Rakish Paddy

'Rakish Paddy' is a popular Irish reel tune. It’s often played slowly, and many people find it has a distinctive, haunting sound. It can also be played faster, but the slower tempo is generally preferred.

The tune likely originated in Scotland. It is known there as "Caber Feidh" ("The Deer's Antlers"). The Scottish band Capercaillie recorded it under that name.

Many versions of the tune exist. Some have extra sections added, usually based on the second part of the standard version. A musician from Leeds has added a distinctive extra section to the beginning of some recordings, but this is not widely used.

Some players, like Mike Ward, perform a four-part version of the tune. The presence of these extra parts is thought by some to be linked to the original four-part Scottish pipe reel "Caberfeidh." Some believe "Rakish Paddy" and "The New Copperplate" are related tunes, with variations resulting from different parts being omitted.

Historically, the tune was adapted for Irish pipes after a foot joint was removed from the instrument, changing its sound.

Several musicians have performed and recorded ‘Rakish Paddy,’ including Kevin Crehan, Tommy Potts, Willie Clancy, and the band Breabach. The tune is also played on other instruments like the banjo and englitina.

It’s currently believed that Joseph Lowe composed the tune, though this conflicts with information from older sources like the Athole Collection.