The Ballyfin polka

Also known as The Ballydesmond, The Ballyfin #2, The Ballyfin No. 2, The Ballyfin Polka #2, The Ballyfin Polka No. 2, The Ballyfin Polkas #2, The Ballyfin Polkas No. 2, The Ballyfin Polkas, Donncha Lynch’s.

There are 4 recordings of this tune.

The Ballyfin has been added to 2 tune sets.

The Ballyfin has been added to 52 tunebooks.

Download ABC

Two settings

1
X: 1
T: The Ballyfin
R: polka
M: 2/4
L: 1/8
K: Dmix
A2AG|Ad dB|cB cE|EF GE|
A2AG|Ad dB|cB cE|EDD2:|
ed ^cd|e^cd2|ed ^cd|ea ag|
ed ^cd|e^c d2|AB ^cd|e^cd2:|
2
X: 2
T: The Ballyfin
R: polka
M: 2/4
L: 1/8
K: Dmix
|:A2 A>^G|Ad dB|c>B cG|EF G/F/G|
A2 A>^G|Ad dB|c>B cE|ED D2:|
|:ed c/^c/d|e^c d2|ed c/^c/d|
[1 ea a>g|ed c/^c/d|e^c d2|AB c/^c/d|e^c d2:|
[2 ea a>^g|af g/f/e|fd e/d/^c|AB c/^c/d|e^c d2||

Fifteen comments

Name of Polka

This polka is the second polka in a polka medley titled “Ballyfin Polkas” recorded by The
Chieftains in their CD WATER FROM THE WELL

The other two polkas in “Ballyfin Polkas”

Thanks for posting this one!

The other two are “Gurteen Cross” (already here on thesession.org) and “Peggy Ryan’s Fancy” (in Henrik Norbeck’s tune collection elsewhere on the web).

I found a variation of yours also in Norbeck’s collection, entitled “Ballydesmond Polka” with the alternate title “Donncha Lynch’s” (#69 in his polka listing).

Anyone got the chords for ballydesmonds polka Dmix

Its the one cooney and begley play its hard to suss out a tonality for it especially the B part as it just seems to drift from one thing to another

Re: Anyone got the chords for ballydesmonds polka Dmix

Irish tunes don’t have specific chords that go with them … though they do have keys and modes…

just play whatever feels right and make sure it is tasty.

Whatever you do, don’t play an ascending scale of chords, or you are sure to get a look from at least one musician who is sick of that progression 😎.

Re: Anyone got the chords for ballydesmonds polka Dmix

Not the answer i was looking for sorry.

Im ok at backing and have knowledge of modes keys but this tune is just a white elephant.

Re: Anyone got the chords for ballydesmonds polka Dmix

OK, can you show me the dots via a link, I’ll make a recording for you with some chords and the tune.

--Eliot

Chords to the B part

On the Chieftains‘ recording of this polka, the A part is chorded in D mix, and the B part in D major (as suggested by the C#’s in the melody). Therefore the A part is dominated by D and C chords, and the B part by A and D chords. Odd, but cool.

or vice versa?

Getting more confused how many of these are there ?

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

“The Balyfin Polka No. 2”

This is the second polka of the set called “Ballyfin Polkas”, track 14 of:

“The Chieftains: Water from the Well”
https://thesession.org/recordings/192

Should it have been in the ‘comments’? ~ It’s already here twice in one form or t’other 😏

“The Ballydesmond Polka”
Submitted on September 29th 2001 by Bloomfield.
https://thesession.org/tunes/298
https://thesession.org/tunes/298/comments

“The Ballydesmond Polka”
Submitted on October 11th 2004 by Jane Scott.
https://thesession.org/tunes/3681

Hmmmmmm? 😎