A History of Melody, Myth and Music

Last year I was invited to write a piece for Tourism Ireland on Irish music that would be printed in travel magazines and brochures all over the world. Presumably I got asked because of my work as a music journalist, and presumably they wanted me to make Ireland sound like an appealing place to go on your holidays. This meant having adopt a somewhat ‘softer’ writing style than I usually employ, an it also meant bigging up a lot of artists and music I’d never actually listen to (Trad, Mundy, Dana et al). Still, I think it’s quite a pretty piece.

A History of Melody, Myth and Music

From street ballads to rock’n’roll, for a tiny island Ireland has produced an amazing body of great music. While artists like U2, Van Morrison and Enya take many of the plaudits, the success they have achieved is a testament to the fact that music is an integral part of Irish culture, writes Dean Van Nguyen.

In Ireland music is inescapable. It flows through every street and around every corner. Take a stroll down Dublin’s Temple Bar or through any remote rural village and you will hear music audible from almost every dwelling, bringing people together for the sheer joy of hearing Irish music being performed live or echoing out of a speaker. The great Irish songbook is full of compositions with lyrics that evoke imagery of the country’s rich history. Perhaps it’s no coincidence that Ireland is the only country in the world that has a musical instrument – the harp – as its national emblem. 

Evolving through time, the sound and message may have changed, but Ireland has remained a cultural centre for a variety of musical forms and genres. For a tiny island sitting between the US and Great Britain, Ireland continues to produce internationally recognised and revered performers. Yet despite the universal appeal of artists like U2, Van Morrison and acts like Riverdance, there is something uniquely Irish to every star that emerges from this country.

An Ancient Pedigrees

The qualities that have run throughout Irish musical history were first formed centuries ago. In Topographia Hibernica, an account of the landscape and people of Ireland written around 1188, Gerald of Wales claimed that the Irish were more skilled at playing music than any other nation he had seen. The ancient Celts passed religion, myths and history from one generation to the next through song. According to Irish folklore, Celtic bands travelled from village to village, performing for bed and board, swapping songs with fellow musicians as they went. These days our internationally acclaimed acts still take to the road, but now on a much larger scale, playing sold out shows in large arenas worldwide. The passing of music still exists in some form. Over the years legendary performers like Bob Dylan and Johnny Cash have incorporated many Irish songs into their repertoire.

Ireland is known for its traditional street ballads such as Molly Malone, a tale from the 1750s of a fishmonger who died and whose ghost is said to haunt the market. Opening with the lines “In Dublin’s fair city/Where the girls are so pretty” the song is an anthem among natives of the capital. But unlike Molly Malone many street ballads are tales of drinking best enjoyed when drinking. Songs like The Moonshiner, The Wild Rover and Whiskey in the Jar have been popular for many years among Irish natives who enjoy singing a good melody with their pint of stoat. They were introduced to a wider audience during the folk revival of the 1960s, when Irish musicians such as The Dubliners, The Clancy Brothers and The Chieftains gained some popularity throughout the rest of the world.

The Legend of Philo

Although Whiskey in the Jar originated in the 17^th century, it was turned into a rock classic in the 1960s by the band Thin Lizzy. Their frontman Phil Lynott remains one of Ireland’s most popular and lasting musicians. His merging of poetry and rock’n’roll made him one of the most revered stars ever to pick up an instrument. Their version of Whiskey in the Jar was a nod to the band’s musical forefathers, linking the past to the present. When Lynott died in 1986 it left an irreparable hole in the hearts of many Irish music lovers. Such was the connection that he made with his fans around the world, many who travel to Ireland visit his statue, located just off Grafton Street in Dublin.

As well as the Phil Lynott statue, music fans from around the world commune at the famous U2 Graffiti Wall on Hannover Quay in The Dublin Docklands. Rory Gallagher devotees can visit a tribute sculpture at Rory Gallagher Place in his hometown of Cork, while lovers of band The Undertones can take a trip to their hometown of Derry~Londonderry, which has also produced an impressive array of talent including songwriter Phil Coulter, Eurovision Song Contest winner Dana and Girls Aloud singer Nadine Coyle. The city remains one of Ireland’s most effervescent for live music.

