Level: 2/3
Tuning: Standard

This tune is said to be the first tune Turlough O'Carolan composed. It is supposedly the local legend of a "battle between the kings of the gentry (fairies). In an account of his visit to the area in 1828, Edward O'Reilly tells of two ranges of hills. On the highest part of one of the ranges "is one of those ancient conical heaps of stones and earth called motes or raths, so common in this country, and which the popular voices says are inhabited by the Daoine Maithe, the "Good People", which the country people dare not venture to call by the name of fairies. This mote, and the mountain on which it stands, are much celebrated in the popular poems and songs of Ireland under the name of Sigh Mor. " On the other range, near Squire Reynold's home was another mote, Sigh beg which was also reputed inhabited by fairies. According to local tales during the period in which Fionn Mac Cubhail and Fianna Eirionn were defeated, one of Fionn's heroes (perhaps Fionn himself), who was killed, was entombed in Sigh beg and a warrior of the other side was buried in Sigh mor. The battle of the two continued to be carried out by the immortals of Sig beg and Sig mor.

The composition was originally played on the Irish harp. You'll find many fingerstyle arrangements of "Shebeg An Shemore". These are usually played in a Dropped D or DADGAD tuning. In this lesson David sets the melody in the key of D but does not use a fingerpicking technique. Instead he plays with a flatpick and focuses on the tone and texture of each note played in the melodic line. This is a great lesson for developing control of your left hand.