Manx Music - Manuscript and ABC format

The transcription of the William Killey Flutebook has been added in both ABC format and the pdf of the notation with additional notes.

First edition of the the William Killey Flutebook with notes and sources (April 2024)

The tunes in the William Killey Flutebook in ABC format (as at May 2022).

Much of the Manx traditional music repetoire is now accessible in printed form on the island. For those of you wishing to dip in or take a closer look, the five files below contains a significant body of the music collected on the island primarily by W.H. Gill, J.F. Gill and Dr J. Clague, as compiled by Colin Jerry in the book 'Kiaull Vannin'. The tunes are arranged alphabetically in the five PDF's, but retain the original order in the abc file.

In the PDF's there are a few errors to be resolved, and a few tunes have been interpreted slightly differently, but these shoud not detract from you enjoyment. The complete set in abc format reflect the original transcriptions.

The tunes are also available in ABC format as a single file, most of the original conversions were done by Tony Hopson who added details such as the tempo. For more information about ABC notation see Chris Walshaw's ABC notation site.

Click here for all (but the six modern tunes) in ABC format

Manx music part 0. A beautiful... - Chyndaa... Manx music part 1. Clean... - I am a...

Manx music part 2. I lay my... - Oh my graih Manx music part 3. Oie as laa - Three...

Manx music part 4. Three... - Young...

Click here for the all the music in ABC format (as received - not checked and is incomplete)


Individual tunes are also available as single abc files below. A little of the finer detail found in a few tunes has been omitted so you may wish to refer to the original book.

The titles are those as listed in the book Kiaull Vannin as either the title as collected or as a suggested alternative. As a result some tunes are given with Manx and an English title, while others are given in only one, and a few are listed more than once if given names are significantly different. In a few instances Manx titles have also been translated in to English and listed. The number indicates the numbering used by Colin Jerry in Kiaull Vannin. Multiple numbers indicated a number of sources, and in many cases these are variations, a few may be different tunes by the same name.

There are many untitled tunes (gyn enynm) which are listed as a group, sorted only by time signature.

As work progressed on Kiaull Vannin, Colin revised a small number of tunes. It has been assumed that the revisions are a result of reflecting on the tunes when played and then revisiting the manuscripts (which are difficult to interpret in places). The revised forms have been used.

Titles in English

A beautiful fair maid from Honiton Town 232
A country lad of low degree 196
A sailors life 216
A virgin unspotted 28
A vision of things to come 211
Adieu my lovely Nancy 195
Admiral Benbow 126
All the forepart of the night 183
A11 ye who are to mirth inclined 14,267,269,275
And the world it went well with me then 152
The Arbory cradle song 420
Are you ready for a fight 148
As I walked out one morning 182
As I went out one morning clear 22
As Lord Laban 185
At first when my true love I seen 172

Banks of Italy 26
Barbara Allen 3, 9, 361
Betsy Baker 132
Biddy of Sligo 369
The Boaldyn (Baldwin) song 363
Bonny bunch of roses 204
Breeches 23
Brig Lily 13
The brown Betty 299
Bulgham sea-song 362

Can't you love? 160
Cart going to Douglas with buttermilk and spilt 241
Christ he sits on Zion's hill 169
The cobbler 162
Colin and phoebe 24
Come all ye wandering pilgrims dear 235
Come friends and relations 302
Corteen's Mylecharaine 302
Courting song 383
Cow calling song 344
The crabfish 131
Cradle song 94, 265, 421
The crocodile 129
Curiosity born a native of Erin 180
The curragh of Kildare 243

Dance tune 341
Dear little Isle of Man 395
December is fairer than May 254
The demon lover 384
Down by the green bushes 51
Drinking song 139

Fairy music 229
Fare you well Enniskillen 189
Farewell and adieu to you Spanish ladies 171
The farmer's boy 261
The farmer's daughter 264
The Fathaby jig 369

Galbally farmer 174
A gentleman of Exeter 385
George Riley 136
The girls of Balladoole 82
Glashtyn's song 50
The golden glove 202
The good old way 159
The green gown 138
The green Linnet 180
Greenlands icy mountains 58

Harvest dance tune 311
Haste to the west / wedding 37
Here comes Tom Dukes a riding 146
Here's a health to all true lovers 239
The herring fleet 224, 244, 284
Hunt the wren 158, 308, 365, 402
Hush! My babe lie sti1l and slumber 6

