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The Rakes Of Clonmel sheet music

The Rakes of Clonmel sheet music is available here in three notated settings, and the practical choice between them comes down to meter, key and title spelling. Two scores open in 6/8, while the score whose title carries the word “jig” actually opens in 4/4 — a mismatch worth checking against the version you already know. The opening key signatures also differ: no sharps or flats, one sharp, and two sharps (D major). One setting is credited “after Chief F. O'Neill”; the others name no composer, so the scores are best compared as individual notations of a tune rather than as confirmed editions of a single authorised text.

Scores 1–20 of 38

Sheet music

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Read the meter, then the label

Two of the three settings open in 6/8. The third, titled “The Rakes Of Clonmel (jig) 0902”, opens in 4/4 despite the jig label in its title. Time signature governs how bars are grouped and counted, so let the notation on the page guide you if the label and the meter disagree, and choose the setting that matches the rhythm you already play or hear.

Match the key to your instrument

The settings open with no sharps or flats, with one sharp, and with two sharps (D major). These are presented as different notated keys rather than as proof of one authorised key, and they are not described as transpositions of each other. Pick the score whose key suits your instrument, session or ensemble instead of assuming any setting is the definitive one.

Treat “after Chief F. O'Neill” as an attribution, not a credit

Only one setting carries a composer field, reading “after Chief F. O'Neill”. The word “after” normally signals a setting derived from or associated with a named source or arranger rather than a claim of original composition. No supporting reference was supplied to confirm what relationship that particular score has to O'Neill's work, so read the credit as belonging to that score alone.

Search using both spellings

The tune is listed as both “The Rakes of Clonmel” and “Rakes of Clonmell”.

Scores to open first

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Common questions

Is The Rakes of Clonmel a jig?

The jig designation attaches to one score only: the setting titled “The Rakes Of Clonmel (jig) 0902”. That score opens in 4/4, while the two settings without a jig label open in 6/8. Because the label and the notated meter do not line up, jig should be treated as a description of one particular score rather than a confirmed characterisation of every version.

What key is The Rakes of Clonmel in?

The notated key differs between the available settings: one opens with no sharps or flats, one with a single sharp, and one with two sharps, given as D major. The key therefore depends on which score you choose, and the settings are not presented as transpositions of one another.

What time signature are the scores in?

Two of the three settings open in 6/8 and one opens in 4/4. Because the 4/4 setting is the one labelled a jig, musicians comparing versions should check the time signature on the score itself rather than relying on the title alone.

Who composed The Rakes of Clonmel?

Two of the available settings name no composer. The third has the credit “after Chief F. O'Neill”, which points to a connection with a named source or arranger for that setting rather than establishing original authorship.

Why does the title sometimes appear as Rakes of Clonmell?

One listed score uses “Rakes of Clonmell” while the others use “The Rakes of Clonmel”. The difference is a spelling variant in the titles, useful for searching and for telling the settings apart; no evidence was supplied to show which form came first or which is more authoritative.

How do I choose between the available settings of The Rakes of Clonmel?

Compare three things in order: the time signature (6/8 in two settings, 4/4 in the one labelled a jig), the opening key signature (none, one sharp, or two sharps in D major), and the title spelling. Matching meter and key to the version you already play is the quickest way to pick a score that reads comfortably on your instrument.