X: 1
T: Big John McNeill's Reel / Lord Ramsey's Reel (A major)
R: Reel
C: composed by Scottish fiddle player Peter Milne (1824-1908)
N: Milne titled the tune 'John McNeill’s Reel', after a famours Highland dancer.
N: played in G or A major
Z: transcribed and arranged by Frank Weber
S: learned from the Abbey Céilí Band's album
N: Chords: | A  -  | A  -  | A  -  | D  E   |
N:         | A  -  | A  -  | D  A  | E  A  :|
N:         | A  -  | A  -  | A  -  | G  E   |
N:         | A  -  | A  -  | A  D  | E  -  :| 𝄌 A |]
L: 1/8
Q: 1/4=200
M: 4/4
K: A major % 3 sharps
N:
N: Tune only:
N: ==========
N: P: String instrument version:
N: A,2CE FECE | AE CE FECB, | A,2CE FECE |    FA  GF  ED CB,  |
N: A,2CE FECE | AE CE FECE  | D2 FD C2EC | [1 B,A,B,C DC B,C :|\
N:                                         [2 B,A,B,C A,2z^d  |]
N: eA~A2 eAfA | eA~A2 efga  | eA~A2 eAfe |    dB =GB  d2 cd   |
N: eA~A2 eAfA | eA~A2 efga  | ag fe fedc | [1 BA  GA  Bc d^d :|\
N:                                         [2 BA  GF  ED CB,  |]
N:
N: P: Last line to finish:
N: eA~A2 eAfA | eA~A2 efga  | ag fe fedc |    BA  GA  Bc dB   | A8 |]
N:
N: P: Variations:
N: A,2CE FECE | AE CE FECB, | A,2CE FECE |    FC  EC  ~B,2B,C  |
N: A,2CE FECE | AE CE FECE  | D2 FD C2EC | [1 B,A,G,A, B,CDB, :|\
N:                                         [2 B,A,G,A, B,CD ^d |]
N: eA~A2 eAfA | eA~A2 efga  | eA~A2 agfe |    dB =GB   d2 cd   |
N: eA~A2 eAfA | eA~A2 efga  | ag fe fedc | [1 BA  GA   Bc d^d :|\
N:                                         [2 BA  GF   ED CB,  |]
N:
N: P: Wind instrument version:
N: A2 ce fece | ae ce fecB | A2 ce fece |    f2 af edcB  |
N: A2 ce fece | ae ce fece | d2 fd c2ec | [1 BA Bc dcBc :|\
N:                                        [2 BA Bc A4    |]
N: eA~A2 eAfA | eA~A2 e2fa | eA~A2 eAfe |    dB=GB d2cd  |
N: eA~A2 eAfA | eA~A2 e2fa | a2 fe fedc | [1 BA~A2 Bcdf :|\
N:                                        [2 BA~A2 BcdB  |] O A8 |]
N:
N: P: Variations:
N: A2 ce fece | ae ce fecB | A2 ce fece |    fc ec ~B2Bc  |
N: A2 ce fece | ae ce fece | d2 fd c2ec | [1 BA~A2  BcdB :|\
N:                                        [2 BA~A2  Bcdf  |]
N: eA~A2 eAfA | eA~A2 e2fa | eA~A2 a2fe |    dB=GB  d2cd  |
N: eA~A2 eAfA | eA~A2 e2fa | a2 fe fedc | [1 BA~A2  Bcdf :|\
N:                                        [2 BA~A2  BcdB  |] O A8 |]
N:
N: Tune with Chords:
N: =================
P: String instrument version:
"A" A,2CE FECE | "A" AE CE FECB, | "A" A,2CE     FECE |    "D" FA  GF  "E" ED CB,  |
"A" A,2CE FECE | "A" AE CE FECE  | "D" D2 FD "A" C2EC | [1 "E" B,A,B,C "A" DC B,C :|\
                                                        [2 "E" B,A,B,C "A" A,2z^d  |]
"A" eA~A2 eAfA | "A" eA~A2 efga  | "A" eA~A2     eAfe |    "G" dB =GB  "E" d2 cd   |
"A" eA~A2 eAfA | "A" eA~A2 efga  | "A" ag fe "D" fedc | [1 "E" BA  GA      Bc d^d :|\
                                                        [2 "E" BA  GF      ED CB,  |]
N:
P: Last line to finish:
"A" eA~A2 eAfA | "A" eA~A2 efga  | "A" ag fe "D" fedc |    "E" BA  GA      Bc dB   | "A" A8 |]
N:
P: Variations:
"A" A,2CE FECE | "A" AE CE FECB, | "A" A,2CE     FECE |    "D" FC  EC "E" ~B,2B,C  |
"A" A,2CE FECE | "A" AE CE FECE  | "D" D2 FD "A" C2EC | [1 "E" B,A,G,A,    B,CDB, :|\
                                                        [2 "E" B,A,G,A,    B,CD ^d |]
"A" eA~A2 eAfA | "A" eA~A2 efga  | "A" eA~A2     agfe |    "G" dB =GB "E"  d2 cd   |
"A" eA~A2 eAfA | "A" eA~A2 efga  | "A" ag fe "D" fedc | [1 "E" BA  GA      Bc d^d :|\
