The Wise Maid

Reel, D, Traditional Irish
Also known as: The Wise Maid Who Never got Married

The Wise Maid who never got married. Traditional Irish reel. TrailJams Tune of the Week. Play it  together August 21, 2022. trailjams.org copyright 2022 Jonathan Lay

Who is the wise maid in the title of this traditional Irish reel? There’s no telling. It could be that the tune’s name is in appreciation of all wise maids. The longer title of the tune is “The Wise Maid who Never got Married.”

Recordings

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.

Sheet music for The Wise Maid. Traditional Irish Reel in D Major. Arrangement by Jonathan Lay 8/14/2022. Chords for The Wise Maid. trailjams.org
Play from the Dots
Slow tempo 65bpm
Moderate tempo 85bpm

Sets

Examples of sets that include this tune.

  • Cooley’s / The Cup of Tea / The Wise Maid
  • The Wise Maid / The Swallow’s Tail / The Gravel Walks
  • Cooley’s Reel / Wise Maid / Bird in the Bush
  • Maid Behind the Bar / Maid of Mount Kisco / Wise Maid

References and Resources

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