The Hurtleberry Reel (Reel)
A hurtleberry is the local name for blueberries in Bartlemy, Co. Cork. Another great name from my Grandmother’s stories. This reel goes nicely before “The Fiery Blossom” which you can hear played by Reelan below. It varies from the usual style of reel because of where the accents are. I also recorded this tune with Bernie Balfe on Saxophone in March 2024. Bernie and I lived together in college in 2004 and we loved sharing the different styles of music we were studying at the time. Bernie is such an adaptable musician so it was brilliant to collaborate with her to give the tune a different flavour and to record her take on it.
Bernie Balfe (Saxophone) and Sandie Purcell (fiddle) playing “The Hurtleberry Reel” by Sandie Purcell, March 2024.
Bernie Balfe, from Ardee in Co. Louth, is a clarinettist, saxophonist and vocalist with an eclectic musical experience, ranging from Classical and Choral, to Jazz and Rock. As an educator, Bernie has over twenty years of music performance and teaching experience and she currently works as a Primary School Teacher. Bernie is also the clarinet tutor for “Count Us In”, a feeder programme for CBOI. Bernie holds a BMUS Perf Hons degree from DIT, an MA in Music from DkIT and a Masters in Primary Teaching from Hibernia College.
Bernie and Sandie first met while studying their undergraduate degrees in music and they formed a great friendship. They have admired each other’s professional journeys in both music and primary education. Their mutual respect for each other’s musical crafts has led to this wonderful collaboration and blending of styles.
Title: The Hurtleberry Reel
Composer: Sandie Purcell
Performer: Reelan
