Discover Ireland Through Music Exploring the Past and Present of a Long Irish Tradition
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TRAVEL IRELAND TRAVEL By Sarah A. McCarty DISCOVER IRELAND THROUGH MUSIC EXPLORING THE PAST AND PRESENT OF A LONG IRISH TRADITION !e moment pounding snare drums explode into “Sunday Bloody Sunday,” most music fans recognize it as one of U2’s most political songs. Many of those fans know that the song denounces sectarian violence by evoking the events of January 30, 1972. Some of those fans know that on that day 13 civil rights protestors were killed during a march held in Derry, Northern Ireland. Very few of those fans have actually been to Derry — or Ireland. U2 shows that Ireland is more than the home of Guinness — much more. It’s the home of Celtic traditions, astonishing scenery, unique landscapes, trag- ic history, political tribulations, folklore, Gaelic culture and a spirited people who create music and are captured through music. One way to truly comprehend and appreciate the enchanted Emerald Isle is to experience the county and the people through music, from popular bands like U2 to early harpists to Irish tra- in 1998, the Belfast Agreement Newgrange. After the early farm- Republic of Ireland’s economic ditional folk music. aimed to end the political con- ers, metal workers arrived, as did boom. In the same vein as U2, U2 hit hearts with its 1983 troversy that was many times the Bronze Age, the Iron Age, many Irish felt compelled to de- protest track, and the post-punk expressed through Irish Cath- the Celts, the Gaels, St. Patrick tail this 20th century existence. song becomes more poignant olic and Protestant hostility in and Christianity, the Vikings, For instance, 1990s Irish rock when visiting the “walled city” Northern Ireland. !e region is the Anglo-Normans and Medi- band !e Cranberries touched of Derry. After seeing the walls quiet now, and it is completely eval Ireland. !ese events even- audiences in America and oth- that once kept Catholics out of safe for tourists. tually led to British control and er counties with its protest song the city and the murals depicting Some believe that U2’s song years of political unrest overlap- “Zombie,” which is said to be a the events, travelers gain a deep- also refers to the Bloody Sunday ping religious discord along with memorial to two boys who died er understanding of that day and event of the 1920s during the the tragedy of the Great Famine in an IRA bombing. Under- Irish history. Furthermore, the Irish War of Independence, an- and Irish diaspora. !e next age neath a heavy guitar riff, Dolores song takes on a different life other detail in Ireland’s dramat- of history saw the 1916 Easter O’Riordan sings, “It’s the same with a visit to the Museum of ic past. !e vast and vivid histo- Rising and the partition of the old theme since nineteen-six- Free Derry as images, letters, ry of the country date back as far country. In the 20th Century, the teen/ In your head, in your head artifacts, and audio clips from as the Middle Stone Age inhab- island experienced !e Troubles they’re still fighting/ With their the tragic day play along to the itants and prehistoric sites like as portrayed in U2’s song, the vi- tanks and their bombs/ And tune fixed in your mind. Signed the megalithic passage tomb at olent IRA campaign, and the their bombs and their guns.” ATHENS BLUR MAGAZINE 73 TRAVEL IRELAND Also linked with politics and Traditional music exists Irish identity is the harp, one of throughout the country from Ireland’s first instruments. Ac- Cork and Limerick to the Din- cording to legendary stories gle peninsula, or you can ex- and poetry, the sweet sounds of change euros for pounds and harpists once flourished in the travel to Derry where Peadar Celtic country. In the 16th cen- O’Donnell’s pub features three tury, harpers had status among sections — one with tradition- politicians. Eventually, Queen al music, one with contemporary Elizabeth I issued a proclama- and one with a club atmosphere. tion to arrest Irish harpists and Despite the wealth of Trad in destroy the instruments. With a the country today, in 1951, mu- Gaelic harp serving as a nation- sicians who feared its demise al emblem and Guinness incor- formed Comhaltas Ceoltóirí porating a harp image on one of Éireann, Gathering of Mu- its labels, the instrument is wo- sicians of Ireland, to preserve ven into the fabric of Irish histo- and promote traditional music. ry and art. !e