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The Ballydesmond polka

Also known as The Ballydesmond No. 2, The Ballydesmond Polka 2, The Ballydesmond Polka No. 2, The Ballydesmond Polkas No. 2, The Ballydesmond Polkas, Cock Your Pistol Charlie, Donal De Barra’s, The Jib, Manley’s, Maurice Manley’s, Polca De Ballydesmond.

There are 63 recordings of this tune.

This tune has been recorded together with

The Ballydesmond appears in 3 other tune collections.

The Ballydesmond has been added to 206 tune sets.

The Ballydesmond has been added to 1,008 tunebooks.

Download ABC

Fourteen settings

1
X: 1
T: The Ballydesmond
R: polka
M: 2/4
L: 1/8
K: Ador
|:E>A AB|cd e2|G>F GA|GF ED|
E>A AB|cd ef|ge dB|A2 A2:|
|:a2 ab|ag ef|g2 ga|ge de|
ea ab|ag ef|ge dB|A2 A2:|
2
X: 2
T: The Ballydesmond
R: polka
M: 2/4
L: 1/8
K: Ador
|:"Am"EA AB|cd e2|"G"G>F GA|GE ED|
"Am"EA AB|B/c/d ef|"G"g/f/e"Em" dB|"Am"A2 A2:|
|:"Am"a>g ab|ag ef|"G"g>f ga|ge d2|
"Am"ea ab|ag ef|"G"ge "E7"dB|"Am"A2 A2:|
|:"Am"c2 "Em"Bc/B/|"Am"AB/A/ G>A|"G"Bd ed|g2 gd|
"Am"e/g/a "Em"ge|"G"dB GA/B/|"Am"ce "Em"dB|"Am"A2 A2:|
|:"Am"ea ag/e/|"G"dg ge/d/|"Am"ea ab|"Em"g2 ed|
"Am"ea "Em"g/a/g/e/|"G"dB GA/B/|"Am"ce "Em"dB|"Am"A2 A2:|
3
X: 3
T: The Ballydesmond
R: polka
M: 2/4
L: 1/8
K: Ador
|:A/G/|EA A>B|cd e2|G/A/G/F/ G>A|GE ED|
EA- A>B|cd e>f|g/f/e dB|A2 A:|
|:B/d/|ea a>b|a/b/a/g/ ef|g>f ga|ge ed|
ea- a>b|ag ef|ge dG|A2- A:|
4
X: 4
T: The Ballydesmond
R: polka
M: 2/4
L: 1/8
K: Ador
|:EA AB|cd e2|G>F GA|GE ED|
EA AB|B/c/d ef|g/f/e dB|A2 A2:|
|:a>g ab|ag ef|g>f ga|ge d2|
ea ab|ag ef|ge dB|A2 A2:|
5
X: 5
T: The Ballydesmond
R: polka
M: 2/4
L: 1/8
K: Ador
|:EA AB|cd e2|G>F GA|GE ED|
EA AB|cd e>f|ge dB|A2 A2:|
|:a>g ab|ag ef|g>f ga|ge ed|
ea ab|ag ef|ge dB|A2 A2:|
