This traditional Irish Jig was originally attributed to
Turlough O'Carolan. Scholars beieve that as it’s not
in the ‘Book’ by O’Sullivan. In searching
further, it was determined that it is actually from a
song "Tho’ Leixlip is Proud", about Leixlip near
Dublin having lovely woods etc . It seems that
O’Neill may have seen Tho’ (Though) as Thos. short
for Thomas and attributed it as another Carolan tune.
Although a great tune, there were then many Baroque
influenced tunes and songs f...(+)
This traditional Irish Jig was originally attributed to
Turlough O'Carolan. Scholars beieve that as it’s not
in the ‘Book’ by O’Sullivan. In searching
further, it was determined that it is actually from a
song "Tho’ Leixlip is Proud", about Leixlip near
Dublin having lovely woods etc . It seems that
O’Neill may have seen Tho’ (Though) as Thos. short
for Thomas and attributed it as another Carolan tune.
Although a great tune, there were then many Baroque
influenced tunes and songs from operas etc at the time
from all over Britain and Ireland. Carolan was
certainly open to all influences.
There is a song from the opera Poor Soldier that starts
‘Tho’ Leixlip is proud of it’s close shady
bowers.’ It’s likely that this was read as "Thos."
i.e. Thomas and as it sounded like a Baroque tune ,
attributed to Carolan. It’s not in O’Sullivan’s
book of Carolan tunes and Bonnie Shaljean the harpist
doesn’t know it as one of his. Leixlip is now a
suburb of Dublin and the song sung by Pat, the Poor
Soldier praises Norah his beloved.
The tune is similar to The Humours of Glynn or The
Sligo Rambler and was widely played as a jig so may
have been lifted from the tradition. Burns also used it
for a song.
Although this work was originally written for Folk
Instruments, I created this arrangement of the "Thomas
Leixlip The Proud" for Flute, Oboe & Celtic or Concert
(Pedal) Harp
