Irish Polkas

Subject: RE: Irish Polkas
From: Snuffy
Date: 22 Feb 01 - 07:49 PM

I've even heard Star of the County Down played as a polka (but I was in Killarney at the time)

Subject: RE: Irish Polkas
From: dulcimer
Date: 22 Feb 01 - 07:33 PM

Here are a few of my favorites--not to difficult to play: Maggie in the Woods, Maid of Ardagh, Flop Eared Mule (American variant of Blue Bell) Eagan's (A Kerry P), John Ryan or Shiny Whistle (A Kerry P), High Gaul Cap, Seneca Square Dance (John Hoban's), Britches Full of Stitches, Sweeney's, If I had a Wife, Peggy Lettermore, Leather Britches, Rattlin'Bog, and Girl I Left Behind. Some of these are not always considered or played a polkas, but they can be. Thre are severl Kerry Polka's, all pretty lively.

Subject: RE: Irish Polkas
From: alison
Date: 22 Feb 01 - 06:57 PM

Pinetop Slim,

once you et the titles you can then go here and type in the titles... it usually finds the tune (dots) and MIDI... so you can hear it....

slainte

alison

Subject: RE: Irish Polkas
From: GUEST,petr
Date: 22 Feb 01 - 03:30 PM

ballydesmond polkas (great set) bill sullivans britches knocknaboule polka (one of my favorites) charlie harris polka julia cliffords din tarrants cheers petr

Subject: RE: Irish Polkas
From: GUEST,bigJ
Date: 22 Feb 01 - 03:11 PM

Dave Mallinson brought out a book called '100 Irish Polkas' in 1997. ISBN 1 899512 21 7 - a good selection.

Subject: RE: Irish Polkas
From: MartinRyan
Date: 22 Feb 01 - 11:54 AM

Johnny Leary of Sliabh Luachra is the king of slides and polkas alright! There's an excellent book with lots of his tunes available. Click Here

Regards

Subject: RE: Irish Polkas
From: GUEST,Mikey Joe
Date: 22 Feb 01 - 11:45 AM

Anything to do with Irish Polkas (or slides) is almost exclusively located in the Sliabh Luachra region they are very rare everywhere else. Sliabh Luachra (trans. Rushy Mountain)comprises of North Cork - North Kerry - West Limerick - it is sometimes referred to in musical terms as the 33rd county. Recordings from around here can be found on smaller labels. Look for people like Johnny Leary (box) Julia Clifford (fiddle) Denis (The Weaver)Murphy (fiddle) & Jackie Daly (box). The music is primarily for dancing to and still is danced to a lot. Set dancing in Dan Connells in Knocknagree every Fri and Sun night if anyones interested. Any other questions - bring em on

Mj

Subject: RE: Irish Polkas
From: Pinetop Slim
Date: 22 Feb 01 - 11:23 AM

Great thread -- the few Irish polkas I'm familiar with (including a Kerry polka in D) are such happy tunes. I'd like to get to know more about some that are listed here. Any recordings to recommend?

Subject: RE: Irish Polkas
From: Margaret V
Date: 22 Feb 01 - 10:22 AM

Are the Kerry Polkas the same as the Knockaboul Polkas? Margaret

Subject: RE: Irish Polkas
From: alison
Date: 22 Feb 01 - 08:37 AM

Ella if I could persuade Steve to mic my harp.. it'd be in there....lol.... but it feeds back a lot when it is turned up..... ah well... have to keep working on it....

great suggestions everyone.. keep them coming....

slainte

alison

Subject: RE: Irish Polkas
From: Jenny the T
Date: 22 Feb 01 - 07:25 AM

Try these--we play 'em all the time round here, in more or less this order:

Bill Sullivan's The Britches Full of Stitches (surely the easiest polka ever) Dennis Murphy's Sean Ryan's Ger the Rigger (gives you a tremendous big finish)

Slan,

Jenny

Subject: RE: Irish Polkas
From: Mikey joe
Date: 22 Feb 01 - 06:11 AM

Anthing for JohnJo Terry Cuz Teahans The Green Castle An Sraithnáirn The Magic Slipper Ballydesmond Johnny Learys Tá Dhá Ghábhrín Buí Agam

etc etc

JCs tune finder will have sheet for all of these I'd say

Slán

Mj

Subject: RE: Irish Polkas
From: Ella who is Sooze
Date: 22 Feb 01 - 05:38 AM

Alison...

I reckon you have to do your version of ABBA's S.O.S... I really liked that... and the other one...

Good Luck!

E

Subject: RE: Irish Polkas
From: Ella who is Sooze
Date: 22 Feb 01 - 05:35 AM

John Eagans, Nancy in the woods and the Rolling Ball...

Though I have my suspicions.. that they may be the same as the one or two of the first tunes mentioned above... with different names... That is when is gets confusing...

Dennis murphys and John Ryans are good ones to dance to...

If we have no one dancing, we somethimes do... John Ryans, Dennis Murphys and go straight into I'll Tell me Ma...

Ella

Best of luck - I'm frantically learning new songs ready for our St.Pats gig too!! arghh not to mention some new tunes.....

:)

Subject: RE: Irish Polkas
From: Sarah the flute
Date: 22 Feb 01 - 04:49 AM

Why not do the "Titanic Polkas" !!! John Ryans and Dennis Murphy's go very well together and the one in the middle that Planxty do that no-one ever remembers. Tip Top and the Bluebell Polka are also nice too

Subject: RE: Irish Polkas
From: Sorcha
Date: 21 Feb 01 - 09:13 PM

I love Kerry Polka, but it's in A----only other (Irish) things I know in A are--100 Pipers (march)and All Around the Town(reel)

Subject: RE: Irish Polkas
From: alison
Date: 21 Feb 01 - 09:09 PM

thanks Mick

here's the Siege of Ennis thread

that's exactly what I was after things like Rattlin' bog.... esay to string together and not difficult enough to need dots.....lol (outside gig.. dancing in a square at a market)

slainte

alison

Subject: RE: Irish Polkas
From: Mick Lowe
Date: 21 Feb 01 - 08:56 PM

Hi Alison

I'd be interested to see what was said in the other thread about the Siege of Ennis because as far as I am aware this is just a set dance and not a specific set of tunes, unliked the "3 tunes"

That aside.. a couple of good ones are Maggie in the Woods and the Ratling Bog.. nice "easy ones"...

The sets we tend to do have tunes we don't know the names of, apart from Leather Away with the Wattle (aka Lisdoonvarna) and The Barren Rocks of Aden..... The Gillane plus one we do in G..(LOL)...

Dennis O'Brien's is a good one, in some sources this is lumped togther with the tune that feature din Titanic (known in our local as da da diddly da da), then Bonnet Trimmed in Blue and Captain Bing/Byng...

And of course one shouldn't forget the Kerry Polkas..

Cheers

Mick

Subject: Irish Polkas
From: alison
Date: 21 Feb 01 - 07:56 PM

Need to string a few together for St Pats.. for some dancers to muck about with......

I'm just being lazy... anyone got any good combinations?

Siege of Ennis was mentioned in another thread.. so that's a start....

slainte

alison