                                                        [2 "E" BA  GF      ED CB,  |]
N:
P: Wind instrument version:
"A" A2 ce fece | "A" ae ce fecB | "A" A2 ce     fece |    "D" f2 af "E" edcB  |
"A" A2 ce fece | "A" ae ce fece | "D" d2 fd "A" c2ec | [1 "E" BA Bc "A" dcBc :|\
                                                       [2 "E" BA Bc "A" A4    |]
"A" eA~A2 eAfA | "A" eA~A2 e2fa | "A" eA~A2     eAfe |    "G" dB=GB "E" d2cd  |
"A" eA~A2 eAfA | "A" eA~A2 e2fa | "A" a2 fe "D" fedc | [1 "E" BA~A2     Bcdf :|\
                                                       [2 "E" BA~A2     BcdB  |] O "A" A8 |]
N:
P: Variations:
"A" A2 ce fece | "A" ae ce fecB | "A" A2 ce     fece |    "D" fc ec "E" ~B2Bc  |
"A" A2 ce fece | "A" ae ce fece | "D" d2 fd "A" c2ec | [1 "E" BA~A2      BcdB :|\
                                                       [2 "E" BA~A2      Bcdf  |]
"A" eA~A2 eAfA | "A" eA~A2 e2fa | "A" eA~A2     a2fe |    "G" dB=GB "E"  d2cd  |
"A" eA~A2 eAfA | "A" eA~A2 e2fa | "A" a2 fe "D" fedc | [1 "E" BA~A2      Bcdf :|\
                                                       [2 "E" BA~A2      BcdB  |] O "A" A8 |]
N:
D: 1942: Don Messer and his Islanders: Big John McNeill / The Dusty Miller's Reel (single)
D: 1973: Don Messer (fiddle): The Very Best of Don Messer (titled 'Big John MacNeil')
D: 1980: Bob Bossin: The Indispensable Stringband (titled 'Big John McNeil')
D: 1981: Fiddle Fever: Fiddle Fever (titled 'Big John McNeal')
D: 1984: The Easy Club: The Easy Club (titled 'John McNeill's Reel')
D: 1989: Dé Danann (Frankie Gavin, Jackie Daly, Charlie Piggott, Alec Finn, Johnny 'Ringo' McDonagh): Mist Covered Mountain (titled 'Lord Ramsey's Reel')
D: 1990: Sileas: Harpbreakers (titled 'John MacNeil's Reel')
D: 1990: The Cape Breton Fiddlers: The Legendary Down Home Recordings (Compilation, titled 'Big John MacNeil')
D: 1991: Black Velvet Band: Reif für die Insel (titled 'Big John McNeill')
D: 1992: Zan McLeod & Brendan Mulvihill: Highland Soul (titled 'Big John MacNeill's')
D: 1994: Anam: Anam (titled 'Lord Ramsey's Reel')
D: 1994: Battlefield Band: Battlefield Band (titled 'John McNeil's Reel')
D: 1995: John Hartford & Bob Carlin: The Fun of Open Discussion (titled 'Big John McNeil')
D: 1995: Aly Bain & Jay Ungar: Transatlantic Sessions, Series 1, Vol. 1 (titled 'Big John McNeil')
D: 1996: Séamus Begley (accordion) & Stephen Cooney: Meitheal (second of two tunes in the 'The Newly Mown Meadow' set, titled 'Lord Ramsey's')
D: 1996: Bobby Brown & The Cape Breton Symphony Fiddlers: The Great Cape Breton Fiddle Company (titled 'John McNeil')
D: 1996: The Bridge Céilí Band: Irish Ceili (second of three tunes in the 'Brian O'Kanes' set)
D: 1996: Pierre Schryer: The New Canadian Waltz - Live in Concert (titled 'Big John McNeil')
D: 1996: The Jura Ceilidh Band: The Jura Ceilidh Band (titled 'John McNeil's')
D: 1997: The Kilfenora Céili Band (Aidan McMahon, Anne Marie McCormack, Anne Rynne, Garry Shannon, Anthony Quigney, Conor McCarthy, John Lynch, Tim Collins, Fintan McMahon, Sean Griffin & Paul O'Driscoll): Set on StD: 1997: one (third of three tunes in the 'Set On Stone' set, titled 'Lord Ramsey')
D: 1997: Jimmie LaRocque, Gerry McIvor & Kim Chartrand: Wood that Sings - Indian Fiddle Music of the Americas (Compilation, titled 'Big John McNeil')
D: 1998: Joe Cormier (fiddle): Informal Sessions (titled 'John McNeil')
