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Denis Murphy’s polka

Also known as The Boston, Charley O’Leary’s Favourite, The Connemara, Dennis Murphy’s, Sweeney’s, Sweeny’s, Sweeny’s Tjum Tjum, Teehan’s.

There are 134 recordings of a tune by this name.

A tune by this name has been recorded together with John Ryan’s (lots of times) and The Ballydesmond (lots of times).

Denis Murphy’s has been added to 37 tune sets.

Denis Murphy's has been added to 729 tunebooks.

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Seven settings

X: 1
T: Denis Murphy's
R: polka
M: 2/4
L: 1/8
K: Dmaj
f/g/f/e/ d>B|AD FA|GE e>d|cB (3BcB A|
f/g/f/e/ d>B|AD FA|GE e>f|1ed d2:|2 ed dB||
|:Af f/e/f|Ag g/f/g|Af f/e/g|e/f/e/d/ BA|
Af f/e/f|Ag ga|ba gc|1 dd B2:|2 ed d2||
# Added by Atk .
X: 2
T: Denis Murphy's
R: polka
M: 2/4
L: 1/8
K: Dmaj
f/g/f/e/ d/e/d/c/|AD FA|GE e>d|cB BA|
f/g/f/e/ d/e/d/c/|AF DF|GE e>f|1ed d>e:|2ed d>B||
|:Af f/e/f|Ag g/f/g|Af f/e/f|e/f/e/d/ BA|
Af f/e/f|Ag g/f/g/a/|bag>c|1 ed d> B:|2 ed d2||
X: 3
T: Denis Murphy's
R: polka
M: 2/4
L: 1/8
K: Cmaj
|:c2 cA | GE c2| EG cA |GE DC|
c2 cA | GE c2 | EG DE |DC C2:|
|:EG GE| FA AF |EG G>E| F/G/F/E/ DC|
EG GE| FA A>F |EG DE| DC C2:|
X: 4
T: Denis Murphy's
R: polka
M: 2/4
L: 1/8
K: Dmaj
f/g/f/e d>B|AD FA|GE e>f|ed BA|
f/g/f/e d>B|AD FA|GEe>f|ed d2:|
|:Af f/e/f|Bg g/f/g|Af f/e/f|e/f/e/d/ BA|
Af f/e/f|Bg ga|ba gc| ed d2:|
X: 5
T: Denis Murphy's
R: polka
M: 2/4
L: 1/8
K: Dmaj
|: f/g/f/e/ d/c/d/B/ | AD F>A | G/F/E ed | cB c/B/A |
ff/e/ d>B | AD F2 | GE ef | ed d2 :|
|: Af f/^e/f | Ag g2 | Af- f/^e/f/d/ | e/f/e/d/ Bd/B/ |
Af- f/^e/f | Ag g>a | ba f/g/a/f/ | ed d2 :|
X: 6
T: Denis Murphy's
R: polka
M: 2/4
L: 1/8
K: Dmaj
|: e/ |f/g/f/e/ d/c/d/B/ | AD FA | GE e>d | cB BA |
f/g/f/e/ d/c/d/B/ | AD FA | GE e>f | ed d3/ :|
|: B/ |Af f/^e/f | Ag g/f/g | Af f/^e/f | e/f/e/d/ BA |
Af f/^e/f | Ag g/f/g/a/ | ba f/a/a/f/ | ed d3/ :|
X: 7
T: Denis Murphy's
R: polka
M: 2/4
L: 1/8
K: Dmaj
|: f>e d>B | AD FD | GE e>d | cB c/B/A |
ff/e/ d/e/d/B/ | AD FE/D/ | GE e>g |[1 fd d2 :|[2 fd d/e/d/B/ ||
|: Af f/e/f | Ag g/f/g | Af f2 | e/f/e/d/ Bd |
Af f/e/f | Ag g/f/g/a/ | ba fa/f/ |[1 ed d/e/d/B/ :|[2 ed d2 |]

Nineteen comments

Dennis Murphy`s polka

This is a tune that is played very often & most people know it.

Posted by .

I`ve changed it to read `hornpipe` because I have it written in 4/4 time but putting it as a polka it comes out in2/4 time.

Posted by .

I’ve changed it to read ‘polka’ because it is in 2/4 time.

Alternative (better) first bar

Use |fgfededB| instead of |fgfe d3B|, makes it more lively.

