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John Brosnan’s polka

Also known as Brosna No.2, The Brosna, Dan Callahan’s, Johnny O’Leary’s, Johnny O’Leary’s #2, Johnny O’Leary’s No 2, Johnny O’Leary’s No.2, Nell Fee’s, Nell Fees, Nell Fees’, The Newmarket, Sean Hennigan’s.

There are 5 recordings of a tune by this name.

John Brosnan’s has been added to 5 tune sets.

John Brosnan's has been added to 83 tunebooks.

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Seven settings

X: 1
T: John Brosnan's
R: polka
M: 2/4
L: 1/8
K: Gmaj
|:G2 g>e|dB Be|dB GA|BA AB|G2 g>e|dB Be|dB AB|1 GDEF:|2 G2 Bd||
|:ga/g/ fg|ed Bd|ga/g/ fg|e3f|g2 fg|ed Be|dB AB|G2 Bd:|
|:g2 a2|b3a|gf ef|g3d|ef/e/ dB|ef/e/ dB|dB AB|1 G2 Bd:|2 G2GF||
X: 2
T: John Brosnan's
R: polka
M: 2/4
L: 1/8
K: Dmaj
|:D2DB|AFFB|AFDE|FEEF|D2DB|AFFB|AFEF|1 DA,B,C:|2 D2D2||
|:d2cd|BAFA|d2cd|B2Bc|d2cd|BAFB|AFEF|D2D2:|
|:d2e2|f2fe|d2Bc|d2dA|Bc/B/ AF|Bc/B/ AF|AFEF|D2D2:|
X: 3
T: John Brosnan's
R: polka
M: 2/4
L: 1/8
K: Gmaj
|: D EF |G2 Ge | dB Be | dB GG/A/ | BA AB/A/ |
G>F Ge | dB Be | dB AB/A/ | G :|
|: d ef |ga/g/ fd | ed BG | ga/g/ f/e/d | e2 ef |
g2 f2 | ed BG | A>^G AB/A/ | G :|
|: A B/c/d |g2 a^g/a/ | b>c’ ba | gf ef | g2 gd |
eg/e/ dB | eg/e/ dB | dB AB/A/ | G :|
X: 4
T: John Brosnan's
R: polka
M: 2/4
L: 1/8
K: Dmaj
|: D |G2 Ge | dB Be | dB G>A | BA A2 |
G>F Ge | dB Be | dB AF | G2- G :|
|: f |g2 fd | ed BG | ga/g/ fd | e2 ef |
g2 f2 | ed BG | A>^G AB | G2- G :|
|: d |g2 a2 | b2- ba | g>f ef | g2- gd |
e2 dB | eg/e/ dB | dB AF | G2- G :|
X: 5
T: John Brosnan's
R: polka
M: 2/4
L: 1/8
K: Dmaj
|: [A,A] |D2 DB | AF FB | AF D>E | FE G/F/E/[C/F/] |
D3/[C/E/] DB | AF F2 | AF EF/E/ | D2 D :|
|: c |d2 cd/c/ | BA F>A | d2 c2 | B2 AB/c/ |
de/d/ c2 | BA F>B | AF E[CF] | D2 D :|
|: A |d2 e2 | f/g/f/e/ f>e | d2 A/B/c | d2- dA |
Bc/B/ AF | Bd/B/ A>F | AF E/D/[CF] | D2- D :|
X: 6
T: John Brosnan's
R: polka
M: 2/4
L: 1/8
K: Dmaj
|: A, |D>C DB | AF- F>B | AF DE | FE EF/E/ |
D2 DB | AF FB | AF EF | D2 D :|
|: F/A/ |d2 cA | BA F/G/A | de/d/ c d/c/ | B2 Bc |
d2 c2 | BA FD | AF EF | D2- D :|
|: F/A/ |dc/d/ ed/e/ | f2- fe | dA Bc | d2 dA |
B2 AF | B/c/d/B/ AF | G/F/E EF | D2- D :|
X: 7
T: John Brosnan's
R: polka
M: 2/4
L: 1/8
K: Dmaj
|:D>D DB|AF2B|AF D>E|FEE2|D>D DB|AF2B|AFEF|D3A :|
|:d2cd|BAFA|d2cd|B3c|d2cd|BAFB|AFEF|D3A:|
|:d2e2|f3f|edBc|d3A|Bc/B/ AF|Bc/B/ AF|AFEF|D3A:|

