Source: Julie Langan, Newport (fiddle).

Composed by James ‘Fiddler’ Doherty of Lettermaghera, north of Newport above Furnace lake although possibly originally from the North. He was a well known local musician and dance teacher. Joe Keane (box & fiddle player of Shraloggy, Tiernaur, Newport) would have been taught by him. He was nicknamed ‘Sparkeen’ because he wore hobnailed boots and played with great speed and gusto with ‘sparks flying off the floor!’ Joe Keane used to tell a story about himself and the Fiddler Doherty being hired to play at a house dance: the first to be held in this particular house and on the first night where they had a kind of cement floor that was after becoming popular at the time. Between Sparkeen and the dancers, they had to bale out and continue the dance in the neighbour’s house. Joe reckoned he couldn’t see Sparkeen beside him as the floor had disintegrated into dust!Julie Langan (6/12/17)

Played for the local Derradda set near Newport: ‘Polca Seán Mac an Rí’ in G followed by ‘Polca Joe Keane‘ and then back into this tune in A.