"MacAlisdrum's March" ("Máirseáil Alasdroin" or
"Máirseáil Alasdruim") also known as "Allistrum's
March (1)," "Alasdruim's March," "Church Hill (2)
(The)," "Kitty the Rag I'm in Love with You,"
"MacDonnell's March," "Máirseáil Alasdruim (2),
Máirseáil Alasdruim (2), Máirseáil Alasdruim (3),"
"McDonnell's March," "Ollistrum Jig" (O'Neill). Irish,
Scottish; March (6/8 time). Ireland, Munster. Versions
of this tune vary widely, some more related to each
other than others, in a variety of ...(+)
"MacAlisdrum's March" ("Máirseáil Alasdroin" or
"Máirseáil Alasdruim") also known as "Allistrum's
March (1)," "Alasdruim's March," "Church Hill (2)
(The)," "Kitty the Rag I'm in Love with You,"
"MacDonnell's March," "Máirseáil Alasdruim (2),
Máirseáil Alasdruim (2), Máirseáil Alasdruim (3),"
"McDonnell's March," "Ollistrum Jig" (O'Neill). Irish,
Scottish; March (6/8 time). Ireland, Munster. Versions
of this tune vary widely, some more related to each
other than others, in a variety of keys, modes and
meters. Some unrelated tunes share this title.
Alaster or Alexander MacDonnell, also known as Alasdair
Mac Allisdrum/MacAllistrum or Colkittu (Colkitto), was
a commander who was killed at the battle of Knockinoss
(Cnoc na nDos, or Shrub Hill), near Mallow, County
Cork, in the south of Ireland, in September, 1647. The
famous martial hero was a Scotsman, a brave and skilful
warrior who commanded Lord Antrim's Irish in Scotland
under Montrose, and when Montrose's army was broken up
he and his Irish returned to Ireland, joining the
confederation of Catholics under Lord Taaffe in
Munster. At the battle of Cnoc na nDos (Knockinoss) one
account (quoted by Grattan Flood, 1906) gives that he
was assassinated while parlaying with the English
Parliamentary forces under Lord Inchiquinn, while
Bunting (1840) states that "after the rout of the main
body of the Irish, Macdonnell and his people held their
ground till they were cut to pieces by the English. It
is said that none escaped." MacDonnell's sword, which
had a steel apple running in a groove on the back
supposedly to increase the striking force, was in
Bunting's time said to still have been preserved in
Loghan Castle, County Tipperary. Bunting (1840) states
Allisdrum was the son of Coll Kittogh (Ciotach) or
Left-handed Coll, also a famous warrior whose name has
been preserved by Milton in the lines: "Why, it is
harder, Sirs, than Gordon, Colkittor, or MacDonnall, or
Galasp?".
A variant of the piece is called "Sarsfield's
Quickstep" and appears The Dublin Magazine (from piper
Paddy Conneely, via collector Henry Hudson), and in
Haverty's Three Hundred Irish Airs (1858–1859). See
also Hudson's cognate "Mac Domhnall's March," the Kerry
variant "Micky "Cumbaw" O'Sullivan's." See also the
Scottish derivative "Colla Citeach."
Source: TuneArch
(https://tunearch.org/wiki/Annotation:MacAlisdrum%27s_M
arch).
Although originally written for Traditional Irish
instruments, I created this Interpretation of
"MacAlisdrum's March" for Flute, Oboe & Celtic or
Concert (Pedal) Harp.
SHEET MUSIC