The Best of Modern Irish Folk Music

The Best of Modern Irish Folk Music- a blog dedicated to promoting the best of Irish Folk Music from past to present.

The Celtic Revival

The Celtic Revival was a late-19th- and early-20th-century cultural phenomenon that saw a renewed interest in the traditional music, stories, and culture of Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Cornwall, and Brittany. The Revival was also referred to as the ‘Irish Renaissance’.

It began in the 1880s with the intent of recovering and reinterpreting Ireland’s past. In many ways, it mirrored the wider Romantic Movement that was sweeping Europe at the time. The Revivalists were inspired by ancient Irish texts and ballads, as well as traditional Irish music played on instruments such as the penny whistle and bodhrán.

The movement reached its height between 1900 and 1920 when there was a flurry of activity in Ireland, Scotland, and Wales in terms of publications, performances, recordings, and radio broadcasts. However, interest in the Celtic Revival waned in the 1930s due to competition from other genres such as jazz and rock ‘n’ roll.

Despite this decline, the Celtic Revival left a lasting legacy on Modern Irish Folk Music. Many of the songs that are now considered classics were first popularized during this period. This list features ten of the best examples of Modern Irish Folk Music that have been influenced by the Celtic Revival.

The Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem

Tommy Makem and The Clancy Brothers were two of the most influential groups in the Irish folk music scene in the 1960s. They were both known for their lively performances and their mastery of traditional Irish songs. The Clancy Brothers were also known for their political activism, and they often used their music to voice their support for the Irish republican cause. Tommy Makem, on the other hand, was known for his light-hearted songs about Ireland and its people. Together, these two groups helped to popularize Irish folk music in the United States and beyond.

Planxty

Planxty is an Irish folk music band founded in the 1970s, consisting of Christy Moore, Liam O’Flynn, Donal Lunny, and Andy Irvine. One of the most influential bands of the Irish folk music revival, they did much to bring traditional music to a wider audience. They were perhaps the first band to successfully fuse traditional Irish music with rock and pop sensibilities, paving the way for groups like The Chieftains and The Pogues.

The band was formed in October 1972 by Moore and Lunny, two musicians who had recentlySignificant members
Christy Moore
Liam O’Flynn
Dónal Lunny
Andy Irvine
Paul Brady (joined 1974)
Matt Molloy (joined 1976) released solo albums of traditional Irish songs and tunes. The addition of O’Flynn on uilleann pipes and low whistles and Irvine on bouzouki and mandolin brought a distinctive sound to the band’s music. The band’s debut album Planxty was released in 1973 to critical acclaim.

Planxty toured extensively throughout Ireland and Europe over the next few years, playing to large audiences wherever they went. In 1975 they released their second album, Cold Blow and the Rainy Night, which cemented their reputation as one of Ireland’s leading musical acts. By this time Brady had joined the band on guitar and vocals; his addition brought a new dimension to the band’s sound.

The band continued to tour and record regularly throughout the 1970s and 1980s, releasing such classic albums as After Hours (1978), Words & Music (1981), Between The Jigs & The Reels (1982), True Romance (1985),& Other Stories (1987). They also began working with other Irish musicians such as Kevin Burke, Matt Molloy, Paddy Glackin, Andy Mulligan, Simon Carmody, & Noel Hill. In 1983 they collaborated with poet W.B. Yeats on an album of his work set to music; YeatsIs Dead! Long Live Yeats! was nominated for a Grammy Award.

The Chieftains

The Chieftains are an Irish musical group founded in Dublin in 1962, by Paddy Moloney, Sean Keane and Michael Tubridy. The band has featured dozens of musicians over the years, but the core line-up has always consisted of uilleann piper and tin whistle player Moloney, fiddler Kevin Conneff and flautist Matt Molloy. The group’s sound, which is almost entirely acoustic and based around traditional Irish instruments, has been described as “the closest approximation of ancient Celtic music to date”.

The Chieftains have won six Grammy Awards during their career and have been nominated for eighteen others. They have also been presented with a Lifetime Achievement Award at the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards and a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Irish Folk Music Awards. In 2012 they celebrated their 50th anniversary with a tour of the UK and Ireland.

The Pogues

The Pogues were an Irish folk rock band formed in London in 1982 by Shane MacGowan and Jem Finer. The band reached international prominence in the 1980s and early 1990s due in part to MacGowan’s ragged voice, which has been compared to that of Bob Dylan. The band achieved several hit singles in the UK, including “Fairytale of New York”, which became Christmas number one in 1987, and also had a considerable influence on many younger bands.

