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Din Tarrant’s polka

Also known as Din Tarrant’s No. 5, Din Terrant’s, Jim Keefe’s, Jim Keefe’s #2, Jim Keefe’s No. 2, Jim Keeffe’s, Jim Keeffe’s #2, Jim Keeffe’s No. 2, Mert Plunkett’s, O’Keefe’s, O’Keeffe’s, Sliabh Luachra.

There are 8 recordings of this tune.

Din Tarrant’s has been added to 3 tune sets.

Din Tarrant's has been added to 29 tunebooks.

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Six settings

1
X: 1
T: Din Tarrant's
R: polka
M: 2/4
L: 1/8
K: Gmaj
D|G2 G>A|B>A B/c/d|GB dB|AG ED|
G2 G>A|B>A B/c/d|e/f/g fg|AG G:|
|:A|Bd de/f/|g>f ed|Bd de/f/|gB A2|
Bd de/f/|g>f ed|B/c/d Bd|BG G:|
2
X: 2
T: Din Tarrant's
R: polka
M: 2/4
L: 1/8
K: Gmaj
BG GB|cA Bc|BG~G2|Bc Ac|
BG GB|cA Bd|e/f/g dc|BG GA:|
Bd df|gf ed|Bd df|gd Ac|
Bd df|gf ed|e/f/g dc|BG GA|
Bd df|gf ed|(3efg fa g>a|bg af|
gf ed|e/f/g dc|BG GA||
3
X: 3
T: Din Tarrant's
R: polka
M: 2/4
L: 1/8
K: Gmaj
G2 G>A|B>A B<d|G2 G>A|Bd A2|
G2 G>A|B>A B<d|(3efg d>c|BG G2:|
Bd de/f/|gd ed|Bd de/f/|gB A2|
Bd de/f/|gd ed|(3efg d>c|BG G2:|
4
X: 4
T: Din Tarrant's
R: polka
M: 2/4
L: 1/8
K: Gmaj
D|:GE/F/ GA|BG/A/ Bd|GB dB|A/B/A/G/ ED|
GE/F/ GA|B>A Bd|e/f/g fg|1 AG GD:|2 AG G2||
|:Bd de/f/|gf ed|Bd de/f/|gB A2|
Bd de/f/|gf ed|B/c/d B/c/d|1 BG G2:|2 BG GD||
5
X: 5
T: Din Tarrant's
R: polka
M: 2/4
L: 1/8
K: Gmaj
D|:G>G GA|B>A Bd|G>B dB|AG ED|
G>G GA|B>A Bd|e/f/g fg|1 AG GD:|2 AG G2||
|:Bd de/f/|gf ed|B/c/d de/f/|gB A2|
Bd de/f/|gf ed|B/c/d B/c/d|1 BG G2:|2 BG GD||
6
X: 6
T: Din Tarrant's
R: polka
M: 2/4
L: 1/8
K: Gmaj
|:G>F GA|B>A Bd|G>B dB|AG ED|
G>F GA|B>A Bd|e/f/g fg|1 BG GB/A/:|2 BG Gd/c/||
|:Bd de/f/|gf ed|Bd de/f/|gB AG/A/|
Bd de/f/|gf ed|B/c/d B/c/d|1 BG Gd/c/:|2 BG GB/A/||

Twelve comments

So where did you get it, kjlowe? Did you learn it from a record, from a friend, from a book?

This polka has its roots in a tune known in Scotland by various names, including "Wha Wadna Fecht for Charlie?" and "Wha Saw the Forty Second?". I have it somehwre on an English Morris dance tunes record under the name "The March Past".

Another Gan Ainm, sorry !

This is a tune recorded by Kieran O’Hare, after Old Dudeen and Mc Govern’s reels.

Wha Wadna Fecht for Charlie

The Scottish connection is there, slainte - buried deep inside is a very common march tune variously called "Wha Wouldna Fecht for Charlie", "Wha Saw the Forty Second". (I belive you may have learnt that tune in my class, although a slightly different version.)

X: 1
T: Wha Wadna Fecht for Charlie
N: Transposed from D for comparison
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
K: Gmaj
G2 G>A B>AB<d | G2 G>A Bd A2 | G2 G>A B>AB<d | (3efg d>c BG G2 :|
Bd de/f/ gded | Bd de/f/ gB A2 | Bd de/f/ gded I (3efg d>c BG G2 :|

Nigel, I’m not very sure if I have learnt the march. I still remember most of the tunes you taught me, but it doesn’t sound familiar. Its title looks familiar, though.

The nameless reel pivert transcribed indeed seems to be related to Wha Wadna Fecht for Charlie. Even if not, it would work better as a march, or even a polka!

Music at Matt Molloys

I don’t know where kjlowe got it from, but it appears on Music at Matt Molloy’s https://thesession.org/recordings/52 , track 20, accompanying the Westport Set Dancers.

I heard the Morris version of it a couple of nights ago and commented that it was a Scottish tune, but the other players wouldn’t have it and insisted that the Scots must have picked it up on holiday in the Cotswolds.

Nigel - You made comments on a related reel a few years ago:
https://thesession.org/tunes/11062

Din Tarrant’s polka

Thanks, CreadurMawnOrganig. I have a thing about people posting tunes and not saying anything about where they got them.

Re: Din Tarrant’s

Din Tarrant was a Sliabh Luachra fiddle player would have been in the era of Padraig o Keeffe Denis Murphy etc there are two polkas attributed to him they are also known as the Lonesome Polkas check out Jackie Daly and Éimhear Flannery on YouTube
https://youtu.be/SRcfFew5QyM