Traditional Irish music's bright future

Rita and Sarah made two albums displaying their unique -- for Ireland anyway -- singing in unison style which reflected the heartfelt way they collected and preserved songs around their part of the world. 

The first was called “Once I Loved” and the second was “At the Setting of the Sun” which was recorded 20 years after the first one.  

Many singers all over Ireland were influenced by their honest, authentic voices, but none more so than their niece Delores Keane and nephews Sean and Matt Keane who went on to have great careers in Irish music, having been reared around their two aunts Rita and Sarah and steeped in the tradition they espoused so fiercely. 

The Keane family being musicians had an added advantage in approaching songs, and their locality and fluency in the Irish language provided for more ornamentation in their singing and more of the sean nos aspects that could not be said of Frank Harte.

Three years ago in 2006 Rita and Sarah Keane were recognized by TG4 for a Lifetime Achievement in Irish Traditional Music, and Harte won their acclaim as Singer of the Year in 2003.

It is important to note the above because singers are very important people when evaluating how our Irish heritage gets passed along from one generation to another. As Harte was famous for saying, “Those in power write the history while those who suffer write the songs and we Irish have an awful lot of songs.”

Not everyone can play the jigs and reels, and singers of every stripe and influence can bear witness to how broad and insightful our culture can be through the world of song.

Like all things traditional, singing must be cared for and tended to and continue to prosper in the right hands, and I am glad to say that there are many great singers out there upholding the tradition. 

At the 2007 Smithsonian Folklife Festival when Northern Ireland was recognized as a region of influence on America, there was an outstanding array of singers as part of a 160 strong compliment of artists and crafts people.  

One particular contingent from Mullaghbawn area of South Armagh stood out in my mind as worthy candidates to share their talents with budding singers in the Catskills and those who appreciate great singing and creativity and a bit of humor. Experienced singers like Len Graham, Patricia Flynn and the 82-years-young Mick Quinn provided a formidable task force to take on the town of East Durham.

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Nster.com