Key signature: Gmajor
Submitted on October 19th 2004 by Susie-Lee.
This tune has been added to 54 tunebooks.
Also known as Andy Boyle's, Cathy's Favourite, The Hen Dance, The Kerry No. 1, The Kerry No.1, The Mist On The Glen, Pat Horgan's No. 1, Pat Horgan's No.1, The Varsouviana.
Recordings of a tune by this name:
X: 1
T: Shoe The Donkey
M: 2/4
L: 1/8
R: polka
K: Gmaj
|:G>A Bd|gf ed|eA A B|c d/2 c/2 BA|
G>A Bd|gf ed|ea ef|g2 g2:|
|:ae ae|ae e>f|gd gd|gd d>e|
ae ae|ae e>f|ge dB|A2 A2:|
Shoe the Donkey
I have it listed under Kerry polkas, but feel sure it's also called something else!
We play it with a barndance called the Barnyards of Dalgetty.
Although it looks easy, I find it's hard to get that authentic Sliabh Luachra lift to it.
# Posted on October 19th 2004 by Susie-Lee
I have this version as well and I play it for a dance with Mushin Durkin, though it could work with the barnyards of dalgetty
# Posted on October 19th 2004 by snowyowl
there is more than one way to shoe a donkey, you can put shoes on it or go shoo, shoo!
# Posted on October 19th 2004 by snowyowl
It sounds like a completely different tune to the mazurka version that I know
# Posted on October 19th 2004 by Johannes J
This is just name transference, as happens:
This is a standard polka in Irish tradition, though a variant, but not by much, mainly the key. See these:
Newmarket
http://www.thesession.org/tunes/display.php/330
Cathy's Favourite
http://www.thesession.org/tunes/display.php/531
# Posted on October 19th 2004 by ceolachan
I've known this one in three keys:
K:Ador (G)
|:G>A B/c/d|gf ed|eA AB|cd/c/ BA|
G>A Bd|gf ed|ea ef|g2 g2:|
ae ae|ae e>f|gd gd|gd d>e|
ae ae|ae e>f|g/f/e dB|A2 A2:|
K:Edor (D)
|:D>E FA|dc BA|BE EF|GA/G/ FE|
D>E F/G/A|dc BA|Be Bc|d2 d2:|
|:eB eB|eB B>c|dA dA|dA A>B|
eB eB|eB B>c|d/c/A AF|E2 E2:|
K:Bdor (A)
|:A>B ce|ag fe|fB Bc|d2 cB|
A>B ce|ag fe|fb fg|a2 a2:|
bf bf|bf f>g|ae ae|ae ef/g/|
bf bf|b/a/g f>g|af ec|B2 B2:|
I've used the same basic version of this melody with only a few variations...
# Posted on October 19th 2004 by ceolachan
It would be interesting, to me, to find out how it got this name Susie-Lee? Did you get it from a collection or did someone teach it to you by the name "Shoe the Donkey". If by getting that Sliabh Luachra lift you mean trying to sing any of the usual lyrics associated with the title and the Varsovienne to this polka, you're right - damned near impossible... I did try...
# Posted on October 19th 2004 by ceolachan
NOTE: 'The Newmarket'/'Dan Mack's' link given above, #330, is given as just an example, of my screw up. I was transcribing another version of it and my brain misfired. While you can see some similarities in structure they are different tunes...
# Posted on October 19th 2004 by ceolachan
This is definitely not "Shoe the Donkey" but a fairly well known Kerry polka. I've always considered it to be the Ballydesmond No 3 but it's also known as Andy Boyle's.
# Posted on October 19th 2004 by Bannerman
Toormore?
I agree with you there, Bannerman. I seem to recall "Bulmer & Sharpley" had it in one of their books, Vol.#4, maybe, as one of two "Toormore" polkas, but I could be wrong. Never heard it called "Shoe The Donkey", though.
# Posted on October 19th 2004 by Kenny
Delgaty
...and Susie-Lee - while they may well have barndances in Dalgetty, the song is "The Barnyards O'Delgaty", for instance as sung by Jock Duncan [Gordon's father ].
# Posted on October 19th 2004 by Kenny
Half a Dozen names at least:
Here's just a few samples of other notaries:
"Music of Ireland: Volume 3"
Bulmer & Sharpley, 1976
ISBN 0-9503784
page 29/tune 80: Kerry No.1 (1 sharp - #)
"An Pota Stór: The Set Dance Music of West Kerry"
ed. Feargal Mac Amhlaoibh
page 30/tune 42: Cathy's Favourite/Pat Horgan's No. 1
"Mally Presents 100 Polkas"
ed. Dave Mallinson, 1997
ISBN 1-899512-21-7
page 36/tune 91: The Kerry No. 1
"110 Ireland's Best Polkas and Slides"
Walton Music, 1999
ISBN 1-85720-086-1
page 23/tune 53: Andy Boyle's
- also known as "Angela's Polka" and someone else knows it as "Kevin's"...
http://www.thesession.org/tunes/display.php/531
# Posted on October 19th 2004 by ceolachan
Forgot another name for it: Seamus Cussen's No.2
# Posted on October 19th 2004 by ceolachan
Ballydesmond #3 is usually taken as:
http://www.thesession.org/tunes/display.php/239
since at least the 70s, in the US & Eire, but use and abuse and failing memories always collects more names. 'Gan Ainm' and a non-functioning memory attracts speculation. So maybe in parts of England they've chosen to call this 'Shoe the Donkey'...
# Posted on October 19th 2004 by ceolachan
Shoe the Donkey
I learnt this by ear, not knowing it's name, but later found the dots in a 'Folkways' publication which I no longer have.
One of the Ballydesmond polkas sounds much more likely as a name. So, will now go and see if I can find which one for sure!
Sue
# Posted on October 19th 2004 by Susie-Lee
Definitely not one of those three taken as 'The Ballydesmond Polkas'...
# Posted on October 19th 2004 by ceolachan
"Matt Cunningham's Dance Music of Ireland"
Dave Mallinson Publications, 1999
ISBN 1-899512-45-4
page 26: The Kerry no. 1
# Posted on October 19th 2004 by ceolachan
Shoe the Donkey
Dave Mallinson's 100 Irish polkas on page 36, sure sounds the same, apart from the usual artistic license and the time signature.
I have hopefully amended the offending third and fourth bars of the A part!!
Sue
# Posted on October 20th 2004 by Susie-Lee
Susie has just confirmed the source for the name confusion:
"The Folkworks Session Collection: Volume 2" (of 3)
"Extending your repertoire David Oliver (CD with booklet £8.00 +£1p&p) 22 more tunes - same format as Volume 1."
# Posted on October 20th 2004 by ceolachan
Another similar version
This sounds alot like Jack Mitchell's Polka and sounds great in a group with egans.
# Posted on October 23rd 2004 by mcqhsceili
Another name
Very similar to 'Dan Sullivan's Rock Swing Band no 1' - which came first? Shoe the Donkey I suspect.
# Posted on October 25th 2004 by banjomaniac
As well as the http://www.thesession.org/tunes/display/531link listed above, this is also @ http://www.thesession.org/tunes/display/1410.
# Posted on April 30th 2006 by Dow