D: 1998: Bert Jensen: Fiddling For Fun & Profit (titled 'Big John McNeal')
D: 1999: The Bridge Céilí Band (Tom Ahearne, Robert Gleeson, Karen Gavigan, Carthage Daly, Catherine McHugh, James Kinsella, Fionnuala Gleeson, Eugene Nolan, Pat O'Meara & Liam McCormack): Sparks on Flags (titled 'John McNeill's / Ríl Sheáin Mhic Néill')
D: 1999: De Dannan: How the West was won (third of three tunes in the 'Langstrom's Pony' set, titled 'Lord Ramsey's Reel')
D: 1999: Ronan Hardiman: Michael Flatley’s Feet of Flames (first of three tunes in the 'Duelling Violins' set)
D: 2000: The Abbey Céilí Band (Ger Murphy, Andrew O'Connell, Liam Forde & Micheál Creedon): Bruach an tSuláin (titled 'Lord Ramsey's')
D: 2000: Ashley MacIsaac & Dave MacIsaac: Fiddle Music 101 (titled 'Big John MacNeil')
D: 2000: Greenwood Tree: The Cottage Door (titled 'Big John McNeil')
D: 2000: Spirit Fiddle: Blue Jeans and Gingham (titled 'Big John McNeil')
D: 2001: Fiddlers 3: Fiddlers 3 (titled 'Big John McNeil')
D: 2001: Mike Stevens: The World is Only Air (titled 'Big John Mcneil')
D: 2002: Adam Rennie and his Scottish Country Dance Quartet: Strict Tempo - Scottish Country Dance Music From The 1950’s, Vol. 1 (titled 'John McNeil's Reel')
D: 2002: Pierre Schryer (fiddle) & Ian Clark (guitar): Heat of the Moment (titled 'Big John McNeil')
D: 2002: Cynthia MacLeod: Head Over Heels (titled 'Big John MacNeil')
D: 2002: Dan Duggan, Tom Hodgson & Henry Jankiewicz: Shenandoah Falls (titled 'Big John McNeal')
D: 2004: Michael Sexton Ceili Band: Volume 2 - Mad to Dance (second of two tunes in Labasheeda Set, Figure 3, titled 'Lord Ramsey's')
D: 2005: Syncopaths: Rough around the Edges (titled 'Big John McNeil')
D: 2005: Black Velvet Band: Year Nineteen (titled 'Big John McNeill')
D: 2006: 422: One (last tune in the 'Big John Mcneil's: Le reel des siamois' set)
D: 2006: Atlantic Wave: Craic’d! (last of five tunes in the 'The Northwoods' set)
D: 2006: Ryan d’Aoust (fiddle): South Side of the Strings (titled 'Big John McNeil')
D: 2007: The Glenside Céilí Band (Tom Flood, Johnny Duffy, Moyra Fraser & Aidan Flood): Take the Floor with The Glenside (titled 'Lord Ramsey's')
D: 2007: The Sensational Jimi Shandrix Experience: The Sensational Jimi Shandrix Experience (titled 'John MacNeill')
D: 2007: Dave Rowe: Three's a Charm (titled 'Big John MacNeil')
D: 2008: Lough Ree Ceili Band (Johnnie Duffy, Brendan Doyle, Liz Ryan & Colin Butler): Keep 'er Lit - Live from Spanish Point (titled 'Lord Ramsay McDonald')
D: 2008: Charlie Hunt: The Cabin Hunter's Mandolin (titled 'Big John McNeil's')
D: 2008: Qristina & Quinn Bachand: Relative Minors (titled 'Big John McNeil')
D: 2010: Colin Grant: Colin Grant (last of three tunes in 'Les Tounes Acadiennes' set)
D: 2010: Frigate: Frigate (titled 'Big John MacNeil')
D: 2010: Troy MacGillivray: Live at the Music Room (third of three tunes in the 'Sabra's Stepdance' set)
D: 2010: Katherine Moller: By Request (titled 'Big John MacNeil')
D: 2010: De Dannan: Binn Blasta! The Irish Traditional Music Special (Compilation, titled 'Lord Ramsey's Reel')
D: 2010: Waxies Dargle: Celtic Jigs & Reels (Compilation, titled 'Big John McNeil of Barra')
D: 2011: Patti Lamoureux: Big John McNeil (single)
D: 2012: Mick Conneely (fiddle) & David Munnelly (accordion): 'Tis What It Is (titled 'Big John McNeil / Ríl Sheáin Mhóir Mhic Néill / Betty's Fancy')
D: 2012: Swallow's Tail Céilí Band: Suas Leat (fifth of nine tunes in the 'Long Reel Selection' set)