The Pogues were one of the first bands to fuse traditional Irish music with punk rock, and their sound was often imitated by later bands. They disbanded in 1996 due to creative differences, but reformed in 2001 and continue to tour and release albums.

Flook

Flook is an Irish folk band that performs a unique blend of traditional and modern folk music. The band was formed in 1999 by musicians Floriane Blancke and Donal O’Mahony, and they have released four studio albums to date.

Their debut album, Flatfish (1999), was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Traditional Folk Album. Their second album, Rubai (2001), won the AllMusic Editors’ Choice Award for Folk Album of the Year. Their third album, Ancora (2004), was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Contemporary World Music Album. And their fourth album, Oisín in tiomsaí (2007), won the BBC Radio 2 Folk Award for Musician of the Year.

Flook’s music has been praised for its originality, energy, and technical virtuosity. The band has toured extensively throughout Europe, Asia, Australia, and North America.

Solas

Solas is an Irish folk music group that formed in 1994. The original lineup included some of the best traditional Irish musicians of their generation, including Donal Lunny, John Doyle, Karan Casey, and Seamus Egan. They have released eleven studio albums, and their music has been featured in several films and television shows. Solas is widely considered to be one of the best modern Irish folk bands, and their live shows are not to be missed.

The Dubliners

The Dubliners were an Irish folk band founded in Dublin in 1962. The band’s name came from the Irish ballad “The Dubliners”, which they often performed. The Dubliners were one of the most influential bands of the Irish folk music revival; their recordings created interest in traditional music among a wider audience and helped start the careers of many of the biggest names in folk music, including Christy Moore, Planxty, and the Wolfe Tones.

The Dubliners started out as a casual group of friends who played music together for fun, but they quickly became one of the most popular bands in Ireland. They toured extensively throughout Ireland and Europe, and their recordings were extremely popular. The Dubliners’ sound was based on traditional Irish folk music, but they also incorporated elements of rock and roll, blues, and pop into their music.

The Dubliners are best known for their work with singer/songwriter Luke Kelly. Kelly was a member of the band from 1964 until his death in 1984, and his powerful voice and stage presence made him one of the band’s most popular members. The Dubliners’ hits include “Seven Drunken Nights”, “Whiskey in the Jar”, “The Black Velvet Band”, and “Dirty Old Town”.

The Dubliners were inducted into the Irish Music Hall of Fame in 2002, and they continue to be hugely popular among folk fans all over the world.

The Bothy Band

The Bothy Band was a supergroup of traditional Irish musicians formed in 1976. Comprised of some of the most highly regarded performers on their respective instruments, the band’s line-up included piper Paddy Keenan, fiddler Kevin Burke, bouzouki player Mairtin O’Connor, accordion player Dermot O’Brien, flautist Matt Molloy, and singer Triona Ni Dhomhnaill. The band was noted for its technical virtuosity and for its distinctive ensemble sound, which blended various traditional styles with contemporary improvisation and rock music influences. The Bothy Band recorded six albums between 1976 and 1979 before disbanded.

Moving Folk Music Forward

Irish folk music has undergone a renaissance in recent years, with a new generation of musicians taking the traditional sounds of their homeland and infusing them with fresh energy and creativity. This has resulted in a vibrant and truly unique form of music that is captivating audiences all over the world.

There are many incredible artists making Irish folk music today, but here are just a few of the most exciting names to keep an eye on. These are the artists who are carrying the torch for this vital and ever-evolving genre, keeping the music fresh and relevant while also staying true to its roots.

Calum Stewart is a Scottish musician who specializes in playing the Highland pipes, an instrument with a rich history in Irish folk music. Stewart’s playing is utterly breathtaking, and he has quickly become one of the most respected pipers in the world. He has released two solo albums, ‘The Unknown Soldier’ and ‘Headlands’, both of which received critical acclaim.

Lunasa is an Irish band that formed in 1997, and they are widely considered to be one of the finest traditional groups in the world. The band’s sound is rooted in Irish folk music, but they also incorporate elements of jazz and other genres into their music. They have released ten studio albums, all of which have been met with critical acclaim.

The Gloaming is a supergroup consisting of some of Ireland’s most talented musicians. The band formed in 2011, and they released their self-titled debut album to widespread acclaim in 2014. Their sound is difficult to pigeonhole, as they draw from a wide range of influences including traditional Irish folk music, classical music, jazz, and more.

The Young Folk are an Irish band formed in 2010. Their sound is firmly rooted in traditional Irish folk music, but they also experiment with other genres such as rock and pop. They have released two studio albums so far, ‘The Moon Is Up’ and ‘First Light’, both of which received critical acclaim.