian

The Monaghan Pig -- memory aid lyrics by Jonathan Lay, to the tune of "The Monaghan Twig"

Oh there was a man named Monaghan, he
Had a little pig, and he
Never fed it acorns, no he
Fattened it on twigs

Oh now come and get him Monaghan, and
Come and get him now, for the
Pig you fed on little twigs is
Eating up our house

Oh you could have fed him apples, or you
could have fed him beans, you know, you
Could have fed him milk, or the
Finest clotted cream

But the little pig you fed on twigs
Has grown into a lumber eating boar
Now he's eaten up our porches and he's, oh!

(Copyright Jonathan Lay 2020)

References and Resources

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

• More Recordings
  • Video – Shane Farrell: The Monaghan Twig Reel. Irish Tenor Banjo Music – solo tenor banjo
  • Audio – Stephen Ducke (Tradschool): The Monaghan Twig (Reel) – played on tin whistle. From the book Irish Music – 400 Traditional Tunes.
• Books
  • Book & Audio – Stephen Ducke: Irish Music – 400 Traditional Tunes
• Lessons
  • Lesson – Duncan Cameron: Monaghan Twig – video demonstration of the tune played fast and slow, with ornamentation
  • Lesson – Marla Fibish (Peghead Nation): A Mixolydian Reel: “The Monaghan Twig” – video lesson with downloadable sheet music and audio track. (Requires subscription to Peghead Nation.)
  • Video – Aidan Crossey: The Monaghan Twig – a reel in A Mixolydian tabbed for mandolin – video with mandolin tab
• Additional Resources
  • Article – Jonathan Lay (TrailJams): Dorian, Mixolydian, Oh My: Modes in a Nutshell
  • Article: Birdwatch Ireland: Blue Tit – photos and information about this common bird of Ireland