I am a youthful lady, my troubles they are great 192
I am the lad 199
I am now lamenting 398
I lay my body down to sleep 88
I stepped up towards her and fell upon my knees 179
If I had my love on Phoenix island 43
If young men could swim 36
In London streets I went astray 201
In Scotland 181

Jacob's ladder 246, 248, 277
Jenny is all the go 16
'Jig' 17, 285
Katherine's hen is dead 303, 380
Keep the old Petticoat warm 174

Lady I have gold and silver 205
Let Christians all 76
Let Christians all with one accord rejoice 214, 237
Lewin's total hymn 67
Little Alexander sitting in the sand 149
Little Dick Weldon 186
Lord Bateman 72
The Lord my pasture 236
The loss of the herring-boats 391, 392
The loss of the herring fleet 259, 274
Love if you can 160
Love of my heart 396
Lullaby 381

Mannanan song 358
Manx Harvest Dance Tune 311
Marienbourn 143
Milking song 321
The mill hopper 141
Mollag band song 324
Molly Borden 336
Mona's delight 161, 367
Mona's Isle quickstep 2
Monk's march 12
Moravian chorale 143
Morpeth rant 370
Mummer's song 405
My ancient father 203
My little brown girl 297
My love is as/like the sun 27, 243
My Saviour says to satan 188
My true love once he courted me 216
Mylecharane's march 373
Mylrea's version (of kirree fo niaghtey) 301

Nancy Dawson 144

O Kathleen You are going to leave me 193
Oh hush thee my baby 265
Oh what if the fowler my blackbird has taken 79
The old country farmer 137, 360
The old red petticoat 422
One fine sabbath morn 246
One moonlight night 427
Oranges and lemons 170
Our ship did sail 233

The pick on my shoulder 135
The ploughboy's song 10
Polly dear 127
Polly Oliver 190
Poor old horse 130
The prodigal (son) 65, 213, 242

The rakes of Kildare 174
Red top-knots 304, 408
Return of the boats 326
The rose upon the briar 29
The rover's bride 133
Rowing song 328

Saint Patrick's day in the morning 178
The sea invocation 351
She answered me quite modestly 18
The sheep under the snow 223, 300, 301, 337, 407
Shepherd the weather is misty and changing 197
Silly old woman was left alone 147
The son of God they did betray 215
Song of the falcon chief 426
The speckled heifer 61, 228
The speckled heifer tethered 283
Spinning song 55, 98
Star of County Down 188
Step dance 41, 118
The storm is up 297
The streams (of lovely Nancy) 78
Sweet water in the common 382

There was a lady from the north 173
There was a lady in the garden 198
There was an old woman who lived alone 147
There were two ships in the north country 194
Three little boats went out to sea 4, 163, 399
Three times I kissed her ruby lips 238
Thurot 37, 38, 63, 286
The 'Tiger' 291
To the East Indies we were bound 127
Toast song 428
'Twas once 73
'Twas once I loved a lass 68
'Twas my father and my mother 324

Upon a Sunday morning when spring was in her prime 142

The wanderer / The wanderscope 229, 305
The wastrill 263
We happy herdsmen here 25
When I was young and in my prime 128
While shepherds 219
While some fair maids go to market 30
The white boys 249
The white wort 378, 379, 419
Willim and Mary 134
Willie Riley 38
The wind that shakes the barley 34
Winding song 208
Won't you love? 160
Wool winding song 40

Young men beware of jealousy 35

Untitled by time signature
2/4 time 279, 288, 341
4/4 time 1, 59, 64, 74, 175, 176, 
         230, 252, 270, 271, 281, 282,
         316, 319, 334, 339, 343, 444
3/2 time 69, 217, 412
3/4 time 70, 75, 77, 170, 218, 253, 268,
         284, 294, 295, 330, 346, 411, 431
3/8 time 84, 381
6/4 time 60, 293
6/8 time 17, 178, 234, 240, 285,
         287, 340, 415, 425

