Irish Music

One of our absolute favorite things about the Irish culture is the music and the heart that goes into the whole experience. Most traditional Irish musicians put their stories to music. Ireland's musical tradition dates back as far as those early storytellers. When in Ireland, we found that the traditional music that is currently the center of many of the pubs, is either instrumental or what we would consider ballad-like music, and is played in a setting very similar to what storytelling may have been. In Ireland, pub sessions are now the home for much of Irish traditional music. Oh how we wish they would be similar here in the Irish pubs. The music of Ireland helped to shape much of Western music as it exists today. Modern Irish musicians play a number of stringed instruments, many of which can be found in today's bluegrass and country music bands.

Famous Irish Musicians:

VanMorrison

Enya

The Corrs

The Cranberries

Sinéad O'Connor

U2
Elvis Costello

Some of our Favorite Musicians, perhaps not so well-known:

Great Big Sea (favorite - from New Foundland)
Liam O (O'Riordian - currently performs in pubs in Ireland and has done a few in Philly)
Off the Boat (another favorite - from Ireland)
Gaelic Storm (good, but not as good as Great big Sea)
The Saw Doctors (from Ireland, better at small venues)
The Dublin City Ramblers (more traditional)
The Dubliners (more traditional)

Famous Irish Instruments:

The harp is among the chief symbols of Ireland. The Celtic harp, seen on Irish coinage and used by Guinness, was played as long ago as the 10th century. In ancient times, the harpers were greatly respected, considered to have near-magical powers and assigned a high place amongst the most significant retainers of the Irish lords and chieftains.

Uilleann pipes (pronounced 'illyun' - not 'yooleeun' means elbow pipes) are an Irish development of an instrument which is found in many versions throughout the world. The uilleann pipes are generally thought to have evolved from the old Irish war-pipes (which were somewhat similar to the Scottish pipes) about the beginning of the 18th century. Their distinguishing characteristics are: a bag filled by a bellows, not a blow pipe; a chanter or melody pipe which gives a two-octave range; and the addition of regulators which can be used for accompanying the melody.

The bodhrán (means 'deaf thing' or 'deafener') is a shallow, one-sided drum of a type found in many cultures throughout the world. It's use in modern traditional music is mainly due to its adoption by the late Séan Ó Riada, who preferred it, in his arrangements for Ceoltóirí Cualann (latterly the Chieftains), to the snare-drums used in ceílí bands. The bodhrán is played with a stick or with the hand. The stick can vary considerably in shape and dimensions. Playing with the hand involves a rocking motion between the thumb or ball of the thumb and the fingers or outside edge of the palm.