The Rambling Pitchfork

Jig, D, Traditional Irish

The Rambling Pitchfork, Traditional Irish jig. TrailJams Tune of the Week. Play it together April 9, 2023. Illustration copyright 2023 Jonathan Lay. trailjams.org

The title of this cheerful Irish jig may seem at first to be completely whimsical. But “rambling pitchfork” is an expression that refers to an itinerant farm laborer — one who works from farm to farm, with a pitchfork being a common and simple tool of the trade.

Recordings

Sheet Music (Dots)

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.

Sheet music and chords for The Rambling Pitchfork, traditional Irish jig in D Major. Arrangement by Jonathan Lay. trailjams.org
Play from the Dots
Very slow tempo 50bpm
Slow tempo 70bpm
Moderate tempo 90bpm

Sets

Examples of sets that include this tune.

References and Resources

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