harp was so im- Along with some famous tradi- portant to Irish culture that the tional bands like !e Dubliners Belfast Harpers Society, a group and !e Chieftains, the group’s aiming to preserve harp mu- efforts created an atmosphere in sic, helped organize the Belfast Ireland where Trad has thrived, Harp Festival of 1792. !e age traveled across the world, and of the harpist has died out, but moved into the 21st century. musicians still play around the Current musicians expand world, though they don’t use the on the origins of traditional ancient harps. Irish music. For instance, “River After the harp, the Irish em- Dance” and “Lord of the Dance” braced a new instrument – have developed the tradition- Uileann pipes (Irish bagpipes). al dance music and promoted !e pipes were crucial to tra- it throughout the world. Also, ditional Irish folk music, but it just as Grammy-award winning now features more fiddle and Northern Irish artist Van Morri- flute. Despite the suffering of son drew on traditional Irish and the Irish, they are spirited sur- and Doolin, but most Irish ex- village only has three pubs, it Celtic music to create his sound, vivors who embrace their past, periences begin in Dublin. has been called the “Tradition- so have many modern bands. enjoy their present and look When nighttime commenc- al Music Capital of Ireland,” as Celtic punk bands Dropkick forward to their future, as seen es, the Temple Bar area in Dub- places such as Gus O’Connor’s, Murphys and Flogging Mol- through traditional music. !e lin fills with college students, McDermott’s and McGann’s ly took a note from !e Pogues, ubiquitous sounds of tradition- young adults and tourists look- each offer nightly live sessions. who formed in 1982 and mixed al Irish music, known as Trad, ing for craic. Most of the pubs Although the small, picturesque punk rock influences with tra- paint a picture of the colorful offer traditional music, but one town continues to fill with more ditional Irish instruments. As country with its dance tunes like particular pub to drop in is Oli- tourists each year, thus taking Irish music and culture contin- reels and jigs and its thousands ver St. John Gogarty Tradition- away from its authentic feel, it is ue to flourish, new artists will of songs that have been passed al Irish Bar. Go up the stairs to still worth the trip. represent its history and life- down through generations. the first floor to find an enthu- After hearing “Galway Girl,” style such as singer/songwriters Some songs are subgenre reb- siastic crowd surrounding an performed throughout the is- Paddy Casey, who was named as el music, some showcase story- equally enthusiastic band. In be- land, you will want to head up an MTV buzzworthy artist, Foy telling and others are lively tunes tween pub stops, you will learn the coast to Galway for a unique Vance, and Damien Rice, who’s featuring fun times, or craic, as that the best experiences in Ire- taste of Irish living and mu- powerful prose and melodies the Irish say. In addition to mu- land are the idiosyncratic Irish sic. Performers sometimes play have bombarded American au- sic festivals, visitors can get their buskers. Walking around Dub- while you stroll the pedestri- diences via dramatic television fill of music in pubs flooded lin you are bound to see street an streets of the growing city, and movie scenes, notably serv- with fiddles, flutes, accordions, performers a la the scene from but make sure to step inside !e ing as the backdrop for the 2004 whistles and bodhráns (an Irish 2007’s Irish musical film “Once,” Quays, a pub located on Quay film “Closer”. drum). Anytime you are wel- where singer/songwriter Glen Street. !e décor is beautiful and From the harpists to popular comed into a pub with a “Fail- Hansard passionately performs its distinctive two-tier layout of- bands to traditional tunes, the te,” it’s evident how the Irish ap- on Grafton Street. fers a unique venue. !e music music of Ireland tells the story preciate the present, have humor One of the best tradition- isn’t always traditional, but don’t of a country and how the Irish and enjoy each other’s company. al music destinations is Doolin, pass up the chance to have a pint found fun, family, hope, surviv- Some of the best cities for tra- County Clare, home to the Cliffs and observe the musical scene at al, identity, and existence in their ditional music include Galway of Moher. Although the coastal this one of a kind pub. music. 74 ATHENS BLUR MAGAZINE.