6
X: 6
T: The Ballydesmond
R: polka
M: 2/4
L: 1/8
K: Ador
|:EA AB|cd e2|G>F GA|GE ED|
EA A>B|B/c/d e>f|ge dB|1 A2 A>G:|2 A2 AB/A/||
|:a>^g ab|ag ef|g>f ga|ge de|
a>^g ab|ag e>f|ge dB|1 A2 AB/A/:|2 A2 A/B/A/G/||
7
X: 7
T: The Ballydesmond
R: polka
M: 2/4
L: 1/8
K: Ador
EA AB|cd e2|G3/2F/ GA|GE ED|
EA AB|B/c/d ef|g/f/e dB|A2 A2:|
|:a3/2g/ ab|ag ef|g3/2f/ ga|ge d2|
ea ab|ag ef|ge dB|A2 A2:|
8
X: 8
T: The Ballydesmond
R: polka
M: 2/4
L: 1/8
K: Ador
|:EA A>B|cd e/f/g|G2 G>A|GE F/E/D|
EA A>B|cd ef|ge dB|1 A2 A/B/A/G/:|2 A2 A2||
|:a2 a>b|ag ef|g2 g>a|ge f/e/d|
ea a>b|ag ef|ge dB|1 A2 A2:|2 A2 A/B/A/G/||
9
X: 9
T: The Ballydesmond
R: polka
M: 2/4
L: 1/8
K: Ador
|:E>A AB|cd e/f/g|G>F GA|GE F/E/D|
E>A AB|B/c/d e>f|g/f/e dB|A2 A2:|
|:a>g ab|ag ef|gf ga|ge f/e/d|
e<a ab|ag ef|g/f/e dB|A2 A2:|
10
X: 10
T: The Ballydesmond
R: polka
M: 2/4
L: 1/8
K: Ador
|:EA AB|cd eg|G>F GA|GE ED|
E>A AB|cd ef|g>e dB|1 A>B AG:|2 A>B ce||
|:a2 ab|ag ef|g>f ga|ge ed|
ea ab|ag ef|g>e dB|1 A>B ce:|2 A>B AG||
11
X: 11
T: The Ballydesmond
R: polka
M: 2/4
L: 1/8
K: Ador
|:EA AB|cd eg|GG/F/ GA|GE ED|
EA AB|cd ef|ge dB|1 A2 AG:|2 A2 Ae||
|:a2 ab|ag ef|gg/f/ ga|ge ce|
a2 ab|ag ef|ge dB|1 A2 Ae:|2 A2 AG||
12
X: 12
T: The Ballydesmond
R: polka
M: 2/4
L: 1/8
K: Ador
|:EA AB|cd e2|G2 GA|GE ED|
EA AB|cd ea|ge dB|A2 A2:|
|:a2 ab|ag ef|g2 ga|ge ed|
ea ab|ag ef|ge dB|A2 A2:|
13
X: 13
T: The Ballydesmond
R: polka
M: 2/4
L: 1/8
K: Ador
|:E>A AB|cd e2|G>F GA|GE ED|
E>A AB|cd e>f|ge dB|A2 A2:|
|:a>g ab|ag ef|g>f ga|ge de|
a>g ab|ag e>f|ge dB|A2 A2:|
14
X: 14
T: The Ballydesmond
R: polka
M: 2/4
L: 1/8
K: Ador
|:EA AB|c/^c/d e2|G>F GA|GE ED|
EA AB|c/^c/d ef|ge dB|1 A2 AG:|2 A2 A2||
|:a2 ab|ag ef|g>f ga|ge ed|
ea ab|ag ef|ge dB|1 A2 A2:|2 A2 AG||

