Dennis Murphy's Polka: Mandolin Tab
Mandolin tab and sheet music with synced audio · Denis Murphy · Key of D · 200 BPM · 2/2 time · Irish Traditional · Intermediate
Also known as Denis Murphy's Polka, Casey's, Flaherty's Favourite, Story of a Fish.
Chords used in this arrangement: D, G, Em, A7.
Denis Murphy's Polka has a surprisingly tangled identity. It's been floating around under names like "Casey's," "Flaherty's Favourite," and even "Story of a Fish," and the great Sligo fiddler Michael Coleman recorded it decades before anyone called it Denis Murphy's. The name most people know it by today likely got attached when the Chieftains featured it on one of their early albums, pulling it out of the Kerry-Cork border region of Sliabh Luachra where Denis Murphy, a fiddle master taught by the legendary Pádraig O'Keeffe, was one of its defining voices. That Sliabh Luachra style is worth keeping in mind as you play: polkas from that corner of Ireland have a particular bounce and drive to them, and at 200 BPM you'll want that energy locked in tight from the start. The B-part climbs up into a nice high run, so start slow and learn the tune properly before playing at full speed!
This page includes mandolin tablature, standard music notation, and a chord chart, printable as PDF and playable in sync with the original recording. Change the key, slow the tempo down, and loop the bars you want to practise. Download the Dennis Murphy's Polka PDF.
Dennis Murphy's Polka: questions and answers
What key is Dennis Murphy's Polka in?
Dennis Murphy's Polka is in D major. The transpose control on this page moves the tab, notation and chords to any other key.
What chords are used in Dennis Murphy's Polka?
The chords in this arrangement are D, G, Em, A7. The chord chart on this page shows each shape and highlights the current chord as the tune plays.
How fast is Dennis Murphy's Polka played?
This recording is at 200 BPM in 2/2 time. Use the speed control to slow it down without changing the pitch, then work back up to full tempo.
Is Dennis Murphy's Polka a good tune for beginners?
Dennis Murphy's Polka is rated intermediate, so it is best approached after a few beginner tunes are comfortable.
Can I download Dennis Murphy's Polka as sheet music?
Yes. A printable PDF with the mandolin tab and standard notation is free at /tab/dennis-murphys-polka.pdf, and there is a download button on this page.
Is Dennis Murphy's Polka known by any other names?
Yes. It is also called Denis Murphy's Polka, Casey's, Flaherty's Favourite, Story of a Fish. The same melody often travels under several titles in different regions and collections.
Related tunes
More in D
- Fisher's Hornpipe (James A. Fishar, D, 180 BPM)
- John Ryan's Polka (Sean Ryan, D, 132 BPM)
- The Lark in the Morning (D, 120 BPM)
- Liberty (John Dickinson and Arthur Lee,, D, 120 BPM)
- Bonaparte Crossing the Rhine (D, 120 BPM)
- Fairy Dance (Nathaniel Gow, D, 120 BPM)
- Briar Picker Brown (D, 120 BPM)
- Banks of the Ohio (D, 120 BPM)
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