Carolan's Receipt
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O'Carolan
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Transcription: by Darryl D. Bush
"O'Carolan's Receipt" (for drinking), also known as "Carlione", "Carlionne",<br> "Doctor John Stafford" ("An Dochtuir Sean Stafford"), "Planxty Stafford"<br> and "Stafford's Receipt for Whiskey" is an Irish Planxty composed by<br> Turlough O'Carolan (1670–1738) at the house of his life-long friend,<br> Dr. John Stafford of Portabello, near Elphin, County Roscommon, who<br> attended to O'Carolan during his last illness and who helped bear the<br> harper's coffin at his funeral. O'Carolan had a fondness for alcoholic<br> spirits; so much so that for his health he had been advised to abstain<br> from drinking and he endeavored to do this for some six weeks. During this<br> time, however, he became increasingly morose, and his harp lay neglected.<br> It was then that his friend Dr. John Stafford prescribed a liberal dose of<br> whiskey with repeated applications and the two of them sat up until his<br> spirits were sufficiently exhilarated and his mind had resumed its former tone.<br> Another O'Carolan story relates that the harper expired with a tumbler of<br> whiskey in his hand, though by the end he had no strength left to drink it.<br> "It was a pity", said O'Carolan, "that two such friends should part, at<br> least without kissing".<br> It as printed in O'Farrell's Collection of National Irish Music for the<br> Union Pipes (1804), Bunting's Ancient Music of Ireland (1840),<br> Haverty's One Hundred Irish Airs, vol. 3 (1859), O'Neill's Music of Ireland:<br> 1850 Melodies (1903), O'Neill's Irish Minstrels and Musicians (1913),<br> Williamson's English, Welsh, Scotch and Irish Fiddle Tunes (1976) and<br> Ossian Publications' The Complete Works of O’Carolan (1984).<br> It has been recorded by The Chieftains, Derek Bell, Robin Williamson and others.<br>
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