The Blue Ribbon polka

Transcribed from The Kilbride Brother’s eponymous cd.

On the Tim Collins 2004 "Dancing On Silver" recording as "Tom Billy’s."

This tune is also known as Sonny Reardon’s, and I’ll post the ABC’s as ‘Patrick Street’ plays it. There is not SO much in difference, but………

X:1
T:Sonny Reardon’s
M:2/2
R:Polka
K:A
cB/c/ dc/d/|ea dc/d/|ea a/f/e/d/|cA B2|
cB/c/ dc/d/|ea dc/d/|ea a/f/e/d/|cA A2:|
aa fe/f/|ae dc/d/|ea a/f/e/d/|cA B2|
aa fe/f/|ae dc/d/|ea a/f/e/d/|cA A2:|

I learned it on the album Roseland Barndance by North Cregg, who learned themselves it from the Cork-based Four Star Trio.

This is another one I thought was already on site, but I’m not finding it. Here’s another way you can take it, rumbling ~

X: 2
T: gan ainm
T: Sonny Riordan’s
M: 2/4
L: 1/8
R: polka
K: DMaj
|: E |\
F2 GF/G/ | Ad F>G | Ad A/B/A/G/ | FD ED/E/ |
FE/F/ GF/G/ | Ad F>G | Ad A/B/A/G/ | FD D :|
|: A |\
d2 BA/B/ | dF G2 | Ad A/B/A/G/ | FD E2 |
[1 dd BA/B/ | dF G>B | Ad A/B/A/G/ | FD D :|
[2 FE/F/ GF/G/ | Ad F>G | Ad A/B/A/G/ | FD D |]

I transcribed the untitled tune which precedes this one on the same album, so as not to confuse with yours. I believe that North Cregg actually transposed Sonny Rian’s polka to A in order to arrange a neat set with the previous polka which key is G.
https://thesession.org/tunes/11281

S: “Jimmy Doyle & Dan O’Leary: Traditional Music From The Kingdom Of Kerry”
https://thesession.org/recordings/1247 ~ track 1, the 1st polka of two

I have also learned this one direct as well from other living sources and situations where the average tempos varied from 120 to 136 bpm (& higher 😛) ~ 1 beat = one crotchet/quarter note…

"Patrick Street: Made in Cork", 1997, track 5, slow polkas, the 3rd of three
https://thesession.org/recordings/644

This is a tune taught by Andy Rigby at the Lake School of Irish Music held in Koroit Victoria Australia. Andy learned the tune at a Chris Norman workshop but didn’t know the origin of the tune. He though that it was possibly from Northern Ireland. It is a great tune on flute or whistle. Any suggestion as to it’s origin would be greatly appreciated.

I’m 99% certain that this march is indeed from what Gary Hastings once describes as the "alternative" flute-playing tradition in the North of Ireland. I’m also fairly certain - without having the actual recording - that it’s the first tune played on track #11 here :

https://thesession.org/recordings/273

…and also that the sleeve notes attribute Chris’s source for the tune as Desi Wilkinson.

From the playing of Niamh Ni Charra.

Already submited as ‘The blue ribbon’ a.k.a. ‘Orange’ a.k.a. Sonny Reardon’s polka …
https://thesession.org/tunes/2239

A.k.a. The Northern march
re-submited there;
https://thesession.org/tunes/15136