Titles in Manx

Aarey Yacob 73 Abraham Juan 206 Arrane ben drogh hraghtalagh 310, 348 Arrane ben-vlieaun 355 Arrane Ghelby 328 Arrane meshtalagh 139, 140 Arrane ny clean 94 Arrane ny cloiedeyr-Viol 150 Arrane ny guilley hesheree 10 Arrane ny jinnyn 33 Arrane ny Mumneryn 405 Arrane ny niee 356 Arrane ny queyl neuiee 55 Arrane ny seyir 345 Arrane ny sheeaghyn troailtagh 374 Arrane ny skeddan 119 Arrane ny vluggan 40 Arrane saveenagh 96, 350 Arrane sooree 383 Arrane varree 315 Arrane y blieh 347, 376 Arrane y clean 94,98 Arrane y clean-lhiannoo 420 Arrane y cooag 333 Arrane y fee 309 Arrane y lhondhoo 375 Arrane y phelican 56, 213, 242, 410 Arrane y Vieaun 321 As yn mullin, mullin o, as yn skeilley, skeilley noa 81 Baase Chreest 266 Basse Illiam Dhone 293 Bannaght lhiat, Kirree veg my ghraih 195 Ben aeg bwaagh ayns mullin Sayle 49 Ben rein y voaldyn 371 Ben y phoosee 133 Berry dhoan 299 Bock Kilkenny 241 Bollan bane 245, 280, 378, 379, 419 Booil 20, 366 Booil backel / baccagh 258 Bwoaill baccagh 258, 372 C'raad tou's goll my chaillin veg dhoan 112 C'red ta shoh ta jannoo shiu 145 Caillin veg dhoan 297 Car Juan Nan 370 Car ny Rankee 332 Car y cooag 209 Car y phoosee 225, 283, 306, 388 Carval (untitled) 59 Carval ny drogh vane 21, 210, 264 Carval yn Nollick 57, 65, 211 Carval Yesebel 21 Carval Yoseph 26, 75, 77, 107 Cha nel eh liorish "duke" ny chiarn 102 Chaarjyn lhaih mee jeh dooinney aeg 45 Churnal jiu as churnal jea 359 Chyndaa yn bwoailley 20, 366 Clean suggane 335 Yn coayl jeh ny baatyn-skeddan 391, 392 Yn colbagh breck / colvagh vlearc 61, 228, 327 Yn colbagh breck er strap 283 Craig Willy Sill/(Syl) 260 Y cuccu 333 Cur as jig as cap as cloak 207 Cur uss jeed dty chap as chloack 207 Dan my chree 199 Daunse ny ferishyn 89 Deiney as vraane 66 Donal y shiaulteyr 429 Dooinney soyr v'ayns Exeter 385 Drough vraane 21, 210, 231, 264, 423 Dullan/ Dussan ny vleiney elley 184 Dy beagh y vummig aym 98 Eaisht oo as chlashtyn as mee singal oo arrane 11 Eaisht shiu as clasht shiu as kiaullyms shie arrane 100 Ec kiare bleayney jeih dy eash 122 Ec Noilick ball ny fiddleryn 290 Ec Norree Yn Fiddler 43 Yn eirey Cronk yn Ollee 226, 393 Eisht as nish 377 Er baase as beaynid 145 Er Ean bashtey 44, 46, 88, 268, 292 Er gennid hombaghey? 113 Eunyssagh Vona 161, 367 Faagmyd nyn mannaght ec kione Doolish 99 Fer dy clien click 310, 348 Fiddler y chiarn 12 The fidee fey 424 Fin as Oshin 317, 318 Fine as June 289 Flitter daunsey 325 Ghuillyn my cre neemayd nish 113 Gooyn geayney 138 Gouyn dy Linsey Winsey 187 Graih my chree 396 Y graihder ny sidoor 190 Graihder jouylagh 384 Yn guilley dy roie 32 Haink fer thie anmagh 108 Haink soureyder rish gys dorrys ven treoghe 120 Halligan halligan linky long 40 Harrish my sleityn Nalbin 103 Helg yn dreain 158, 308, 365, 402 Hermayd kennip ayns Cronk ny Kishtey 101 Hi son hughee 250, 251 Hie ad veih cass y Lhen gys Bank y Ruy 104 Hie mee stiagh dys thie ben treoghe 15 Hie my ghraih shaghym 7 Hinkin Winkin 114, 335 Hop-tu-naa / Hop dy nai 157, 353, 390 Hug shin seose y shiaull mean 191 Hurr as thurr 421 Hyndaa yn bwoailley 366 Illiam boght 207 Illiam y Cain 357 Illiam y Thalhear 200 Inneen Kilkenny 241 Insh don c'red t'ad surranse ec y keayn 