Brian Boru’s March is a traditional Irish tune, not a medieval one. Its real history, where to get free sheet music, how to play it and the best recordings on vinyl and CD.

Brian Boru’s March is a traditional Irish tune named after the High King who died at Clontarf in 1014, but it isn’t medieval. The earliest known printed version appeared in a Dublin magazine in 1842, and there’s no evidence the tune is older than the 18th or 19th century. It became famous worldwide through The Chieftains’ 1969 recording and is now a standard in Irish sessions, often opening slowly before breaking into a lively jig.

How old is Brian Boru’s March?

Not nearly as old as its name suggests. In the 19th century the scholar George Sigerson argued the tune showed Scandinavian influence from the Viking age. The music historian W. H. Grattan Flood disagreed in 1905, saying it was neither Norse nor even medieval.

The printed evidence backs Grattan Flood. The Traditional Tune Archive notes that the earliest collection containing it is the Levey Collection of 1873, although the musicologist Aloys Fleischmann found an earlier version titled “The March of Brian Borumha” in the Dublin Monthly Magazine of 1842. It was also played by Patrick Byrne (c. 1784 to 1863), whom the collector Francis O’Neill called the last of the great Irish harpers. O’Neill printed it in his Music of Ireland in 1903.

So the tune belongs to the 19th-century revival of interest in Brian Boru, the same movement that gave his name to a medieval harp and a set of bagpipes. For the real story of the king, see Brian Boru’s life and reign and the Battle of Clontarf.

The best recordings of Brian Boru’s March

The Chieftains, The Chieftains 2 (1969)

The recording that made the tune famous. It appears on the band’s second album, released on Claddagh Records and produced by Paddy Moloney. The arrangement builds from a slow, stately opening to the full band. Original Claddagh pressings on vinyl turn up regularly and are worth owning. Find The Chieftains 2 on vinyl.

Horslips, The Book of Invasions (1976)

The Irish folk-rock band used Brian Boru’s March as the intro and basis for “Trouble (With a Capital T)” on their concept album based on Irish mythology. The Book of Invasions is often rated the band’s best album, and first pressings are collectable.

Alan Stivell, Brian Boru (1995)

The Breton harper named a whole album after the king and opened it with a driving rock version of the traditional tune, mixing Celtic harp, bagpipes and electric guitar. Check price on Amazon.

Maurice Lennon, Brian Ború, the High King of Tara (2002)

The fiddler and composer Maurice Lennon wrote a full suite of music around Brian’s life, drawing on traditional tunes including the march.

Free sheet music and how to learn it

Because the tune is traditional and long out of copyright, you can get it free. The Session has several versions in ABC notation and standard notation, plus a list of recordings, contributed by players. For a printed source, O’Neill’s Music of Ireland is still in print and contains the 1903 setting along with over a thousand other tunes.

Session versions vary in structure. Some play it in three parts, others in four, and many open with the first part slowly before picking up the tempo. Learn one version by ear from a recording and you’ll adapt quickly when you hear another.

Instruments to play it on

Tin whistle. The cheapest way into Irish traditional music and the instrument most people learn this tune on. A D whistle is the standard for Irish music. Brands such as Clarke and Feadóg cost very little and are what most teachers recommend for beginners.

Irish harp. Harpers kept the tune alive in the 19th century, and it sits well on a lever harp. Our Brian Boru harp guide includes a short buyer’s guide for beginners.

Hear it live

You’ll hear Brian Boru’s March at Irish sessions worldwide, but the best place for it is Killaloe during Féile Brian Ború in early July, when the town celebrates its most famous king with music, a Viking village, fireworks and heritage walks. Plan the trip with our Brian Boru trail guide.

Frequently asked questions

Is Brian Boru’s March medieval?

No. The earliest known printed version dates from 1842, and historians see no evidence that the tune goes back to Brian’s time.

Who recorded Brian Boru’s March?

The best-known recording is by The Chieftains on The Chieftains 2 (1969). Horslips and Alan Stivell are among the many others who have recorded it.

Is Brian Boru’s March a jig?

It is a march, but it is usually played in 6/8 jig time, often after a slow opening.

Where can I get Brian Boru’s March sheet music?

Free on The Session website in ABC and standard notation, or in the printed collection O’Neill’s Music of Ireland.

Sources

1. The Traditional Tune Archive, Annotation: Brian Boru’s March.
2. The Session, Brian Boru’s March.
3. Wikipedia, The Chieftains 2.
4. Wikipedia, Brian Boru’s March.