Ireland has a rich, cultural heritage and a great tradition in music. Traditional Irish music is admired all over the world and is still listened to by each generation. It has influenced many other forms of music and several artists have fused traditional music with pop and rock music. As anyone who has wandered into a live session in an Irish pub will know, the commonly used instruments are the bodhran (a hand held drum), fiddle, button accordion or concertina, flute and tin whistle. There may also be a four string banjo, and less purist groups sometimes use guitars and bouzoukis. Children learn to play the tin whistle in school.
Several exponents of the traditional music have achieved commercial success, such as the Dubliners who had a few hit singles in the UK charts. The Chieftains were another popular band and they incorporated the Uilleann Pipes. This traditional instrument is known to be extremely difficult to play. The Clancy Brothers also kept the old styles alive. Other groups had crossover success, with a mix of Irish music and rock. These were Planxty, the Bothy Band and the Pogues, led by Shane MacGowan. Clannad, with their melodic folk pop were also popular. Later, their ethereal singer Enya went on to have her own solo hits.
Over the years, many artists have had hits with songs, which have drawn on their Irish roots. The rock band Thin Lizzy, whose front man Phil Lynott was half Irish, used traditional Irish jigs in their music. More recently, The Corrs blend Irish music with commercial pop sounds.
Ireland has produced many international stars, including The Boomtown Rats with Bob Geldof, The Undertones, The Horslips, The Cranberries and Boyzone. The late Rory Gallagher, who had a big following during the 1970s, is considered to be one of the finest rock guitarists in rock history. Sinead O'Connor has produced her share of controversy as well as some memorable songs. Probably the most successful of all the Irish bands is U2, fronted by Bono. Irish music continues to be represented by today's bands, such as My Bloody Valentine and the Dropkick Murphy's. Bands are blending Irish traditional forms with punk and metal.
As all the crossover innovation shows, traditional music has not been forgotten and continues to thrive in various ways. There is plenty for the purist fan too, who just wants to hear Irish music as it has always been played. Let us hope that the children of Ireland will always want to pick up a tin whistle or a bodhran.
http://www.musicandsongwebsite.com/irish_music.html