Less than 100 kilometres away from Derry~Londonderry, Belfast too has been an important part of Irish musical history. Remembered as being one of the world’s most prominent cities for producing punk music during the genre’s explosion in the 1970s, it was the home of bands like Stiff Little Fingers and Rudi.

Such is the level of interest in the Belfast music scene, in 2012 the film Good Vibrations – penned by Belfast writers Glenn Patterson and Colin Carberry – was released, charting the career of Terri Hooley (the godfather of Irish punk) who signed the Undertones. It was during the previous decade that Van Morrison – sometimes referred to as ‘The Belfast Cowboy’ – really put the city on the pop music map, achieving international success with the rock group Them before launching a solo career that has spawned over 40 albums to date

The MTV Odyssey

These days Belfast still reaches the world. Musician David Holmes first started DJing at club nights at Belfast Art College. Today he’s one of Hollywood’s most sought-after composers, and has also made a significant run for success as a solo artist. Rock bands Snow Patrol and Ash have received international recognition, selling millions of albums worldwide, while The Odyssey Arena hosted The MTV European Music Awards in November 2011, underlining the city’s continuing significance for fans of contemporary music.

Traditional Music

Admirers of more traditional music can visit the more rural parts of the country, such as counties Kerry, Wicklow, Clare and Donegal, which have produced Irish trad legends like Johnny Doran, Willie Clancy and Michael Coleman. Trad (also known as Irish folk) is perhaps the most distinctive form of music. Utilising instruments like the bodhrán, the banjo, the fiddle and the guitar, the music has survived for centuries now. Today, acts like Kíla and Gráda continue to record old fashioned trad music, but it also survives in sessions which take place informally in country and city pubs up and down the country. Even young artists like Damien Rice, Paddy Casey and Mundy remain faithful to these roots. They embrace the acoustic guitar, an instrument of choice for generations of Irish musicians. It was a humble acoustic that Glen Hansard gently strummed when performing his song ‘Falling Slowly’ from the film Once during the 2008 Academy Awards. With Markéta Irglová, he would bring home the Oscar for Best Original Song.

Indie Rock Heaven

But while these artists acknowledge Irish musical history, there has been a flood of modern acts who look elsewhere for inspiration. Jape, for example, creates laptop electro pop. His only acknowledgment of the past is in the title to the song ‘Phil Lynott’. The Thrills have been compared to The Beach Boys, and even travelled to California to record their sunny style of pop music. Republic of Loose dabble in retro fink, while perhaps the most notable breakout stars of the last couple of years, Two Door Cinema Club have received international recognition for their crowd pleasing style of indie guitar-pop. In a way, Dublin has become a haven for kids more interested in indie rock, metal, hip-hop, funk and jazz music than the genres that the city has traditionally excelled in. There is something there for fans of any music almost every night of the week, and it’s these artists who are taking Irish music brave new places as we look to the future.

Festival Fever

This explosion of creativity is reflected back by the amount of international stars who regularly visit Ireland to play shows. The Oxegen and Electric Picnic summer music festivals are ranked among the best in Europe. In fact, there are festivals almost all year around here catering to a range of music fans. The O’Carolan International Harp Festival takes place in County Roscommon celebrates trad music, song and dance as well as instrumental instruction. The Féile lorras in County Mayo is an international folk arts festival that covers traditional dancing, piping, music, exhibitions of arts and crafts and music master classes, as well as workshops in the visual arts and sculpture.

But away from these big stages there are local bars, halls and art centres that are always vibrant with musical acts and patrons eager to have the craic (good fun). Some sessions are planned. Others are spontaneous and all are welcome to join in with their instruments, hands or even voices. It’s this delight that music brings to the heart of every Irish person that is unrivalled. The diversity of styles and tastes means that there something for everyone. Whether it’s traditional Celtic folk or rock’n’roll, music remains a fundamental part of Irish culture.