A History of Irish Folk Music

A history of Irish folk music can be traced back to the 13th century. It is a genre of music that is steeped in tradition and has been passed down from generation to generation.

Origins of Irish Folk Music

Irish folk music has its roots in the traditional music of Ireland. This music is a mix of Celtic and Anglo-Saxon influences. It is characterized by its use of the Irish language, as well as its unique instruments and musical styles. Irish folk music has been passed down from generation to generation, and has been an important part of Irish culture for centuries.

Celtic music

Celtic music is a broad grouping of musical genres that has emerged from the native folk music traditions of the Celtic people of Western Europe. It refers to both orally-transmitted traditional music and recorded music and the styles vary considerably to include everything from “trad” (traditional) music to contemporary singer-songwriters.

The Celtic music scene is particularly strong in Ireland, Scotland, Cornwall, Brittany, Wales, Nova Scotia and Cape Breton Island. It has also seen a significant revival in recent years with the rise of Celtic rock and Celtic punk bands such as The Pogues, The Dropkick Murphys and Flogging Molly.

The history of Celtic music can be traced back to the 10th century with the emergence of the first Celtic-speaking people in Ireland and Scotland. Irish monks brought Celtic music to Europe during the Middle Ages, while Scottish Highlanders made their own contribution to the genre with the development of Highland bagpipes. Folk songs and dances such as jigs and reels were also an important part of Celtic culture and many of these survive to this day.

The 18th century saw a decline in traditional folk music due to economic factors such as the Clearances, but there was a resurgence in the 19th century with composers such as Edward Bunting collecting and transcribing folk tunes. The 20th century saw further changes with the rise of popular genres such as country & western and skiffle, but traditional Celtic music has continued to thrive in its own right.

Today, there are numerous festival and competitions dedicated to Celtic music around the world, ensuring that this rich musical tradition continues to thrive into the 21st century.

Gaelic music

Gaelic music is the traditional music of the Celtic peoples, who are spread across Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Brittany, Cornwall and the Isle of Man. In general, Gaelic music is synonymous with Irish traditional music. There are two main regional traditions within Gaelic music: the Scottish Highlands and the Irish lowlands.

The Scottish Highlands tradition is characterized by a strong influence from Scottish Gaelic and Highland bagpiping. This tradition has produced a number of well-known performers such as Alasdair Gillies and Tony McManus.

The Irish lowland tradition is more closely related to that of Ireland itself and is typified by songs in English and Irish (Gaelic). This tradition has given rise to such well-known performers as Liam O’Flynn, Planxty and The Chieftains.

The Troubles

Irish folk music has been around for centuries and has been used as a way to tell stories and express emotions. The Troubles was a time of great upheaval in Ireland and the music reflects that. Irish folk music is full of heart and soul and is a beautiful expression of the Irish people.

Political unrest

Political unrest has long been a catalyst for folk music. In times of trouble, people turn to music to lift their spirits and to give them hope. Irish folk music is no exception. For centuries, Irish folk musicians have used their music to comment on the political climate of their times.

The most famous example of this is “The Troubles.” This song, written by Ewan MacColl in the 1960s, is a commentary on the conflict in Northern Ireland. The song paints a picture of the violence and bloodshed that was a daily reality for many people during that time.

“The Troubles” is just one example of how Irish folk music has been used to comment on the political climate of its time. Throughout history, Irish musicians have used their music to express their views on everything from British rule to the rise of Sinn Fein. As long as there have been political conflicts in Ireland, there has been Irish folk music to go along with it.

The Irish Civil War

The Irish Civil War was a conflict that took place in Ireland between June 1922 and May 1923. It arose out of the political upheaval that followed the Irish War of Independence and accompanied the establishment of the Irish Free State, an entity independent from the United Kingdom but within the British Empire.

The civil war was fought between two rival groups of republicans: those who supported the Anglo-Irish Treaty, which had established the Free State, and those who opposed it. The former were led by Michael Collins, while the latter were led by Éamon de Valera.

The conflict resulted in the death of over 3,000 people and the displacement of more than 500,000 others. It also had a profound impact on Irish music, with many songs being written about the war and its aftermath.

The Revival

The Irish Folk music Revival was a movement that began in the early 1960s to bring traditional Irish music and dance to a new audience. It was a reaction to the growing popularity of Irish traditional music among the Irish diaspora in North America and Britain. The Revival aimed to reconnect the people of Ireland with their cultural roots and create a new generation of folk musicians.