121 Isabel foalsey 296 Jemmy as Nancy 222, 368, 389, 394 Jenny hug eh 125 Jerrey yn Theihll 5, 418 Johny Polly 190 Juan Y jaggad keear 227, 300, 301, 337 Keayrt va mee aeg 377 Kiark Katreeney marroo 303, 380 Kiaulliaght kiune 334 Kirree fo niaghtey 223, 300, 301, 337, 407 Kirree wooar ny vreechyn 23 Kyndagh rish ny dangeryn jeh'n keayn 204 Lhaih mee jeh dooinney aeg 45 Lhig chaarjyn Chreest 76, 237 Lhig da'n slane seihll cur clashtyn 106 Lhig dooin ard voylley choyrt da'n chiarn 44, 46, 268 Lhigey, lhigey 322 Yn mac stroialtagh 56, 213, 263, 410 Mannanan beg mac y Leir 349 Mannin veg veen 395 Marish ny fiddleryn 400 Mheillea 116 Mie moghrey dhyts y gerjagh 116 Moghrey laa Boaldyn 42, 91 Moghrey mie as maynrys 416 Moirrey ny cainle 323 Moylley dys Jee my chaarjyn 188 Mraane Kilkenny 406 My chaarjyn deyr ta ayns shoh noght 211 My chaarjyn gow jee/shiu tastey 47, 413 My ghraih nagh share 257 My hene ghooinney mie 255 My hene whooinney shen 255 My shenn ayr 203 My veer y cloie Y larym 115 My walk mish magh maurey/moghrey 92, 289 Mylecharaine 247,294, 295, 302, 403, 404 Myr hie mee dys Sostyn 90 Myr hie mee magh dy 'aill 338 Myr hooyl mee magh morghrey laa boayldyn 92 Yn nastey phoosee 179 Noght t'an oie 157 Ny baarlaigh ec Juan dish Crowne 117 Ny kirree fo niaghtey 223, 300, 301, 337, 407 Ny/Nee shen my ghraih 54, 199 0 colann/colb ec shee 31,417 O cre ta dooinney 76, 214, 288 O quoi eh shoh ta ec my ghorrys? 206 O shenn dhoan 256 O ven aeg! Ven aalin aeg 87 O waley, waley 216 Yn oabbyr vwyllin 141 Oh my ghraih 143 Oie as laa 80, 364 Oikan ayns Bethlehem 268 Pa'ee Ned as Nelly 40 Padjer Columb Killey 314 Padjer son shee 313 Y partan 131 Peter O'Tavy 352 Po(a)ghey de reenaghyn 118 Quoifyn leein vooar 360 Ree ben Juan Tammy 307 Reeaghyn dy Vannin 354 Roie 307 Yn scollag aeg 361 Yn shagg 278, 279 Shannon rea 19, 238, 276 Shay donny sayre 275 She bosun dy row ayns Dover s'thie 53 She dooinney seyr 275 She ec ny fiddleryn ayns yn ollick 86 She lhong honnick me as ve shiauilley 95 She shoh yn laa 312 Shegin dooin 256 Shelg yn dreean 356, 402 Yn shenn dolphin 220, 221, 387 Y shenn eirinagt cheeraght 137 Shenn ven! 111 Shiaull ersooyl 430 Shiaull y cheayn 326 Shooyl ineenyn 92, 182, 338 Skeelley Vreeshey 298 Sooree 62, 71, 273 Yn speiy/speigh er (m)y g(h)eaylin 135, 320 Stroeyd ushtey 263 Stroiltagh 65 Ta billey beg glass ayn garey my yishag 83 Ta Cashen ersooyl dys yn 'aarkey 124 Ta chiarn 105 Ta mee nish keayney 398 T' eh mish ta yn biljey/biljyn rourey 106 Ta'n grein veg oarn 109 Ta tra goll thie 8 Tappaghyn jiargey 304, 408 Tar shiuish ghuillyn aegey tayrn shie er gerrey 93, 97 Three eeasteyryn boghtey 4, 163, 399 Thurot as Elliot 287, 386 Togher song 327 Tra ta mee gholl neeal sthie 153 Tra va mish my ghuilley beg as reeagh 126 Tra va mish roish nish my ghilley beg 96 Tra va ny assylyn laadit oc 107 Trooid shiu ooilley gethan (gys yn) vie 48 Yn unnysup 155, 156, 305 Ushag veg ruy / roie ny moaney dhoo 52, 401, 409 Ushtey millish 'sy gharee 382 Va ben-seyr ayns y gharey 198 Va(d) traue yn keadyn 151 Va Nancy ayns Lunnon 85 Va oie ayns Cronkalin Mooar 50 Vel shiuish ben aeg ny ben y phoosee 123 Yearree dhooys y lheiney 110 Yernagh keoie 329

Updated 18 April 2022