The polka originated in Bohemia around 1830 as a round-dance, and became popular throughout Europe and America during the 19th century. The name "polka" is derived from Czech words for "field" or "half", or in other interpretations the name may relate to the Czech term for a Polish girl, 'polska'. They are now played as part of the repertoire of most Irish traditional musicians. The 19th-century polka was played in 2/4 time and characterized by a frequent occurrence of a rhythmic motive consisting of two sixteenths followed by an eightnote:

These early polkas were in the style of military marches, and played rather slowly, at 52 bars per minute. (MM=104) The 'traditional' Irish polka, as in the example below, can be played quite quickly.