The Cobbler’s polka

This tune is really in F#m but wasn’t an option on the input screen. It’s also commonly played in Em, (moved down a 5th) at any rate it’s one of the most exciting polka’s I know & can lift any session out of the mud at polka time.

I think ‘John O’Leary’s’ is the name of this tune, but I’m not sure. As a friend of mine says, “Anyone who knows the names of polkas is a $#@!”

Have fun with this one

I love that quote, Brad. I’m going to have to use it -- since I can’t seem to remember the which name of which polka goes with which tune! *giggle*

Zina

Now I’m going to be a $#@! This tune is a close relative of a polka known as O’Keefe’s, which really is in Bminor. But I’ve noticed, it’s hard to find an Irish polka that doesn’t have an echo of some other tune in it.

This is one of my favorite tunes (and this from a guy who gnashes his teeth at most polkas!), learned off a Cherish the Ladies cd--great version there. They start out slow, as an air more or less, then crank it up and adding some brilliant 1/16 runs.

I usually play the 2nd and 6th measures of the B part as:
|fe f/a/f/e|

What was the justification for this being given the alternative title of “The Lament For Staker Wallace”? Could it be removed,please?

I learnt this from Nuala Kennedy as “Josephine Marsh’s” and I subsequently found it as “Din Tarrant’s” and “The Cobbler” (the last recorded by Julia and Billy Clifford).

The following three settings are from a duplication of this tune and other offerings in the comments for it:

“The Cobbler Polka”
Submitted on June 10th 2006 by new-strings.
https://thesession.org/tunes/5849

K: b minor
|: B>c |
dB bB | de f>e | dB bB | c/B/A/c/ e>c |
dB bB | de f>e | de f/e/d | B2 :|
|: B2 |
f2 ba | fe f>e | dB bB | c/B/A/c/ e2 |
f2 ba | fe f>e | de f/e/d | B2 :|

K: e minor
|: E>F |
GE BE | GA B>A | GE BE | F/E/D/F/ A>F |
GE BE | GA B>A | GA B/A/G | E2 :|
|: E2 |
B2 ed | BA B>A | GE BE | F/E/D/F/ A2 |
B2 ed | BA B>A | GA B/A/G | E2 :|

# Posted on June 10th 2006 by new-strings

K: b minor
|: fB bB | de f>e | dB bB | c/B/A/c/ e/g/f/e/ |
fB bB | de f2 | ff f/e/d | B2 B2 :|
|:ff/f/ ba | fe fe | dB bB | c/B/A/c/ e/g/f/e/ |
|ff/f/ ba | fe fe | ff f/e/d | B2 B2 :|

# Posted on June 25th 2006 by Clifardo Albrechto

On their ‘Barefoot On the Alter’ album, Chulrua play this in Am and call it “High Point Polka”:

X: 2
T: High Point Polka
S: Chulrua, Barefoot On the Alter
Z: Nigel Gatherer
M: 2/4
L: 1/8
R: polka
K: Bmin
cA aA | cd e>d | cA aA | B/A/G/B/ de/d/ |
cA aA | cd e>d | cd e/d/c/B/ | A2 A2 :|
a2 ge | dc e>d | cA aA | B/A/G/B/ d2 |
a2 ge | dc e>d | cd e/d/c/B/ | A2 A2 :|

The tune immediately above should say K: Am.

I learned this polka, in Bm, a few years back from flute player Nuala Kennedy; she called it “Josephine Marsh’s” for want of a name. It can also be heard in its A minor form on Denis Doody’s album ‘Denis Doody Plays Kerry Music’ (1978) as “Din Tarrant’s”.

From Julia and Billy Clifford’s “Ceol As Sliabh Luachra,” called “The Cobbler.”

recorded by De Dannan on their ‘Mist Covered Mountain’ album, 1980, under the title - O’Keefe’s

Different setting transcribed from Julia Clifford’s playing on http://www.juliaclifford.eu

From the playing of Molly’s Revenge.

Related to The Gortnatubrid:
https://thesession.org/tunes/9961

And more distantly related to The Reculver Polca No. 3 (in one of the parts):
https://thesession.org/tunes/19001

From the playing of Matt Cunningham.

my transcription of De Danann’s version on Mist Covered Mountain (O’Keefe’s Polka)

Seamus Creagh & Matt Cranitch https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iCG4BG7k0kk

play video