'Kinegar Slashers'

Subject: 'Kinegar Slashers'
From: Gutcher
Date: 21 Jun 10 - 11:42 AM

During my recent travels the name KINEGAR caught my attention,the
term "Kinegar Slashers" immediately came to mind.
Could this be the bye name of an army regiment[fictional perhaps] or
the name of a tune --Irish??
Joe.

Subject: RE: 'Kinegar Slashers'
From: Dave Hanson
Date: 21 Jun 10 - 11:56 AM

It says ' Kinnegad Slashers ' in O'Neills 1001 Gems, it's a double jig.

Dave H

Subject: RE: 'Kinegar Slashers'
From: GUEST,Peter Laban
Date: 21 Jun 10 - 12:13 PM

It's the Kinnegad slashers, after the town in Westmeath.

O'Neill copied his version from the much older O' Farrell's Pocket Companion.

Subject: RE: 'Kinegar Slashers'
From: Paul Burke
Date: 21 Jun 10 - 02:05 PM

A quick yodel- sorry google- got me this explanation:

Gearóid Ó hAllmhuráin proposes that this tune was originally dedicated to the Kinnegad, Westmeath, hurling team (hurling being played with ash sticks in a decidedly rough-and-tumble encounter!). However, the title may actually honor an Irish yeomanry unit called the Kinnegad Cavalry, who, on July 11th, 1798, found themselves in defence of Clonard against the rebels. The attack of the United Irishmen was repulsed and the attackers dispersed, whereupon the cavalry of the Kinnegad Yeomen pursued them with much slaughter. Their success in this engagement earned them the sobriquet of Kinnegad Slashers. The Journal for Army Historical Research, Vol. IV, gives that "a lively melody, still popular in Ireland, was named The Kinnegad Slashers in complimentary commemoration of the achievements of that corps at Clonard."

And I'm grateful for you moving me to look it up, as I haven't come across Andrew Kunz's Fiddler's Companione, which looks like a very useful resource.

However, a more prosaic explanation of the name would have referred to the quantity of Guinness consumed in Kinnegad, and its consequences on the walk homeward.

Subject: RE: 'Kinegar Slashers'
From: Mr Happy
Date: 22 Jun 10 - 06:14 AM

.......so those'd be forward slashes??

Subject: RE: 'Kinegar Slashers'
From: GUEST,^&*
Date: 23 Jun 10 - 02:49 AM

In my days in the Irish Midlands, I used occasionally hear a rhyme that went:

They say that Naas is a terrible place
Kilcock is just as bad
But of all the places I've ever been
Bejaysus - Kinnegad!

Subject: RE: 'Kinegar Slashers'
From: GUEST,Noel
Date: 19 Dec 13 - 06:07 AM

It was also the regimental tune of the The Gloucestershre Regiment until they were merged into the RGBW in the 90's and now The Rifles.

Subject: RE: 'Kinegar Slashers'
From: Jack Campin
Date: 19 Dec 13 - 06:16 AM

Kuntz's stuff is entirely unchecked - far less reliable than Wikipedia. Basically he just assembled urban legends from the Irish session scene and hoped that if he got enough of them they'd amount to actual knowledge.

Subject: RE: 'Kinegar Slashers'
From: Bonnie Shaljean
Date: 19 Dec 13 - 06:55 AM

More info here on the tune, including the dots if you want them (click on any of the five "sheet music" buttons) - but note Jack's caveat, because it's bound to apply here too. You have to be careful with any of these sites which offer user-generated content.

That said, it's a great online source for music, and a tune is a tune.

http://thesession.org/tunes/1258

Subject: RE: 'Kinegar Slashers'
From: The Sandman
Date: 19 Dec 13 - 07:11 AM

Iplay this tune the third part seem more typical of nothumbrian tunes

Subject: RE: 'Kinegar Slashers'
From: GUEST,kenny
Date: 19 Dec 13 - 02:07 PM

Further from guest post above made on 23 June 10, there's a bit in the film "The Boys And Girl From The County Clare" where a guy steps up on to a stage at a competition to test if a microphone is working and says [ if I remember correctly, and without checking ] :

"Ballinasloe is no place to go.
Bunclody's not too bad.
Lisnaskea is a nice place to be.
But f*ck me....................Kinnegad".

[ with apologies to anyone from Kinnegad ! ]

Subject: RE: 'Kinegar Slashers'
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 19 Dec 13 - 04:54 PM

It's a grand jig, which I know as a two-part tune. I know it's been used as a marching band tune. Among the great bands to have recorded this tune are Alias Ron Kavana and Danu.

Subject: RE: 'Kinegar Slashers'
From: GUEST,Peter Laban
Date: 20 Dec 13 - 04:46 AM

The third part appears to have picked up in popularity after Gearóid Ó hAllmhuráin recorded the three part version that was published in Levey's first collection. I prefer the two part version, maybe because that's how I originally learned the tune, but will follow the third part if need be.

I remember an rumour of a certain RTE presenter with a tendency to wickedly deform tune titles having his knuckles rapped after announcing the Kinnegad Flashers on air (that was during the eighties).

Subject: RE: 'Kinegar Slashers'
From: Jack Campin
Date: 20 Dec 13 - 09:39 AM

I can see that catching on. Accompanying actions rather like the "Hi-ho" in Dingle Regatta, only involving overcoats.

Subject: RE: 'Kinegar Slashers'
From: Bonnie Shaljean
Date: 20 Dec 13 - 10:24 AM

Brilliant - wish Mudcat had a Like button for individual posts...