D: 2012: Trip to Nelson: The Winding Road (titled 'Big John McNeil')
D: 2012: Erik and Clark: Youtube Live Sessions (titled 'Big John Mcneil')
D: 2012: Courtney Hogan & Michael Pendergast: Swinging on a Note (titled 'Big John MacNeil')
D: 2013: The Boyer's: Métis Music Vol. 2 (titled 'Big John McNeil')
D: 2013: Matthew Allain: Fiddlin' Down the Tracks (titled 'Big John MacNeil')
D: 2013: Joe Diamond: Matlock Pond Cabin Tapes (Compilation, titled 'Big John McNeil')
D: 2014: Jennifer & Hazel Wrigley: The Watch Stone (titled 'John MacNeil's Reel')
D: 2014: Kate Fritz: St. Petersburg Nights (titled 'Big John Mcneil')
D: 2014: Joe Diamond: The Foppish Dandies Revolution (titled 'Big John McNeil')
D: 2015: Face The West: The Tunes (third of four tunes in the 'Edge of Reason' set)
D: 2015: Charlie Walden (fiddle) & Patt Plunkett (piano): Patt & Possum's Contra Dance Music, Vol. 1 (titled 'Big John McNeil')
D: 2015: Simon St. Pierre: Recordings from the Collection of the Brandywine Friends of Old Time Music (titled 'Big John McNeil')
D: 2015: Countercurrent: Countercurrent (titled 'Big John MacNeil')
D: 2016: Alban Fuam: From Galway to Dublin (titled 'Duelling Violins')
D: 2016: The Fitzgeralds: The Fitzgeralds (last of three tunes in the 'Session' set)
D: 2017: Emerald Céilí Band: Clear The Dresser and Take the Floor (titled 'Lord Ramey's')
D: 2017: Steafan Hannigan & Saskia Tomkins (Ontario): Moorchild (second of three tunes in the 'Ken & Charlie’s Big Mittons' set)
D: 2017: Cailyn MacAuley: Fortune Favours the Bow (titled 'Big John MacNeil')
D: 2017: Lloyd Shaw Foundation: Songs A-M (titled 'Big John McNeil')
D: 2017: Kathleen Nisbet: Metis Dance Hall Vol. 1 (titled 'Big John MacNeil')
D: 2017: Fergal Scahill (fiddle) & Shane Hayes (button accordion): A Fiddle Tune a Day 2017 (Day 131, titled 'Lord Ramsey's')
D: 2018: Brianna Lizotte: Scratch 'Em (titled 'Big John McNeil')
D: 2018: Charlie Walden & Patt Plunkett: Contra Dance Music, Vol. 3 (titled 'Big John McNeil')
D: 2018: Kathleen Nisbet: Métis Dance Hall, Vol. 2 (titled 'Big John MacNeil')
D: 2019: Jon Pilatzke (fiddle): Amongst Friends (titled 'Big John MacNeil')
D: 2019: Johan de Wal: Johan's Tenor Banjo, Album 4 (titled 'Lord Ramsey's')
D: 2020: Hannah Harris: Tea for Tunes (titled 'Lord Ramey's')
D: 2021: Ridge Roberts: Lone Star Fiddler (titled 'Big John McNeil')
D: 2021: The Boyer's: Let's Get Jiggy, Vol. 1 (titled 'Big John McNeil')
D: 2021: Sean Heely & Colin McGlynn: Homeport ~ Port na Dachaigh (titled 'Big John MacNeil's')
D: 2022: Alex Kusturok, Donny L’Hirondelle & Garry Pruden: Métis Fiddling for Dancing (titled 'Big John McNeil')
D: 2022: Mad Pudding (Vancouver): Dirt & Stone (titled 'Big John McNeil')
D: 2022: The Clare Céilí Band: Seoda Céilí (titled 'Big Jim McNeill')
D: 2022: Echo Mountain and Friends: Tune Sandwich (titled 'Big John McNeil')
D: 2022: John Specker: Singles Collection #3 (titled 'Big John McNeil')
D: 2022: Kenneth Faulkner: Songs & Stories from the Helen Creighton Collection (Compilation, titled 'Big John McNeil')
D: 2024: Joel Andersson: The Irish Harmonica (titled 'Lord Ramey's')
D: 2024: Ari (British Columbia): Ari's Fiddle Album ala King (titled 'John McNeal')
D: 2024: Ships Cat: Chasing the Hare (titled 'Lord Ramsey')
D: 2025: Amanda Rheaume & Alyssa Delbaere-Sawchuk: The Truth We Hold (titled 'Big John McNeil')
D: 2026: Blind Carbon Copy: Blind Carbon Copy (titled 'Big John McNeal')