The Ballydesmond polka

All three of the Ballydesmond polkas are from playing of Denis Murphy and
Julia Clifford. They are usually played as a set.

This was transcribed by Jack Walsh.

I only play #1 and #2 as a set (#2 is also known as Maurice Manley’s) and
I play them quite slowly with a strong lilting polka feeling (stress on the
first beat of each bar). They work at "session speed", too, but some of
their haunting beauty is lost, I think.

Nice tune! Here’s my version, with some minor variations and a different ending for the second part.

X: 1
T: Ballydesmond Polka
Z: Tommy McCarty
S: The Chieftains
D: Water from the Well
M: 2/4
L: 1/8
R: Polka
K: Dmix
A2AG|Ad dB|c>B cG|EF G/A/B|A2AG|Ad dB|c>B cG|EDD2:|
ed ^cd|e^cd2|ed ^cd|ea ag|ed ^cd|e^cd2|AB cd|e^cd2|
ed ^cd|e^cd2|ed ^cd|ef~g2|af ge|fd e^c|AB ^cd|e^cd2|

K:Dmix
A>B AG|Ad dc|AA/B/ cE|EF GF/G/|
A>B AG|Ad d/e/d/c/|A>B cE|ED D2:|
ed c>d|ed cd|ed c>d|ea a/b/a/g/|
ed c>d|ed cB|AB cd|1 ef g>f:|
2 ef g2|
e/f/g dB|ce d>c|A>B cE|ED D2||

this is no. 69 from henrich norbeks site


A>B AG|EF GE|A>B AG|Ad d/e/d/c/|A>B AG|EF G2|AB cE|ED D2:|
Ad d>d|ed c>d|ed cd|ea a/b/a/g/|ed c>d|ed c2|A>B cd|ef g>f|
ed ^cd|eA B/^c/d|ed ^cd|ea a/b/a/g/|e/f/g d>B|ce dB|AB cE|ED D2||
"Version 2:"
A>B AG|EF GE|A>B AG|Ad d^c|A>B AG|EF G2|AB cE|ED D2:|
ed B/^c/d|eA B/^c/d|ed ^cd|ea a>g|ed ^cd|ed ^cd|A>B ^cd|ef g>f|
ed ^cd|eA B/^c/d|ed ^cd|ea a>g|e/f/g d>B|ce d>B|AB cE|ED D2||

A slightly different version is here https://thesession.org/tunes/3681

Here’s how Seamus begley plays it on the Meiteal CD. Not delighful modulation to A major in B part -

X: 1
T: Ballydesmond, The
M: 2/4
L: 1/8
R: polka
K: Ador
|:A>B AG|EF GE|A>B AG|Ad dc|
A>B AG|EF G2|AB cE|ED D2:|
ed ^cd |eA B/^c/d|ed ^cd|ea a>g|
ed ^cd|ed ^cd|A3B cd|ef gf|
ed ^cd |eA B/^c/d|ed ^cd|ea a>g |
(3efg d>B|ce d>B|AB cE|ED D2||

Errm , that should be "Note delightful modulation ….’

X: 1
T: Ballydesmond, The
M: 2/4
L: 1/8
R: polka
K: DMix
|: A>B AG | EF GE | A>B AG | Ad d/e/d/c/ |
A>B AG | EF G2 | AB cE | ED D2 :|
Ad d2 | ed c2 | ed cd | ea a/b/a/g/ |
ed c2 | ed c2 | A>B cd | ef g>f |
ed cd | eA cd | e>d cd | ea a/b/a/g/ |
e/f/g d>B | ce d>B | AB cE | ED D2 |]

This is not one of the ones numbered 1, 2 & 3 on the CCE Foinn Seisiún CD 1

Where did I see this, labeled Ballydesmond #0? Here..??

I don’t have the Chieftains’ album, Water from the Well, on which they "roam the regions of Ireland" – but it’d be swell if someone could confirm that this is indeed one of the polkas on Track 14, Ballyfin Polkas..

Could someone with the album please check out Track 14?
TIA !!

There are strong similarities to the 2nd polka in that set, but I wouldn’t like to say categorically that it’s the same tune.

Well, as Kenny notes, it may have similarities but Paddy has ‘arranged’ it that much that it’s now different enough to have a place of its own on site here. Having just added #1, I’ll add a transcription for #2 later. But for now here’s the first 4 bars/measures for the B-parts of both tunes for comparison, this one first ~

"The Ballydesmond Polka" ~ K: DMix
|: ed d2 | ed c2 | ed ^cd | ea a/b/a/g/ | ~

"The Ballyfin Polka" ~ K:
|: ed c/^c/d | e^c d2 | ed c/^c/d | ea a>g | ~

X: 3
T: Ballydesmond Polka, The
M: 2/4
L: 1/8
R: polka
K: DMix
|: A>B AG | EF GE | A>B AG | Ad d/e/d/c/ |
A>B AG | EF GE | AB cE | ED D2 :|
ed d2 | ed c2 | ed ^cd | ea a/b/a/g/ |
[1 ed d>f | ed c>B | A>B cd | ef g>f :|
[2 e/f/g dB | ce d>B | AB cE | ED D2 |]

Submitted on January 20th 2012 by ceolachan.
https://thesession.org/tunes/11708

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, and from D Major to D Mixolydian…

1 ~ you’re here already 😉
# Added by Bloomfield - September 29th, 2001

2 ~ https://thesession.org/tunes/238
# Added by Jeremy - August 16th, 2001

3 ~ https://thesession.org/tunes/239
# Added by Jeremy - August 16th, 2001

Here’s a video with all three of the Balleydesmond Polkas:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ApBYddztPZI

play video

Here are some chords.

Just added a tune called "Rainy Night Under The Bridge" that’s very similar (so similar that perhaps it should just be merged as a setting and additional name on this tune):

https://thesession.org/tunes/15498

From the playing of Molly’s Revenge, on their album Trio.

Re The Chieftains ‘Water From The Well’: I have the DVD, and track 4 is the Ballyfin Polkas, not Ballydesmond.

From the playing of North Cregg.