Muirsheen Durkin polka

Discussion: Nora Daly AKA Musheen Durkin
# Posted on May 7th 2008 by belfastfifer
https://thesession.org/discussions/17711

It is also played in D up an octave ~ including high c‘ & d’…

U-Tube: Luke Kelly & The Dubliners have a go at it…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rhpb_-QGPQ0

play video

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muirsheen_Durkin

In the days I went a courting, I was never tired of sporting
To the alehouse and the playhouse and many’s the house besides,
So I told me brother Seamus I’d go off and go right famous
And before I’d return again I’d roam the whole world wide.

Chorus:
So goodbye, Muirsheen Durkin, I’m sick and tired of working,
No more I’ll dig the praties, no longer I’ll be poor.
For as sure as me name is Carney I’ll be off to California,
Where instead of digging praties I’ll be digging lumps of gold.

I’ve courted girls in Blarney, in Kanturk, and in Killarney
In Passage, and in Queenstown--that is, the Cobh of Cork.
But goodbye to all this pleasure, for I’m going to take me leisure
And the next time that you hear from me will be a letter from New York.

Chorus

Goodbye to all the boys at home, I’m sailing far across the foam
To try to make me fortune in far America,
For there’s silver there aplenty for the poor man and the gentry
And when I do come back again I never more will stray.

Chorus

As well as this melody having lyrics to it the title is also the name given to a step dance that was danced to the tune of the same name… A handful of lovely steps, I only came across it in the North but never had it together enough to write the steps down… Does anyone else out there remember anything about it?

This is a melody/song that exists, or existed, in both a straight and a swung form, more or less… I’ve also heard it straight and with repeats ~ AB, ABB, AABB…

Surely the second line of the chorus goes “…no longer I’ll be TOLD.” ?
Well, it rhymes that way, anyway.

CHORUS:
Goodbye Muirsheen Durkin sure I’m sick and tired of workin’
No more I’ll dig the praties and no longer I’ll be fooled
As sure’s me name is Carney I’ll be off to California
Where instead of diggin‘ praties I’ll be diggin’ lumps of gold

CHORUS:
So goodbye, Muirsheen Durkin, I’m sick and tired of working,
No more I’ll dig the praties, no longer I’ll be fool.
For as sure as me name is Carney I’ll be off to California,
Where instead of diggin‘ praties I’ll be diggin’ lumps of gold.


And here’s something just to irritate the hell out of yeez!!!
http://www.mojairlandia.pl/muzyka/lyrics/muirshen.htm

Don’t go blaming me, I tried to warn yuh!!! After all, anyone could see the .pl at the end of the home address… What were you expecting? 😎

In the original submission I had also included a take once through in G, with other possibilities, but alas it is no more… What survives is twice through in D…

If you play this melody in reel time, it is “The Pretty Girls of Mayo.”

Key signature: G Major
Submitted on September 7th 2003 by lazyhound.
https://thesession.org/tunes/1954

Nice one blarneystar, I love the connection…

I realized, after thinking on it and checking my notes, that what was danced was a lark, taking steps from the following and trying to do them and sing at the same time, with more swing in interpretation, since we were also trying the two tunes together in a set. Daft, I know… 😏

“Maggie Pickens” / “An Chearc Ar Fad Is An TAnraith”
Key signature: G Major
Submitted on May 20th 2004 by hetty.
https://thesession.org/tunes/3041

Ted Furey knew this tune under the name of “Mrs. Dirkin” and used to play it with two other famous polkas in the setting that follows :
1 - Maggie in the wood
2 - Rakes of Mallow
3 - Mrs Dirkin
Thus, the name of the set : The three Maggies
It can be heard on “Special instrumental - Le fiddle irlandais” for those who can find the vinyl edition. I don’t think it has never been released on CD.

well spotted Blarneystar, this is also akin to Sweeney’s reel https://thesession.org/tunes/3915 which is essentially the same tune again.

muirnín, m. (gs. ~, pl. ~í). Darling, beloved, sweetheart. Mo mhuirnín dílis, my dearly beloved, my own true love. ~ a mháthar, his mother’s pet. A mhuirnín, my darling, my dear.

Nice addition Brendan, very much appreciated…