Annotation:Lakes of Sligo (The)
X:1 T:Lakes of Sligo M:C| L:1/8 R:Polka B:Jerry O'Brien's Accordion Instructor (Boston, 1949) Z:AK/Fiddler's Companion K:D F2A2A2 Bc|d2e2d2c2|B2A2 Bc d2|e2d2e2f2| F2A2A2 Bc|d2e2f2e2|d2B2A2f2|e4 d4:| |:f2a2d2e2|f2a2a2f2|g2b2 e2f2|g2b2b2 ag| f2a2e2f2|d2e2f2e2|d2B2A2f2|e4d4:|]
LAKES OF SLIGO, THE. AKA and see "Ceanngulla Polka (The)," "Lass o' Gowrie (1)," "Loch Erroch Side," "Loch Ericht Side," "I'm O'er Young to Marry Yet (3)," "Over the Hills to Glory," "Real Scotch Polkas No. 3," "Rocky Road to Dublin (4)" (Pa.), "Tom Billy's Polka (2)." Irish, March or Polka (2/4 time). D Major. Standard tuning (fiddle). AABB. Sligo is noted for its many picturesque lakes, including Lough Allen, Lough Key, Lough Gara. Lough Gill and Lough Arrow. The tune is related to "Lass o' Gowrie (1)," "Over the Hills to Glory," "I'm O'er Young to Marry Yet (3)," and the strathspey "Loch Erroch Side," according to Bayard (1981) who believes they were all descended from one air. The title "Lakes of Sligo" for the polka is derived from a song recorded in Boston in the 1950's by Connie Foley, accompanied by button accordion player Joe Derrane's trio. Sliabh Luachra accordion player Johnny O'Leary, having no name for the tune, recorded it as "Ceanngulla Polka (The)," a nod to the townland of that name where fiddlers Pádraig O'Keefe and Denis Murphy used to hold forth.