The Clancy Brothers

The Clancy Brothers were an Irish folk music group, founded in 1955 in New York City. The members were brothers Tom Clancy, Liam Clancy, Pat Clancy and James “Jim” Clancy. They are known for bringing Traditional Irish music to a wider audience and for their recordings with famed American folk musician Bob Dylan.

The brothers grew up in Carrick-on-Suir, County Tipperary, Ireland. Their father, Paddy Clancy, was a singer and ensure player who had been part of the Irish Volunteers during the Easter Rising in 1916. The Clancys first performed together as children at family gatherings. When they moved to New York City in the 1950s, they began performing in clubs and on radio shows.

In 1961, they released their first album, The Rising of the Moon. This was followed by several more albums including The Folk Album (1963), The Best of the Clancy Brothers (1964), Reunion (1967) and At Carnegie Hall (1969). In 1964, they appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show and in 1965 on CBS’s Hootenanny. They also performed at the Newport Folk Festival and Carnegie Hall.

In 1967, the group toured Ireland with Bob Dylan and recorded an album together, Dylan’s Greatest Hits Volume II. In 1969, they recorded an album with Joan Baez called Any Day Now.

The Clancys continued to perform and record together until Tom’s death in 1990. They were inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2002 and the Irish Music Hall of Fame in 2005.

The Dubliners

The Dubliners was an Irish folk band founded by Luke Kelly, Barney McKenna, and Ciarán Bourke. The band is named after the Dubliners, a group of Irish writers and poets in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The Dubliners rose to prominence in the 1960s with their signature sound of traditional Irish folk music. They were one of the first Irish bands to achieve international success, touring Europe and the United States to great acclaim.

The Dubliners’ sound was defined by Kelly’s powerful voice and McKenna’s virtuosic banjo playing. Their repertoire included both traditional folk songs and more modern pieces written by Kelly and other members of the band. The Dubliners were hugely influential in the folk revival of the 1960s and 70s, inspiring a new generation of musicians to discover and perform traditional Irish music.

The Dubliners continued to perform and record until Kelly’s untimely death in 1984. McKenna retired from the band shortly thereafter. The remaining members carried on without them, keeping the band’s spirit alive with their stirring live performances.

The Dubliners were inducted into theIreland Music Hall of Fame in 2002 and continue to be one of Ireland’s most celebrated musical exports.

Modern Irish Folk Music

Irish folk music has undergone a tremendous amount of change over the centuries. In the past, folk music was an oral tradition, passed down from one generation to the next. This music was a reflection of the culture and lifestyle of the people who lived in rural Ireland. Modern Irish folk music has been influenced by a number of factors, including the Irish diaspora, the popularity of traditional Irish music, and the advent of new technology.

The Pogues

The Pogues are an Irish folk punk band formed in London in 1982 by Shane MacGowan and Jem Finer. The band reached international prominence in the 1980s and early 1990s with their fusion of traditional Irish music with punk rock aesthetics. They are also credited with helping to popularise Pogues are widely regarded as one of the most influential bands of their era.

The Pogues were founded in Kings Cross, London, in 1982 by Shane MacGowan, a native of County Tipperary, Ireland, and Jem Finer, a native of England. The band’s name comes from the Irish word póg, meaning “kiss”, which was used as a slang term for “playful banter” or “blarney” at the time.

The group’s musical style combines elements of traditional Irish folk music with punk rock and other influences. Their songs frequently deal with themes such as alcoholism, poverty, politics, religion and love. The Pogues have been credited with helping to popularise Irish traditional music in the UK and Ireland, and they are widely regarded as one of the most influential bands of their era.

Flogging Molly

Formed in Los Angeles in 1997 by Dublin native Dave King, Flogging Molly is a seven-piece Celtic-punk band that has gone on to achieve international success.

The band’s sound is a unique blend of traditional Irish folk music and punk rock, with Instruments including the mandolin, penny whistle, accordion, fiddle, banjo, and bodhrán (a traditional Irish drum) all played at breakneck speeds. Lyrically, the band’s songs often deal with Irish history and culture, with subjects ranging from emigration and alcoholism to poverty and war.

Flogging Molly’s live shows are legendary for their raucous energy, and the band has become one of the most popular touring acts in the world. They have released six studio albums, with their most recent, “Life Is Good,” debuting at #6 on the Billboard 200 chart in 2016.

Conclusion

In the end, the history of Irish folk music is a history of change and continuity. The music has changed greatly over the centuries, but it has also been passed down faithfully from one generation to the next. Even in its current form, Irish folk music is still evolving and growing. As more people learn about and appreciate this unique musical tradition, it is sure to continue to thrive for many years to come.