Irish Music and Dance
A walk through the traditional music and dance of Ireland.
Location: Ireland
Bardic Traditions in Irish Culture
The first known musicians of Ireland were the bards, an order that existed from Ireland's prehistory to the 18th century. The ancient Irish nobility sponsored bardic schools, where talented children from eligible families learned to play music, sing, and extol the virtues of their noble patrons. The man widely recognized as the last bard of Ireland was Turlough O'Carolan, a blind harpist who passed away in 1738.[1][2]
Bards were, however, not the only musicians of Ireland. At funerals, women howled a keening lament to honor the dead. At dances, they performed simple tunes for their neighbors. Every day, for generations, Irish farmers sang while they worked and then crooned their children to sleep. Many old Irish folk songs have been preserved by historians, but the majority have no doubt been lost to time.[3]
Irish Musicians and Their Instruments
Although fiddles have dominated Irish music in recent centuries, the harp was the historical instrument of choice. Harpists played austere melodies in the courts of kings and bawdy tunes at local inns. As a result, they occupied some of the highest and lowest positions of Irish society. In addition, musicians played horns and a type of bagpipe in battle. Entertainers occasionally used tin whistles and, later, concertinas.[4]
Irish Dance
Besides their musicianship, the Irish are noted dancers. Dancing gave families a chance to mingle without the usual barriers of class, clan, and religion. They danced for wakes and weddings, in public or at home, professionally or for personal amusement. Farmers sometimes held dances for labourers after a harvest.[4][5]
The rince fada is one of the oldest known dances in Ireland. Today, Irish dance is famous for its stepdancing, typically performed to reels, hornpipes, and jigs. Dancers move their arms as little as possible to show their physical discipline. Imported dances like the waltz and Scottish barndance quickly gained popularity on the island as well.[6]
Bibliography
Joseph C. Walker, Historical Memoirs of the Irish Bards (Dublin: Printed for the author by Luke White, 1786), 68-103.
Nora Joan Clark, The Story of the Irish Harp: Its History and Influence (Lynnwood, WA: North Creek Press, 2003), 76-82.
Alfred M. Williams, The Poets and Poetry of Ireland: With Historical and Critical Essays and Notes (Boston: James R. Osgood, 1881), 74-76.
Martin Dowling, Traditional Music and Irish Society: Historical Perspectives (New York: Routledge, 2016).
Helen Brennan, The Story of Irish Dance (Dingle: Brandon, 2004), 128.
Arthur Flynn, Irish Dance (Belfast: Appletree Press, 1998), 32.
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