A Brief History of Irish Folk Music

A quick look at the origins and influences of Irish folk music, from its early Celtic roots to its more modern incarnations.

Origins of Irish Folk Music

Irish folk music has its roots in the traditional music of Ireland. This music was passed down from generation to generation, usually by oral tradition. It was not until the 18th century that Irish folk music began to be written down and published.

Celtic music

Celtic music is a genre of folk music that has its roots in the traditional music of the Celtic people. It has been influenced by many other genres of music, including rock, classical, and blues. Celtic music is characterized by its use of traditional instruments, such as the fiddle, bagpipes, and bodhran (a type of drum). It is also often improvisational and heavily reliant on oral tradition.

The earliest known recordings of Celtic music date back to the late 19th century. However, the genre did not gain widespread popularity until the 1950s and 1960s, when bands such as The Clancy Brothers and The Dubliners began touring internationally. In more recent years, Celtic music has experienced a resurgence in popularity, thanks in part to popular musicians like Enya, Clannad, and Loreena McKennitt.

Irish traditional music

Irish traditional music is a genre of folk music that developed in Ireland. It has remained vibrant through the 20th and into the 21st century, despite globalising cultural forces. It is generally associated with the Celtic music of Ireland and Scotland.

It has its own distinctive variations and styles that have been passed down through the generations by Irish musicians. The main instruments associated with Irish traditional music are the Celtic harp, fiddle, flute, whistle, uilleann pipes, bodhrán and accordion.

The origins of Irish traditional music are complex and cannot be traced back to one specific time or place. However, it is generally believed that the music was originally created by the Celts, a group of peoples who inhabited Europe during the Iron Age and Middle Ages.

The Celts were a highly creative people who were skilled in art, poetry and music. They left behind a rich legacy of folk songs and tunes that have influenced many other cultures over the centuries.

Scottish and English folk musicians have also played a significant role in shaping Irish traditional music. This can be seen in the many similarities between the two genres, such as the use of similar instruments and musical structures.

Irish traditional music has evolved considerably since its humble beginnings. It has been influenced by American and European musical styles, as well as by other Celtic traditions such as Scottish Highland music.

Today, Irish traditional music is enjoyed by people all over the world. It continues to evolve and change, making it one of the most resilient and adaptable genres of folk music today.

The Irish Folk Music Revival

In the 1960s, there was a revival of interest in Irish folk music. This was led by groups such as The Clancy Brothers and The Dubliners, who popularized traditional songs and ballads. The revival was also inspired by the work of ethnomusicologist Alan Lomax, who recorded folk musicians in Ireland.

The Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem

The Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem were an Irish folk music group popular in the 1960s. They were at the forefront of the Irish folk music revival in America, helping to popularize Irish folk music in the United States.

The Clancy Brothers were born and raised in County Tipperary, Ireland. Their father owned a pub where they often performed for locals. In 1955, they emigrated to New York City where they continued to perform Irish folk music.

Tommy Makem was born in Keady, County Armagh, Northern Ireland. He began his career as a folksinger in Belfast before moving to New York City in 1956. There he met the Clancy Brothers and joined their group.

The Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem quickly became one of the most popular folk groups in America. They released their first album, The Rising of the Moon, in 1959. The album was a critical and commercial success, helping to popularize Irish folk music in the United States.

The Dubliners

The Dubliners were an Irish folk band founded in Dublin in 1962. The original lineup consisted of Luke Kelly, Barney McKenna, Ciaran Bourke, Ronnie Drew, and John Sheahan. The group is widely credited with popularizing Irish folk music in Europe and beyond.

The Dubliners achieved international success with their 1967 hit rendition of “Whiskey in the Jar”. In the 1970s, they had a number of other hits including “Dirty Old Town” and “Molly Malone”. The group continued to tour and release albums throughout the 1980s and 1990s.

One of the most enduring aspects of the Dubliners’ appeal was their willingness to experiment with different musical styles. They frequently incorporated elements of country, rock, and even hip-hop into their traditional folk sound. This willingness to experiment helped them stay relevant as folk music evolved over the years.

The Dubliners were inducted into the Irish Music Hall of Fame in 2002. Luke Kelly died in 1984, but the remaining members continued to perform under the name “The Dublin Legends”. The group officially retired in 2012 but still occasionally reunites for one-off performances.

Planxty

Planxty was an Irish folk music group formed in the 1970s, consisting of Christy Moore, Andy Irvine, Dolly McMahon, and Liam O’Flynn. The group is widely credited with revitalizing Irish folk music and helping to bring it to a mainstream audience.

Their approach to folk music was based on collecting and arranging traditional songs and tunes, rather than creating original material. This made them distinctive from other folk groups of the time, who were more likely to write their own songs.

