Irish flute music has influenced many different styles in America. It arrived in America in the 1800s after millions fled Ireland’s famine and were deprived of their food.
Irish flutes music tells the stories of the people through good and bad times. There was a beautiful collection called “Bringing All Back Home: The Impact of Irish Music” that was released 20 years ago. It included many of the Irish music that was popularized in American Cultures such as Kilkelly (The Lakes of Pontchertain) and Sonny. Kilkelly is one saddest songs. It’s composed of letters sent by a father from England to his son, starting in 1861 to share the news about death in the family.
The Clancy Brothers, Tommy Makem, and Irish music were revived in America during the 1960s. Songs like Roddy McCorley and Will Ye Go Lassie Go were among the many examples of Irish music. Clancy Brothers actually influenced young Bob Dylan’s folk singing style. Traditional Irish music often features the following instruments: guitar, fiddle and uileannpipes. My favorite sound is the voice. Sean Keane singing Ellis Island from Sean Nos Nua 2002. Sean nos refers the traditional Irish style of singing, sometimes called “comhaille”.
Clannad, who sang in Irish, was one of the most prominent 1970s groups. I spent some summers in County Donegal at Loch an Iuir Gaeltacht and Clannad even performed for the students. I was 11 years old when this happened. The Teach Leo school where they were raised was only 4 miles away in Crolly. They were good, I think – this was before Enya won huge international acclaim for her album Watermark.
I played the piano and violin but learned classical music at school. James Eddie Mc Cluskey of County Monaghan, my grandfather, was a fiddle player and he taught me a few Irish tunes such as The Boys of the Bluehill or The Dawning of the Day. He was fond of “An Chualainn”, which he always spoke about. The marvels of modern technology!
The traditional Irish music has been blended with rock and rolling. This trend started in the 1970s when Horslips was formed. Thin Lizzy and The Pogues were the first to perform Fairytale of New York. Shane Mc Gowan and Kirsty Mc Coll performed it in 1987. U2, Van Morrisons, The Cranberries and The Corrs all have been hugely successful in recent decades.
Irish music can be divided into drinking and marching songs such as Dirty Old Town, Whiskey, in the Jar, and Arthur Mc Bride. The Minstrel Boy, Boolavogue and Arthur Mc Bride are all examples of Irish songs. Love songs include Down by the Sally Gardens and Will Ye Go Lassie Go. Thin Lizzy covers. The Fields of Athenry are the most popular Irish songs. But, this Famine Song is still being sung at rugby and football matches.