Derry Air, The

Reel · 4/4 · F major

The Derry Air is a traditional Irish melody of uncertain origin and antiquity whose first known publication appeared in the Petrie Collection of Ancient Music in 1855. While commonly performed as a slow and expressive air rather than its listed reel classification, its soaring vocal range and deeply melancholic character have made it one of the most widely recognized tunes in the traditional repertoire. The melody gained its most famous historical association when rhythmic lyrics were fitted to it in the early twentieth century to create the globally popular song Danny Boy.

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