X: 1
T: Banks of the Ilen (D major) / Seanbhean na gCartaí / Sean-Bhean na gCartaí
R: Reel
C: traditional
O: Ireland
N: in Scotland also played as a Strathspey
N: the Ilen (pronounced eye-len, not Illen) is the river which runs through Skibbereen in West Cork.
N: Chords: | D  -  | D  A  | D  -  | A  G  :|
N:         | D  G  | A  D  | D  G  | A  G   |
N:         | A  G  | D  A  | D  -  | A  G  :|
L: 1/8
Q: 1/4=180
M: 4/4
K: D major % 2 sharps
N:
N: Tune only:
N: ==========
BAG | FDFA d2fd | ~d2fd ecAG | FDFA d2fe | dcAF G    :|
zde | f2df g2fg |  abag fdde | f2df g2fg | abaf g2fg  |
      agfa gfeg |  fedf ecAG | FDFA d2fe | dcAF G    :|
N:
P: Variations:
BAG | FDFA d2fd | ~d2fd ecAG |  FDFA defd | ecAF G    :|
zde | f2df g2fg |  abag fdde | ~f2fa g2fg | abaf g2fg  |
      abaf gfeg |  fddf ecAG |  FDFA defd | ecAF G    :|
N:
N: Tune with Chords:
N: =================
BAG | "D" FDFA     d2fd | "D" ~d2fd "A" ecAG | "D" FDFA     d2fe | "A" dcAF "G" G    :|
zde | "D" f2df "G" g2fg | "A"  abag "D" fdde | "D" f2df "G" g2fg | "A" abaf "G" g2fg  |
      "A" agfa "G" gfeg | "D"  fedf "A" ecAG | "D" FDFA     d2fe | "A" dcAF "G" G    :|
N:
P: Variations:
BAG | "D" FDFA     d2fd | "D" ~d2fd "A" ecAG | "D"  FDFA     defd | "A" ecAF "G" G    :|
zde | "D" f2df "G" g2fg | "A"  abag "D" fdde | "D" ~f2fa "G" g2fg | "A" abaf "G" g2fg  |
      "A" abaf "G" gfeg | "D"  fddf "A" ecAG | "D"  FDFA     defd | "A" ecAF "G" G    :|
N:
N: Often followed by 'The New Post Office' (aka. Scartaglen Reel or Tom Billy's or The Humours of Scartaglen):
N: - Denis Murphy & Julia Clifford. The Star above the Garter - Fiddle music from Kerry (1969);
N: - Tommy Peoples: The Iron Man (1985);
N: - Gerry Harrington & Eoghan O'Sullivan: Scéal Eile (1993);
N: - Frankie Gavin, Arty McGlynn & Aidan Coffey: Irlande (1994);
N: - Seamus Glackin, Brendan Begley, Michael O'Brien, Mary Corcoran, Mick Gaynor: Crossroads Céilí (1999);
N: - Noeleen O'Connor, Johnny McCarthy, Matt Cranitch, Con Ó Drisceoil, Paudie O'Connor & Hammy Hamilton: The County Bounds (Compilation 1999);
N: - Connie O'Connell: Irish Fiddle Music from Counties Cork and Kerry (2012);
N: - Seisiún Ceoil Bhéal Feirste / Ceoil Players: Traditional Music Sessions from Ireland (2014);
N: - Michael Sheehy & Ed Barrett: The Cat's Rambles - Music from the Sliabh Luachra Tradition (2016);
N: - Gerry Carter: With ... Alem Alquier, Luc Vailant, Guilhem Cavaille & Olivier Arnaud (2016);
N: - Siobhan, Niamh & Eoin O'Sullivan: Scully's Fest 2016 (2016);
N: - The Fiddlers: Dance for Dublin (2017);
N: - Seisiun Ceoil Bheal Feirste / The Celtic Ensemble: Irish Heritage (2017);
N: - Noeleen O'Connor: Ireland - Tales of our Land (2019);
N: - Paudie O'Callaghan: To Castle I'm Going (2022);
D:
D: 1969: Denis Murphy (fiddle) & Julia Clifford (fiddle): The Star above the Garter - Fiddle music from Kerry (titled 'Seanbhean na gCartaí')
D: 1970: Paddy Taylor (1912-1976, flute): The Boy in the Gap (titled 'The Banks of the Illen')
D: 1978: Martin Mulvihill (fiddle) & Mick Moloney (guitar): Traditional Irish Fiddling from County Limerick (titled 'Dando Dillane's')
D: 1985: Tommy Peoples (fiddle): The Iron Man (titled 'O'Callahan's')
D: 1986: The Thatch Céilí Band: The Legacy (titled 'The Banks of the Ilen')
D: 1988: Baal Tinne: The Dawn (last of three tunes in 'The Silver Spear' set)
D: 1991: Cathal McConnell: Totally Traditional Tin Whistles (titled 'Three Out of One', Hornpipe, Jig & Reel versions)
D: 1993: Gerry Harrington (fiddle) & Eoghan O'Sullivan (accordion): Scéal Eile (titled 'Seanbhean Na gCartaí')
D: 1994: Frankie Gavin, Arty McGlynn & Aidan Coffey: Irlande (first of three tunes in the 'Kerry Reels' set, titled 'Did You See My Man Looking for Me?')
