X:6
T:John Ryan's
R:polka
M:2/4
L:1/8
K:D
Q:90
|:"D"dd B/c/d/B/|"Bm"AF AF|"G"dd B/c/d/B/|"A7"AF ED|
"D"dd B/c/d/B/|"Bm"AF Ad/e/|"G"fd "A"ec|1 "D"d2 d2:|2 "D"d3 "A"d/e/||
|:"D"fd de/f/|"G"gf "A"ed/e/|"D" fd "Bm"Ad|"A"fe/f/ a3/2g/|
"D"fd de/f/|"G"gf "A"ed/e/|"Bm"fd "A"ec|1 "D"d2 "A"dd/e/:|2 "D"d2 d2||

History

John Ryan’s is a widely known Irish polka, though its origins are not firmly documented. It has been suggested that the tune was composed, or at least set in its now-standard form, by Seán Ryan (1919–1985), a fiddle player from Nenagh, County Tipperary, which may explain the “Seán Ryan’s” alternative title found in some sources. This attribution is not certain, and the tune is more usually treated as traditional.

It carries a long list of alternative names, including Ryan’s Polka, the Armagh Polka, Egan’s Polka and the Keadue Polka, which points to a tune that travelled widely through the oral tradition before settling under its best-known title.

Polkas of this kind entered Irish traditional music in the nineteenth century, arriving from continental Europe and taking particular hold in the Sliabh Luachra region on the Cork–Kerry border, where they became dance tunes in their own right rather than novelties. John Ryan’s fits this general lineage, though it is not usually counted among the core Sliabh Luachra polka repertoire associated with players such as Pádraig O’Keeffe and Johnny O’Leary.

The tune reached a much wider audience through Planxty’s 1974 album Cold Blow and the Rainy Night, where it was recorded as part of a set with Denis Murphy’s Polka and the (now rarely played) 42 Pound Cheque. Its profile rose further in 1997, when it was performed by the band Gaelic Storm in the “Irish Party in Third Class” scene of the film Titanic.

That level of exposure has made the tune something of a double-edged sword in session circles: it is one of the first polkas many players learn, and for that reason some experienced musicians consider it overplayed. It remains, nonetheless, a reliable and enjoyable tune to have in the repertoire.

Musical Characteristics

• Built around a strongly rhythmic two-note figure at the start of the A part, which gives the tune its nickname “The Dum Dum Polka”
• Melodically simple, with mostly stepwise and small-interval movement
• The B part rises higher and opens the phrasing out a little more than the A part
• AABB structure, each part eight bars long
• Straightforward fingering and rhythm make it accessible to relative beginners
• Its simplicity is also its main technical demand: keeping a repetitive tune interesting under fast tempo and repeated playing

Mode

• Mode: Ionian (major)
• Scale: D major (D E F♯ G A B C♯)
• Modal flavour: bright and unambiguously major, typical of Irish polka repertoire
• Common alternative session keys: G major is sometimes used to suit particular instruments or singers’ preferences, though D is by far the standard

Harmony

Accompaniment is usually kept simple and driving, following the two-in-a-bar polka pulse rather than adding harmonic complexity. Guitarists and other chordal accompanists often lean on the D and A chords fairly heavily, since the tune’s own harmonic movement is modest. Some players substitute a Bm for the A in places to vary the colour on repeats, but this is a matter of taste rather than convention.

Interpretation Notes

• Played at a brisk, driving polka tempo, generally faster than a jig but with a firm, even two-beat pulse
• Articulation tends to be short and punchy, particularly on the opening motif, to bring out its rhythmic character
• Ornamentation is usually light: short cuts and the occasional roll are more common than heavy triplet work
• Little swing is applied; polkas in this style are played fairly straight rather than lilted
• A common mistake is speeding up excessively over repeats until the tune loses its rhythmic clarity
• Regional approaches vary: Sliabh Luachra players who take up the tune tend to loosen the rhythm and add more decoration than session players elsewhere, who often play it quite plainly

Flute Approach

• Breath control is straightforward here; short phrases mean there is little pressure to stretch breaths
• Focus on crisp articulation with the tongue on the opening repeated notes, since this drives the tune’s identity
• Cuts and light tonguing work better than heavy rolls, which can clutter a tune this rhythmically direct
• Tone should stay clear and forward rather than breathy, matching the tune’s upbeat character
• Fingering is undemanding, which makes John Ryan’s a useful tune for flute players working on tone and rhythmic precision rather than technical challenges
• Resist the temptation to over-ornament simply because the tune is easy; restraint keeps it musical

Guitar / Accompaniment

• A steady, rhythmic strum or picked pattern in two-in-a-bar time suits the tune well
• Bass movement can stay close to the root notes of the underlying chords, moving mainly between D and A
• A drone on the low D string works well under the A part in particular
• Fingerpicking accompanists can bring out a bouncing bass line to reinforce the dance pulse
• Avoid dense chord voicings or frequent chord changes, which work against the tune’s directness
• Avoid over-syncopating the rhythm; the tune benefits from a clear, danceable pulse rather than a jazzed-up feel

Session Notes

• Extremely well known, partly through Planxty’s recording and partly through its use in Titanic
• Frequently paired with Denis Murphy’s Polka, following the Planxty set
• Commonly used to