Piper's SongbookHow to play The Irish Washerwoman on recorder
The Irish Washerwoman (the first part) uses 8 notes on the soprano recorder: B, A, G, high C, high D, low E, low D and high E. The first line goes B G G D G G B G B D′ C′ B C′ A A E A A C′ A C′ E′ D′ C′.
- Notes
- 8: B, A, G, high C, high D, low E, low D, high E
- Level
- Thumb pinch
- Time
- 6/8, about 132 beats a minute
- Source
- Traditional jig, printed by 1790
The Irish Washerwoman recorder notes with letters
Each box is one note, with its fingering underneath: filled holes are covered, a half-filled hole is half covered or pinched. Wider boxes are longer notes. A ′ mark means the higher octave, so D′ is high D. Bar lines are drawn as thin rules.
Line 1
Line 2
Letters only, for printing or copying
- B G G D G G | B G B D′ C′ B | C′ A A E A A | C′ A C′ E′ D′ C′
- B G G D G G | B G B D′ C′ B | C′ B C′ A D′ C′ | B G G G
Sheet music
Written pitch for soprano recorder, which sounds an octave higher. Press play to hear it on a recorder sound; the slow setting plays at 60% speed.
Fingerings for the notes in The Irish Washerwoman
Hole 0 is the thumb hole on the back. Holes 1 to 3 are for the left hand, 4 to 7 for the right. These are Baroque (English) fingerings.
How to practise it
Each bar is two groups of three quick notes. In the third bar, keep the thumb and left fingers down for A and add the right index and middle fingers for the low E, then lift them straight back.
Learn one line at a time. Play it slowly until every note is clean, then join it to the next line.
About the tune
A jig played across Britain, Ireland and North America. Its earliest known printing is in Robert Petrie's collection of 1790, and its second half matches a tune printed around 1730. Pa Ingalls plays it on his fiddle in the Little House books.
Questions
Is The Irish Washerwoman easy on recorder?
It suits a player who already knows the notes from low D to high D. It also needs the thumb pinch for the high notes.
What notes do you need for The Irish Washerwoman on recorder?
B, A, G, high C, high D, low E, low D and high E. Tap a note to see its fingering on its own page.
Do these fingerings work on a German recorder?
Yes. Every note in The Irish Washerwoman uses the same fingering on Baroque and German recorders.
More recorder songs
Notes checked against five settings on The Session from different players, all agreeing on this part; in G. Last checked 6 October 2026.