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John McKenna’s polka

Also known as Up And Away.

There are 26 recordings of this tune.

This tune has been recorded together with

John McKenna’s appears in 1 other tune collection.

John McKenna’s has been added to 14 tune sets.

John McKenna's has been added to 95 tunebooks.

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Two settings

1
X: 1
T: John McKenna's
R: polka
M: 2/4
L: 1/8
K: Gmaj
|:d2 B2|B/A/B/c/ BD|A>B A/F/D/F/|AG G/A/B/c/|
d2 B2|B/A/B/c/ BD|A>B A/F/D/F/|AG G2:|
|:b/a/g/f/ a/g/f/e/|dB B/A/B/c/|dA A/G/A/B/|dG G2|
b/a/g/f/ a/g/f/e/|dB B/A/B/c/|dA A/G/A/B/|~AG G2:|
2
X: 2
T: John McKenna's
R: polka
M: 2/4
L: 1/8
K: Gmaj
|:B/|d2 B>^A|B/A/B/c/ BD|A>B A/F/D/F/|AG G/A/B/c/|
dB B2|BB/c/ BD|AA/B/ A/F/D/F/|AG G3/2:|
|:a/|b/a/g/f/ a/g/f/e/|dB B/^A/B|dA A/^G/A|DG G/F/G|
b/a/g/f/ af/e/|dB B/^A/B/c/|dA A/^G/A/F/|DG G3/2:|

Nine comments

John McKenna’s Polka

Cool polka, also a Scoiltrad lesson (flute, beginner). To be played with a very relaxed, lazy feel, no ornamentation.

For the metronomically inclined, i’d say 1/4=96

Polka set

The Chieftains play this one (although they don’t name it) in a set of polkas with “The Britches Full Of Stitches” before segueing into some jigs and slides - their famous mix‘n’match style at work.

Not the one in Easter Snow

This is not the John McKenna’s in Easter Snow (Seamus Tansey); that one is a jig.

The descending run which introduces the second part sounds like the first bars of this famous session reel:
M: 2/2
K: Dmaj
fedf edcB|A2FA DAFA B2GB EBGB… (which name I’ve just forgot!)

@birlibirdie

St Anne’s reel

Re: John McKenna’s

Good version of this polka was recorded by Monks Of The Screw (album Brathar Na NOl) with Goblachan polka, but on album polka don’t have name.