Irish Traditional Music Tune Index
Tune ID#1062 (Knocknaboul Polka)
about these two barsThese two bars were transcribed by me from how this tune was played – the first time through – on the recording SatG (details in the Discography below).
| Rhythm ? | Bars | 8-bar phrase structure | Mode ? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Polka | 48 | AABBCC | G Major |
Knocknaboul Polka / The Knocknaboul / Knocknaboul / The Knocknaboul Polka (2) / The Knocknaboul #2 / Knocknabower Polka 2 (2nd in set Knocknaboul Polkas on SatG; mislabeled as Ballydesmond on ItS; for 1st figure of The West Kerry Set on JRSLCB 2; 1st in set The Blue Ribbon on NNC 2)
Discography
Here are all recordings of this tune considering only the indexed recordings. I have discovered by careful listening that these sources are in fact musically the same tune, regardless of the tune titles they use, key changes, retuning, etc.
Click 
to hear the first 12 seconds.
to hear the first 12 seconds.| Year Recorded |
Track #Tune? |
[Album code] Artist. Title. Performers (instruments). |
|---|---|---|
| ~1969 | 13#2 | [SatG] Denis Murphy and Julia Clifford. The Star above the Garter. Fiddle music from Kerry, played by Denis Murphy and Julia Clifford. Denis Murphy (fiddle), Julia Clifford (fiddle). |
| ~1977 | 11#1 | [ItS] In the Smoke. Julia Clifford (fiddle). |
| 1995 | 8#2 | [JK 2] James Kelly and Zan McLeod. The Ring Sessions. James Kelly (fiddle), Zan McLeod (guitar, bouzouki). |
| ~1998 | 13#2 | [JRSLCB 2] Johnny Reidy and the Sliabh Luachra Ceili Band. Music for Set Dancing Vol. II. Johnny Reidy (accordion). |
| ~2000 | 8#3 | [DH 3] Dan Herlihy and John Drew. The Ballydesmond Polka. Traditional Irish Music from Sliabh Luachra Played By Dan Herlihy and John Drew. Dan Herlihy (accordion), John Drew (mandocello). |
| 2003 | 15#3 | [CSmth] Chris Smith with Roger Landes and Randal Bays. Coyotebanjo. Chris Smith (banjo, mandola, mandolin, field organ), Roger Landes (bouzouki), Randal Bays (fiddle). |
| ~2010 | 11#1 | [NNC 2] Niamh Ní Charra. Súgach Sámh / Happy Out. Niamh Ní Charra (fiddle, concertina, vocals, viola). For this tune: (concertina). |
Bibliography
Here are all transcriptions of this tune considering only the indexed books, listed in chronological order. I have discovered by careful comparison that these are very similar to this tune as played on the recordings listed above.
| On page 132 of [RM] Randy Miller and Jack Perron. Irish Traditional Fiddle Music. |
| As tune #21#2 in volume 2 of [LPTW] Eithne Vallely. Learn to Play the Tin Whistle. |
| As tune #50 in [Cr] Matt Cranitch. The Irish Fiddle Book. |
| As tune #281 in [JOL] Terry Moylan. Johnny O'Leary of Sliabh Luachra. Dance Music from the Cork-Kerry Border. |
| As polka #23 in [Cobb] Dan Cobb. Cobb's Music of Ireland. |
If you are considering using the above transcriptions to help you learn this tune, I invite you to check these practical Tips for Learning Irish Traditional Music. See also: So why do you bother indexing books and abc?
Year of the oldest source for this tune, considering the recordings and transcriptions listed above (note that I concentrate on sources after 1900): 1969