Fourteen comments

John Brosnan’s (Polka)

I thought this great polka was already posted on this site, but it seems not. (Sorry if I’m wrong.) I learned it from Hammy Hamilton’s flute playing, while a very similar version of it was also recorded by Lunasa. Brosnan himself recorded a slightly different version in D major.

I remember the sleeve notes of Brosnan’s recording say it originally comes from the playing of John O’Leary or Padraig O’Keeffe.

John Brosnan’s (Polka)

Also played in D.
I thought it was already posted here ( in D )…

I love this tune.

Posted by .

D major setting of the tune John Brosnan himself recorded:

K: Dmaj
D2DB|AFFB|AFDE|FEEF|
D2DB|AFFB|AFEF|1 DA,B,C:|2 D2D2||
d2cd|BAFA|d2cd|B2Bc|
d2cd|BAFB|AFEF|D2D2:|
d2e2|f2fe|d2Bc|d2dA|
Bc/B/ AF|Bc/B/ AF|AFEF|D2D2:|

Brosna No.2

I’ve come across this tune in Carlow, played in D as noted by Slainte and called the Brosna Polka No.2.

Why might it be called Brosna No. 1?

“The Newmarket Polka” / “Johnny O’Leary’s” / “John Brosnan’s” / ~ etc…

Key signature: G Major
Submitted on October 20th 2008 by ceolachan.
~ /tunes/9022

Rescuing my own duplication ~ :-/

X: 3
T: Johnny O’Leary’s
T: John Brosnan’s
T: Newmarket, The
T: etc…
M: 2/4
L: 1/8
R: polka
K: Gmaj
|: D EF |\
G2 Ge | dB Be | dB GG/A/ | BA AB/A/ |
G>F Ge | dB Be | dB AB/A/ | G :|
|: d ef |\
ga/g/ fd | ed BG | ga/g/ f/e/d | e2 ef |
g2 f2 | ed BG | A>^G AB/A/ | G :|
|: A B/c/d |\
g2 a^g/a/ | b>c’ ba | gf ef | g2 gd |
eg/e/ dB | eg/e/ dB | dB AB/A/ | G :|

~ another take on the C-part,
avoiding the high c’ & other possibilities ~

|: A Bd |\
g2 a2 | b2- ba | g>f ef | g2- gd |
e2 dB | eg/e/ dB | dB AF | G :|

Down a 4th to D Major ~ & the problem with this site & some ABCs

X: 4
T: Johnny O’Leary’s
T: John Brosnan’s
T: Newmarket, The
T: etc…
M: 2/4
L: 1/8
R: polka
K: Dmaj
|: A,2 |\
D>C DB | AF- F>B | AF DE | FE EF/E/ |
D2 DB | AF FB | AF EF | D2 D :|

Continued ~ part B ~ some ABC is being blocked

|: F/A/ |\
d2 cA | BA F/G/A | de/d/ c d/c/ | B2 Bc |
d2 c2 | BA FD | AF EF | D2- A :|

C + d/c/ was blocked!? Here’s part C

|: F/A/ |\
d2 ed/e/ | f2 fe | dA Bc | d2 dA |
Bd/B/ AF | Bd/B/ AF | GF EF | D2- D :|

Re: John Brosnan’s

The tune is generally known as Nell Fees, or John Brosnans ,they used to be known as Padraig oKeefes

John Brosnan’s, X:7

As given to me by Tom Lockney, who got it from Mike Gregory, who transcribed it from a CD by Creagh & Coffey.