Jer O’Connell’s polka

This is the first of 2 polkas recorded by the Dublin band “Bakerswell”. Nobody - them included - seems to have any idea of the titles of either 2. I’ll post the other one tomorrow, but would appreciate it if someone could come up with the original titles.
Hope this is OK - my first attempt at posting a polka.

sounds a little bit like that (by cherish the ladies)

This is among the first polkas I learnt, nearly 4 years ago. It’s in Paul McNevin’s book The Irish Fiddle, along with the second polka. He knows the tunes as Bakerswell #1 and #2, and heard them from the band Bakerswell (Seán Potts, Seán Óg Potts and Ronan Browne). Since these tunes are in print under these names I think that’s how they should be named.
Both are lovely tunes. They go with a real swing and are ideal for set dancing, which is where I’ve heard them played recently..
Trevor

Hi Kenny, as you’ll know, I’ve heard this tune many times when down visiting West Cork. I’m sure we have it on a number of recordings in our cd collection - I’ll keep an ear open for it.

Thanks, Kurt. I looked “Jer O’Connell’s” up in the “Fiddler’s Companion” website, [ which I regard as pretty reliable ] . There are a few minor variations, but I’d say it’s the same tune, and their source is indeed “Cherish The Ladies”. Trevor, thanks for your comments. I’m going to re-name it as “Jer O’Connell’s”, and I’ll leave “Bakerswell #1” as an alternative title. Incidentally, the “Bakerswell” which recorded the LP were a 7-piece band, and none of them was Ronan Browne. How does he come into the picture? Just curious.
Any information on who Jer O’Connell is/was?

The three members of the Bakerswell band mentioned in my last posting were the ones listed by Paul McNevin in his introductory notes to “Bakerswell #1”. Ronan Browne was presumably around at the time when Paul came across the tune, even if he wasn’t in the band that recorded the LP.
Trevor

Round this area here, this tune is known as Mrs Crowleys Polka I have also heard it called Ryans Polka. Mighty tune when one puts the bellows under a bit of pressure.

Hope this isn’t in under another name. This comes from “Shegui”‘s first album. Sleeve notes say :
“Maurice O’Keefe, fiddle player from Kishkeam, Co.Cork and a nephew of Padraig O’Keeffe gave us this polka“. Sometimes the simplest tunes are the best.

Key signature: D Major & G Major in the ‘Comments’
Submitted on April 24th 2007 by ceolachan.
https://thesession.org/tunes/7101

~ some shared similarities, especially the A-part and the last 4 measures of the B-part…

Key signature: D Major
Submitted on December 1st 2007 by justjim.
~ /tunes/8013

X: 2
T: O’Sullivan’s Fancy
M: 2/4
L: 1/8
R: polka
K: D Major
B |:\
AD FG | AG AB | =c/B/A G>D | FG AF/G/ |
AD FG | AG AB | =c/B/A GE | ED DA/B/ :|
Ad de | fg/f/ ed | cA AB | cd ec |
Ad de | fg/f/ ed | cA GE | ED D2 :|

“O’Sullivan’s Fancy” (polka)

Transcribed from Taxi Mauve, the first in a set with “I Looked East and I Looked West” and “Doyle’s”, this one can crank. I can’t get Doyle’s up to speed, but these other two are easily played fast enough to rapidly exhaust the dancers.

# Posted on December 1st 2007 by justjim

X: 3
T: O’Sullivan’s Fancy
M: 2/4
L: 1/8
R: polka
K: Dmaj
|: A/B/ |\
AD F>G | A>^G AB | =c/B/A GE | EF GA/B/ |
AD FG | A>^G AB | =c/B/A GE | ED D :|
|: F/G/ |\
Ad d>e | fd ed | cA AB | cd ed/c/ |
Ad de | fg/f/ ed | c/B/A GE | ED D :|

Key signature: D Major
Submitted on December 21st 2003 by errik.
https://thesession.org/tunes/2282

I can just hear it know, couldn’t you have just left well enough alone? 😏

More than duplicated this one, here’s to bringing it closer, to the comments here, for comparison:

X: 4
T: Jer O’Connell’s
M: 2/4
L: 1/8
R: polka
K: Dmaj
|: AD ED | FA dc/d/ | cA B/A/G | EF GF/G/ |
AD ED | FA dc/d/ | cA GE | F/E/D D2 :|
|: Ad de | fg/f/ ed | cA AB | B/c/d ef/e/ |
Ad de | fd e/f/e/d/ | cA GE | ED D2 :|

Key signature: Dmajor
Submitted on March 31st 2005 by Kenny.
https://thesession.org/tunes/4363
https://thesession.org/tunes/4363/comments

Interesting to see these all side by side. The two named O’Sullivan’s are different in character from the two Jer OConnell’s but all share so many notes. The sixteenth note figures fall consistently in different places and give them a wholly different kind of bounce. The jer’s could be played together and the O’sullivan’s could be played together, but I think all four together would be mush.

Seems Aileen Bonner’s is the same tune as well.

“I got this version (of Aileen Bonner’s Polka) from ‘The Horse’s Tail’ by Zoe Conway.” ~
# Posted by Nick Molyneux - December 1st, 2012
https://thesession.org/members/80403

First submitted under the related polka, the same A-part,
“Aileen Bonner’s Polka”:
https://thesession.org/tunes/7101
Original submission,
X: 1 & 2 share the same A-part but a different B-part:
# Added by ceolachan - April 24th, 2007

X: 3 (X: 2 here) ~ # Added by Nick Molyneux - December 1st, 2012
- & -
X: 4 (X: 3 here) ~ # Added by ceolachan - July 26th, 2013
Are basically the same, A & B parts…

Named after Jeremiah O’Connell of Glencollins, Ballydesmond, uncle to Maurice O’Keeffe. Jer is said to have played pipes and flute.

From the playing of Diarmuid O’Brien, titled as “The Prowling Fox”.

https://thesession.org/tunes/4363, Jer O’Connell’s is the same tune in D

Lucy Farr’s setting, from Heart and Home