Planxty’s first album was released in 1973 and was an instant success. It featured traditional Irish songs and tunes performed in a unique style that blended the skills of each musician. The group quickly became one of the most popular acts on the Irish music scene and began touring internationally.

Their popularity was such that they were able to command high fees for concert appearances, which allowed them to invest in better quality musical instruments and recordings. This helped to raise the standard of Irish folk music overall and inspired other musicians to raise their game.

Although the group only released four studio albums during their seven-year existence, they had a profound impact on Irish music. They helped to spark a renewed interest in traditional Irish music and paved the way for many other successful Irish folk groups.

Contemporary Irish Folk Music

Folk music has been a significant part of Irish culture for centuries, and has undergone several changes since its earliest days. Contemporary Irish folk music is a genre that has been influenced by many different factors, from political and social changes to the growth of the music industry. In this article, we’ll take a look at the history of Irish folk music and how it has evolved into the contemporary genre.

The Pogues

The Pogues were a Celtic punk band formed in London in 1982, as an amalgamation of two other punk bands, The Nips and The New Clash. The band reached international prominence in the 1980s and early 1990s due largely to their use of traditional Irish instruments such as the tin whistle, accordion and mandolin in a contemporary punk setting, as well as their outspoken left-wing political views. The band’s musical style combines traditional Irish music with contemporary punk rock, and their lyrics often deal with themes of Irish nationalism, history and culture.

The Pogues were founded by Shane MacGowan, who was born in London to Irish parents. MacGowan had been a member of The Nips, who released one single before splitting up in 1980. He then joined The New Clash, who released two singles before breaking up in 1982. MacGowan then recruited Spider Stacy on tin whistle, Jem Finer on banjo and mandolin, Andrew Ranken on drums and James Fearnley on accordion to form The Pogues.

The band’s first recordings were a demo tape that they sold to local record shops. Their first official release was the “Dark Street” single in 1984. This was followed by their debut album Red Roses for Me later that year. The album was warmly received by critics but failed to sell commercially.

The band’s second album Rum Sodomy & the Lash was released in 1985 to critical acclaim and commercial success. It reached number 2 in the UK Albums Chart and includes the singles “The Irish Rover”, “Irish Music Is Hell” and “A Pair of Brown Eyes”.

The Pogues’ third album If I Should Fall from Grace with God was released in 1988 and reached number 1 in the UK charts. It includes the singles “Fairytale of New York”, which peaked at number 2 in the UK Singles Chart, and “The Shepherds’ Bush Lullaby”. This album saw The Pogues leave behind their traditional Irish influences and move towards more of a folk rock sound.

Over the next few years, The Pogues continued to tour extensively and release more albums but without ever achieving the samecommercial success as they had done with Rum Sodomy & the Lash or If I Should Fall from Grace with God . In 1996 they released MTV Unplugged: Live from London , which saw them return to their roots with a selection of acoustic folk songs. This marked the beginning of a gradual decline for the band until they finally disbanded after MacGowan’s departure in 1991 .

The Corrs

Emerging from Ireland in the 1990s, the Corrs were a folk-rock band composed of siblings Andrea (lead vocals, tin whistle), Sharon (violin, vocals), Caroline (drums, percussion, backing vocals) and Jim Corr (guitar, keyboards, backing vocals). With Andrea and Sharon’s uncles Gerry and Paddy McManus of the folk band Slieve Foy Band serving as their first musical mentors, the Corrs honed their performance skills by playing live gigs in Irish pubs while they were still teenagers. After signing with Atlantic Records in 1995, the Corrs released Forgiven, Not Forgotten, a Celtic-influenced pop album that topped the Irish charts and went double platinum in the United Kingdom; in America, the album reached gold status.

Flogging Molly

Flogging Molly is a seven-piece Irish-American Celtic punk band from Los Angeles, California. The band formed in 1996 and have since released six studio albums. Flogging Molly’s musical stylemixes traditional Irish music with punk rock aspects. They are also known for their high-energy live shows.

Flogging Molly’s first album, Swagger, was released in 2000. The band’s second album, Drunken Lullabies, was released in 2002 and peaked at #2 on the Billboard Top Heatseekers chart. Then in 2004, Flogging Molly released Within a Mile of Home, which reached #1 on the Billboard Independent Albums chart and #21 on the Billboard 200.

The band’s 2007 album, Float, peaked at #4 on the Billboard Independent Albums chart and #34 on the Billboard 200. Their most recent album, Speed of Darkness, was released in 2011 and peaked at #5 on the Billboard Independent Albums chart and #23 on the Billboard 200.