Name I think to be wrong

I have this tune on some sheet music naming it as Sweeney’s. But I think that’s incorrect since it’s not even vaguely similar to other Polka’s of that name that I’ve found.

You’ll find Sweeney’s at https://thesession.org/tunes/1549. It’s notated in G but I find it sounds much brighter in A. In fact the Chieftans recorded the two polkas (Sweeney’s in A followed by Denis Murphy’s) on one of their early albums and it makes for a great combination.

Dennis Murphy’s

I’ve come across the odd musician who played the second part of this tune as the first part.

The Elders

The Elders use this tune in their song "Story of a Fish." I love it.

Teehan’s Polka

I’ve know this song as Teehan’s Polka. Your version is nicer, but here’s mine:
X: 1
T: Teehan’s Polka
M: 2/4
L: 1/16
R: polka
K: Cmaj
|:c4c2A2 | G2E2 c4 | E2 G2 c2 A2 |G2 E2 D2 C2|
c4c2A2 | G2E2 c4 | E2 G2 D2 E2 |D2 C2 C4:|
|:E2 G2 G2 E2| F2 A2 A2 F2 |E2 G2 G3 E| FG FE D2 C2|
E2 G2 G2 E2| F2 A2 A3 F |E2 G2 D2 E2| D2 C2 C4:|

This Gan Ainm is Dennis Murphy’s.

Sounds exactly like Dennis Murphy’s to me.

Posted by .

A slightly different version

X: 1
T: Dennis Murphy’s
M: 2/4
L: 1/8
R: polka
K: Dmaj
fgfe d3B|A2D2F2A2|G2E2e3f|e2d2BA|
fgfed3B|A2D2F2A2|G2E2e3f|e2d2d4:|
|:A2f2fef2|B2g2gfg2|A2f2fef2|efedB2A2|
A2f2fef2|B2g2g2a2|b2a2g2c2| e2d2d2:|

“Dennis Murphy’s Polka” ~ Polka! ~ 2/4! ~ Duh! :-/

another way with it ~

X: 3
T: Dennis Murphy’s
M: 2/4
L: 1/8
R: polka
K: Dmaj
|: e/ |\
f/g/f/e/ d/c/d/B/ | AD F>A | GE ed | cB c/B/A |
f/g/f/e/ d/c/d/B/ | AD FA | GE e>f | ed d3/ :|
|: B/ |\
Af f/^e/f | Ag g/f/g | Af f/^e/f/d/ | e/f/e/d/ Bd/B/ |
Af f/^e/f | Ag g/f/g/a/ | ba f/g/a/f/ | ed d3/ :|

“Sweeney’s / Dennis Murphy’s Polka” ~ Bulmer & Sharpley

"Music From Ireland: Volume Two"
Dave Bulmer & Neil Sharpley, 1974
ISBN: 0-9503784-10
Page 19, tune #70 ~ "Sweeney’s"

with adjustments to original first and second endings, for example, from ~
[1 ed d>e :|[2 ed d>B || ~ to as given below ~

X: 4
T: Sweeney’s
B: "Music From Ireland: Volume Two", Bulmer & Sharpley, 1974, Page 19, tune #70
M: 2/4
L: 1/8
R: polka
K: DMaj
|: e/ |\
f/g/f/e/ d/c/d/B/ | AD FA | GE e>d | cB BA |
f/g/f/e/ d/c/d/B/ | AD FA | GE e>f | ed d3/ :|
|: B/ |\
Af f/^e/f | Ag g/f/g | Af f/^e/f | e/f/e/d/ BA |
Af f/^e/f | Ag g/f/g/a/ | ba f/a/a/f/ | ed d3/ :|

Denis Murphy’s Polka

In around 1958 fiddler Jackie Roche recorded this as "The Connemara Polka". He paired it with "The Munster Polka" which is well known in Scotland as "My Love She’s but a Lassie Yet".

X: 7 “Charley O’Leary’s Favourite”

S: “Jimmy Doyle & Dan O’Leary: Traditional Music From The Kingdom Of Kerry”
https://thesession.org/recordings/1247 ~ track 7 ~ the 2nd polka of two.

Q: 128 bpm (1 beat = three quavers/eighth notes)

I have also learned this one direct as well from other living sources and situations where the average tempos varied from 120 to 135 bpm (1 beat = three quavers/eighth notes)…

Q: 128 bpm (1 beat = one crotchet/quarter note)

1 beat = one crotchet/quarter note

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