The Best of Irish Folk Music

Irish folk music has a rich history and is a genre that is enjoyed by many. This blog will explore the best of Irish folk music, highlighting some of the most popular and well-known artists and songs.

Irish Music History

Irish folk music is the generic term for music from Ireland. It is often characterized by its unique melodic and percussive elements. It has also been influenced by Celtic, English, and American music. Irish folk music has seen a major resurgence in popularity in recent years.

Origins of Irish music

Most music historians believe that the first Irish music was brought to the country by Celtic tribes from Central Europe in the 4th century BCE. These early people, known as the Tuatha De Danann, brought with them their own form of music, which was passed down through the generations. The Celts were a very spiritual people and their music reflects this, with many songs and tunes being written about their gods and goddesses.

The first real evidence of Irish music comes from the 9th century CE when Irish monks began to write down their music in manuscripts. One of the most famous of these manuscripts is The Book of Kells, which contains a number of beautifully illustrated Celtic tunes. By the 13th century, professional Irish musicians were performing for audiences all over Europe and had developed a reputation for being some of the best in the business.

During the 16th century, the English began to colonize Ireland and they soon began to suppress Irish culture, including its music. Music was associated with rebellion and was often banned outright. Despite this, Irish musicians managed to keep their traditions alive by playing in secret or leaving the country altogether. In the 18th century, Irish immigrants began to arrive in America where they found work as laborers on plantations. Here they mixed their own musical traditions with those of African-Americans to create a new genre known as “ Appalachia” music.

As Ireland began to gain independence in the 20th century, its traditional music once again came to the fore. Thanks to performers such as The Dubliners and The Chieftains, Irish folk music became hugely popular all over the world in the 1960s and 1970s. In more recent years, artists like Enya and Riverdance have kept traditional Irish music at the forefront of popular culture.

Traditional Irish instruments

Traditional Irish music is known for its unique and distinctive sound. The music is played on a variety of traditional instruments, many of which are native to Ireland. These include the Celtic harp, the accordion, the fiddle, the flute, and the bodhran (a type of handheld drum).

In recent years, a number of traditional Irish bands have gained international popularity, including The Chieftains, The Dubliners, and Clannad. Irish music has also been influences by other genres, including rock and roll, jazz, and even hip hop.

The Best of Irish Folk Music

Irish folk music is some of the best in the world. There are many great artists who perform this type of music. Some of the best Irish folk music is upbeat and happy, while other tunes are more melancholy. Either way, the music is beautiful and worth listening to.

The Clancy Brothers

The Clancy Brothers were an Irish folk group, founded in 1955 and consisting of five brothers: Patrick, Tom, Liam, Paddy (who later left), and Tommy Makem (who also left to pursue a solo career). The oldest member of the group was 96-year-old Bob Dylan, who was born Robert Zimmerman on May 24, 1941, in Duluth, Minnesota. The youngest brother was 93-year-old Sean Lennon, who was born on October 9, 1975, in New York City.

The Clancy Brothers were one of the most influential Irish folk groups of the 20th century. They popularized Irish folk music in the United States and were a major force in the development of the American folk music revival movement of the 1960s. The group consists of five brothers: Patrick (born 1922), Tom (1924–1990), Liam (1927–2009), Paddy (born 1929) and Tommy Makem (1932–2007). All five brothers were born in Carrick-on-Suir, County Tipperary, Ireland.

The brothers grew up surrounded by traditional Irish music and dance. Their father owned a local pub where many of the great musicians of the day performed. The brothers learned to play instruments at an early age and by their teens they were all proficient musicians. In 1939 they relocated to London where they began performing publicly.

In 1955 they returned to Ireland and formed a band called The Clancy Brothers & Tommy Makem. They quickly became one of the most popular bands in Ireland with their lively performances of traditional Irish songs. In 1961 they relocated to New York City and began performing on television and radio programs. Their popularity increased exponentially and they soon became one of the most popular folk groups in America.

The Clancy Brothers & Tommy Makem continued to perform and record together until 1968 when Tommy Makem left the group to pursue a solo career. The remaining four brothers continued to perform as a trio until Tom Clancy’s death in 1990. Liam Clancy continued to perform as a solo artist until his death in 2009. Paddy Clancy retired from performing in 1996 but continued to make occasional appearances with his sons’ band, The Young Dubliners, until his death in 2016. Sean Clancy is the only surviving member of the group but has not performed publicly since 2007.

The Dubliners

One of the most iconic and influential Irish folk bands, The Dubliners helped revitalize traditional Irish music and brought it to a new audience in the 1960s. They were at the forefront of the Irish folk music scene for five decades, until the death of founding member Barney McKenna in 2012. The Dubliners were known for their lively stage shows and recordings, which often featured guest musicians from Ireland and beyond. They were inducted into the Folk Alliance International Hall of Fame in 2006.

Planxty

Planxty is an Irish folk music group founded in the early 1970s, consisting of Christy Moore, Liam O’Flynn, Andy Irvine, and Dónal Lunny. The band had a huge impact on the folk music scene in Ireland and beyond, and their success was a major factor in the revival of Irish traditional music in the 1970s.

Contemporary Irish Folk Music

If you’re a fan of Irish music, you’re in for a treat. In this article, we’ll be taking a look at some of the best Irish folk bands around. From the traditional sounds of The Dubliners to the more contemporary sounds of The Pogues, there’s something for everyone. So sit back, relax, and enjoy the sounds of Ireland.

The Pogues

The Pogues are an Irish Celtic punk band formed in 1982 and fronted by Shane MacGowan. The band reached international prominence in the 1980s and early 1990s due in part to MacGowan’s gravelly voice which sounds as if he is singing through a mouthful of marbles, as well as theirmix of traditional Irish music with punk rock attitude. They had several UK Top 20 hits including Rainy Night in Soho, Dirty Old Town, and The Irish Rover, the latter a duet with The Dubliners that peaked at No. 2 in Ireland and No. 8 in the UK.

The Pogues are often credited with sparking the resurgence of interest in traditional Irish music and they influenced many other bands, including Flogging Molly, Dropkick Murphys, The Mahones and Great Big Sea.

The Chieftains

The Chieftains are a Grammy Award-winning Irish musical group founded in Dublin in 1963, known for performing and popularizing Irish traditional music. The band has recorded 55 albums and achieved multiple gold and platinum discs. They have played traditional Irish music on an international scale, sharing it with audiences of all ages, and winning over many who had little or no previous exposure to the genre. Lead singer Paddy Moloney is the only surviving founder member of the group.

The Chieftains were honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award at the 52nd Annual Grammy Awards in 2010. In 2012, they celebrated their 50th anniversary with the release of Voice of Ages, a collaboration album featuring young musicians from around the world. Voice of Ages charted in several countries, reaching Number 1 in the US Folk Albums Chart and Number 3 in the UK Folk Albums Chart.

Flook

Flook is a contemporary Irish folk music group from County Sligo, Ireland. The band was formed in 1998 by singer/songwriter Niall Vallely and uilleann piper CillianValley. String players Sarah Smout and Brian Finnegan soon joined the group, which has toured extensively throughout Europe and the United States. Flook’s music is a blend of traditional Irish folk tunes and original compositions, all performed on a variety of traditional and contemporary acoustic instruments.