Twenty comments

Ballydesmond #1

There are a couple of polkas called “The Ballydesmond”. Quite often they are played in sets, usually starting with this one.

I’ve shown it here with the first note slightly lengthened. I like to emphasise that first note either by sliding up to it or playing an open A string with it.

Maurice Manley’s Polka

I have seen this particular tune referred to as Ballydesmond Polka #2
or Maurice Manley’s Polka. If I get a chance, I will post Ballydesmond #1.
All three Ballydesmond Polkas can be found in Jack Walch’s "Session
Tunes", if I remember correctly.

PVB session playlist

As played at PVB session,

X:1
T:Maurice Manley’s Polka
M:2/4
L:1/8
R:polka
K:Ador
|:“Am”EA AB|cd e2|“G”G>F GA|GE ED|
|“Am”EA AB|B1/2c1/2d ef|“G”g1/2f1/2e“Em” dB|“Am”A2 A2:|
|:“Am”a>g ab|ag ef|“G”g>f ga|ge d2|
|“Am”ea ab|ag ef|“G”ge “E7”dB|“Am”A2 A2:|

X:2
T:Ballydesmond, The
M:2/4
L:1/8
R:polka
K:Ador
|:“Am”c2“Em”Bc1/2B1/2|“Am”AB1/2A1/2G>A|“G”Bded|g2gd|
|“Am”e1/2g1/2a“Em”ge|“G”dBGA1/2B1/2|“Am”ce“Em”dB|“Am”A2 A2:|
|:“Am”eaag1/2e1/2|“G”dgge1/2d1/2|“Am”eaab|“Em”g2ed|
|“Am”ea“Em”g1/2a1/2g1/2e1/2|“G”dBGA1/2B1/2|“Am”ce“Em”dB|“Am”A2 A2:|

Ballydesmond #1

Slainte has pointed out that there are similarities between this tune and parts of “Farewell to Ireland”
https://thesession.org/tunes/33

There may well be something in that.

“Maurice Manley’s”

X: 4
T: Maurice Manley’s
M: 2/4
L: 1/8
R: polka
K: Ador
|: A/G/ |\
EA A>B | cd e2 | G/A/G/F/ G>A | GE ED |
EA- A>B | cd e>f | g/f/e dB | A2 A :|
|: B/d/ |\
ea a>b | a/b/a/g/ ef | g>f ga | ge ed |
ea- a>b | ag ef | ge dG | A2- A :|

PVB session playlist ~ with some adjustments

X: 1
T: Maurice Manley’s Polka
M: 2/4
L: 1/8
R: polka
K: Ador
|: EA AB | cd e2 | G>F GA | GE ED |
EA AB | B/c/d ef | g/f/e dB | A2 A2 :|
|: a>g ab | ag ef | g>f ga | ge d2 |
ea ab | ag ef | ge dB | A2 A2 :|

X: 2
T: Ballydesmond, The!
M: 2/4
L: 1/8
R: polka
K: Ador
|: c2 Bc/B/ | AB/A/ G>A | Bd ed | g2 gd |
e/g/a ge | dB GA/B/ | ce dB | A2 A2 :|
|: ea ag/e/ | dg ge/d/ | ea ab | g2 ed |
ea g/a/g/e/ | dB GA/B/ | ce dB | A2 A2 :|

https://thesession.org/tunes/239

X: 5 “The Ballydesmond Polka” No. 2 in a set of 3

B: “Learn to Play the Tin Whistle with Armagh Pipers Club, Part 2”
Published by Armagh Pipers Club
Printed by The Appletree Press, Ltd., Belfast, 1979
Music transcriptions: Eithne Vallely
Introduction: John B. Vallely

page 12 - transcription #20: The Ballydesmond Polkas (a set of 3)

Written out as 4/4 I’ve converted the transcription to the usual 2/4…

Maurice Manley’s

This is another tune that I found in my collection that wasn’t in the “session” files. I play flute, and this is a nice simple tune for the instrument.

Two of The Ballydesmond polkas as a set

Learned these from a session that used to meet in Rochester, MI, USA. Like the segue and prefer these versions though not much different than those already posted.

X: 1
T: The Ballydesmond #1
R: polka
M: 2/4
L: 1/8
K: Ador
|:EA AB|cd e2|G>F GA|GE (3E/F/E/D|
EA AB|cd ef|ge dB|AG A2:|
|:a2 a>b|ag ef|g>f ga|ge ed|
ea ab|ag ef|ge dB|A2 A2:|

X: 2
T: The Ballydesmond #2
R: polka
M: 2/4
L: 1/8
K: Ador
|:AB|c2 B2|A2 GA|Bd ed|g2 ed|
ea ge|dB GA/B/|ce dB|A2:|
|:cd|ea ag/e/|dg gd|ea ab|g2 ed|
ea ge|dB GA/B/|ce dB|A2:|

Re: The Ballydesmond

Alex’s setting is very close to Bob Bickerton’s, who is also from NZ.