The Folk Music of Ireland Saint Patricks feast

The Folk Music of Ireland

Saint Patrick’s feast day is on 17 th March and is a time of celebration for Irish people all over the world. Music is an important part of those celebrations. Ms Helen Magri

Saint Patrick is the patron saintthatof Ireland It is said The shamrock is St Patrick used now an emblem the shamrock to of Ireland. teach the people of Ireland about The Holy Trinity. Ms Helen Magri

This is because music is an important The harp is also an emblem of Ireland. part of Ireland’s culture. Ms Helen Magri

Scotland, Northern Ireland, Wales and England make up the Ireland is a separate country. United Kingdom Ireland

When we talk about Irish folk music, this includes music from Northern Ireland, as well as the Republic of Ireland. Ms Helen Magri

Northern Ireland The Republic of Ireland is a separate country. It is also part of the EU. Northern Ireland is part of the United Kingdom. Republic of Ireland Ms Helen Magri

Folk music from across the British Isles has some similarities, but each country has distinct characteristics Ms Helen Magri

Instruments Used in Traditional Irish Music Ms Helen Magri

The fiddle (the violin) The Celtic harp Ms Helen Magri

The Irish flute, which is made of wood. The fife, a smaller wooden flute. Ms Helen Magri

The accordion The concertina Ms Helen Magri

Listen to the sound of the harp, the Irish flute and the concertina Ms Helen Magri

The mandolin The guitar The banjo Ms Helen Magri

The bouzouki has a long neck and eight strings. It is similar to a guitar or lute and is played with a plectrum. It originally comes from Greece, but is now also used in traditional Scottish and Irish music. Ms Helen Magri

Listen to this Irish folk melody, called the Foggy Dew, played on the bouzouki Ms Helen Magri

The tin whistle Also called the penny whistle, the Irish whistle and the flageolet. Ms Helen Magri

The bodhrán Ms Helen Magri

The drum is beateniswith a double-headed The bodhrán an Irish drumstick known as a tipper. Ms Helen Magri

The Irish band, They The oftenthis Corrs, used the fiddle, traditional tininstruments whistle, as well as Watch performance ofthea traditional the modern bodhrán instruments. and the Irish melody called Haste To guitar. The Wedding. Ms Helen Magri

The uilleann pipes (literally“elbow pipes”) Ms Helen Magri

The uilleann pipes are related to the The uilleann pipes also play a Scottish bagpipes wider range of notes but instead of blowing than the air in, a small bellows Scottish bagpipes (which is strapped around the arm) inflates the bag. Ms Helen Magri

Watch this video about the uilleann pipes Ms Helen Magri

Irish folk music is often played at sessions in pubs where it remains an important part of community life. Ms Helen Magri

Watch this clip from a session with the The voice is also an important instrument in Irish music. famous Irish folk singer, Cara Dillon. Ms Helen Magri

Folk music is often combined with dance. Irish folk music can be heard at a ceili which is a lively social dance event (which is similar to the Scottish ceildh). Ms Helen Magri

Irish dancers traditionally wear brightly coloured costumes and leather-soled shoes Ms Helen Magri

interval, Riverdance, was first held performed. In. During 1994, the Eurovision Song Contest in Ireland. Ms Helen Magri

It featured group Anúnawrote and. Irish the music Irish dancing champions, Jean Butler and The dancingthewasvocal based on traditional dancing some elements. Bill Whelan the in but the with style of modern Michael traditional Irish. Flatley. folk music. Ms Helen Magri

300 million people across the world watched the first performance of Riverdance that night. Watch that same performance now. Ms Helen Magri

Riverdance was so popular, that the original seven-minute interval act was developed into a full stage show, which toured all over the world. Ms Helen Magri

Which instrument that we learnt Did you like Riverdance? about. Why/why today is your not? favourite? Ms Helen Magri