D: 1998: West End Orchestra, Spailpin: Irish Folk - It's Music (Compilation, titled 'The Banks of the Uilleann')
D: 1998: O'Aces / Martin Dowling (fiddle), Davy Maguire (flute), Jason O'Rourke (concertina), Kevin Dorris (bouzouki) & Paul McSherry (guitar): Ón Oíche Go Maidin (titled 'Banks of the Ilen')
D: 1999: Tom Dunne, Joe 'Banjo' Burke & Friends: Musical Memories (titled 'The Banks of the Ilen')
D: 1999: James Keane (accordion): Sweeter as the Years Roll By (titled 'The Banks of the Ilen / Sixmilebridge')
D: 1999: Seamus Glackin (fiddle), Brendan Begley (accordion), Michael O'Brien (flute), Mary Corcoran (piano) & Mick Gaynor (drums): Crossroads Céilí (titled 'The Banks of the Uilleann')
D: 1999: Eamon Flynn: Down by the Glenside (titled 'The Banks of the Ilen')
D: 1999: Noeleen O'Connor (fiddle), Johnny McCarthy (fiddle), Matt Cranitch (fiddle), Con Ó Drisceoil (accordion), Paudie O'Connor (accordion) & Hammy Hamilton (flute): The County Bounds (Compilation, titled 'The Banks of the Ilen / Sean Bhean na gCártaí (The Old Woman of the Cards)')
D: 2002: Tom Barrett (fiddle) & Kerry Barrett (fiddle): Lios A'Cheoil - Traditional Irish Music (titled 'The Banks of the Ilen / Sean-Bhean na gCartaí')
D: 2003: Mick O'Brien (B whistle) & Caoimhín Ó Raghallaigh (fiddle): Kitty Lie Over (titled 'Seanbhean na gCártaí')
D: 2008: Ben Lennon (fiddle), Tony O'Connell (concertina), Charlie Lennon (piano), Alec Finn (bouzouki) & Jerry McNamara (guitar): Rossinver Braes (titled 'The Banks of the Ilen / Bruacha na hAighlinne')
D: 2009: Seamus Creagh (1946-2009, fiddle): Tunes for Practice (titled 'Banks of the Illen')
D: 2012: Connie O'Connell (fiddle): Irish Fiddle Music from Counties Cork and Kerry (titled 'Banks of the Ilen')
D: 2013: Matt Cranitch: Irish Fiddle Tunes - 62 Traditional Pieces for Violin (titled 'The Banks of the Ilen')
D: 2014: Seisiún Ceoil Bhéal Feirste / Ceoil Players: Traditional Music Sessions from Ireland (first tune in 'The Banks of the Ilen Medley')
D: 2015: Ricardo Sánchez Alférez: Guitarra DADGAD (titled 'Banks of the Ilen')
D: 2016: Michael Sheehy (piano accordion) & Ed Barrett (fiddle): The Cat's Rambles - Music from the Sliabh Luachra Tradition (titled 'The Banks of the Ilen')
D: 2016: Gerry Carter: With ... Alem Alquier, Luc Vailant, Guilhem Cavaille & Olivier Arnaud (titled 'Banks of the Illen')
D: 2016: Burren Band: Island of Woods (titled 'Banks of the Ilen')
D: 2016: Thatch Céilí Band: It was great altogether - The Continuing Tradition of Irish Music in London (Compilation, titled 'The Banks of the Ilen')
D: 2016: Siobhan, Niamh & Eoin O'Sullivan: Scully's Fest 2016 (titled 'Sean Bhean na gCárta')
D: 2017: The Fiddlers: Dance for Dublin (titled 'The Banks of the Uilleann')
D: 2017: Seisiún Ceoil Bhéal Feirste / The Celtic Ensemble: Irish Heritage (titled 'The Banks of the Ilen')
D: 2019: Noeleen O'Connor: Ireland - Tales of our Land (titled 'The Banks of the Ilen')
D: 2020: Donnacha Doyle: Out on the Ocean (titled 'The Banks of the Illen')
D: 2021: Trí: The Cuckoo Sings in May (titled 'The Banks of the Ilen')
D: 2021: Whistler: 101 Tunes on the Tin Whistle (titled 'The Banks of the Ilen River')
D: 2022: Paudie O'Callaghan: To Castle I'm Going (titled 'The Banks of the Ilen')
D: 2024: David Mitchell: Contours (titled 'Banks of The Illen')