Traditional Irish music has a bright future

Paul Keating

Published Saturday, July 11, 2009, 12:07 PM

Updated Thursday, July 23, 2009, 5:18 PM

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Rita Keane

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.

Graham was born in Glenarm, County Antrim and now resides in Mullaghbawn with his wife Pádraigín Ní Uallacháin, who is also a traditional singer. Both specialize in the songs of Ulster.

Graham is the most well-known of the trio, having visited the U.S. many times before on solo tours and in concert with other performers like Cathal MacConnell and his one-time band Skylark.

His singing and sourcing his songs are first-rate and very much in the mold of Harte and the Keanes, and his associations with many of the finest singers in the North like Joe Holmes, Eddie Butcher, Geordie Hanna and Sarah Anne O’Neill, MacConnell and storyteller John Campbell place him in the vanguard of tradition-bearers today.

His work on Northern Ireland songs is particularly noteworthy and valuable these days and he has appeared on 20 albums, including three solo CDs.

Patricia Flynn, born in Drumintee in South Armagh and now residing in Mullaghbawn, is also a very fine singer (one CD entitled “Stray Leaves”) of songs from the area and beyond. As one of Armagh’s local music promoters, she help found and run the Slieve Gullion Festival of Traditional Singing which served a major role in the preservation and promotion of Northern Ireland Song.

Mick Quinn was born in Carricknagavna in South Armagh in farming country, and he honed many of his stories and songs from his father and the barn and flax dances in his neighborhood back in the 1940s.

He is a highly respected author of poetry, stories and songs in a comedic vein and a wonderful tradition-bearer in the Irish music scene and the uncle of box-player Martin Quinn who appeared in the Catskills a couple of years ago.

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As the Irish people have a genuine sense of fun, Irish entertainment can be found in every town, village, city and county. One of the most popular forms is the festival, which is used to celebrate all sorts of occasions &emdash; everything from literary pursuits to a love of oysters. Here are a few highlights of entertainment in Ireland throughout the year: Londonderry boasts the biggest Halloween Festival in the world with around 30,000 celebrating the ancient Celtic New Year every October. Grab a dodgy mask and join the party! / The Belfast Festival at Queen’s is Ireland’s biggest International Festival and boasts an eclectic mix of music, talks, comedy, exhibitions and film. / The Galway Races, the Rose of Tralee Festival, Puck Fair in Killorglin, and the Oul’ Lammas Fair in Ballycastle are world famous and offer a great chance to enjoy Irish entertainment, life and laughs with the locals. / Food festivals are now a big draw in Ireland with local produce scoring high among international foodies. Head to the famous oyster festivals in Clarenbridge in Galway, or Hillsborough, County Down. / Tune in to a spot of music with the Open House Festival in Belfast, the Waterford International Festival of Light Opera, or the Feile an Phobail in west Belfast. Or grab a pint and tap your feet to some cool tunes at the Guinness Cork Jazz Festival. / If you prefer your festivals small and intimate, try the harp festivals in Roscommon or the rough and ready horse and pony fairs from Cavan to Cork. Even today, the horses are priced in guineas, and bought and sold with a spit in the hand. / At the other end of the scale of entertainment in Ireland lies the Wexford Opera Festival with full-scale opera productions, concerts, recitals, talks, cabaret, fireworks, and, of course, parties. / For something a little different, try the Magnus Barelegs Festival in Downpatrick offering a slice of Viking life, or the Eagle Wing Festival in Groomsport, County Down, which celebrates Ireland’s cultural links with America. / Theater fans should head to Dublin for both the Dublin Theatre Festival and the excellent Dublin Fringe Festival, with wildly exciting performances taking place in fabulous venues. / Around March 17, the country turns a shade of green for a host of St Patrick’s Festivals. All over the country, from the Saint’s hallowed burial place in Downpatrick to the more carnival atmosphere of parades and exceptional fireworks in Dublin and Belfast. / Literary lovers should head to Dublin in June for the intriguing Bloomsday Festival, where fans of Joyce’s Gargantuan Ulysses dress up in traditional gear and scoff old Dublin food like “nutty gizzards” and “urine-soaked kidneys”. Alternatively, seek out the delights of the Aspects Literature Festival in Bangor in September, an annual celebration of Irish literature with lectures, discussion and music. But festivals are just one aspect of Irish entertainment—let's not forget about music! From impromptu sessions in your local bar to the thrilling beat of U2, Ireland has always been home to the best sounds of music. Ireland’s massive successes in the Irish entertainment world include some bands and artists you may have heard of…U2, The Corrs, Enya, Westlife, Snow Patrol, Ash, David Holmes, Van Morrison and The Thrills, to name just a few. Unique and distinctive, the harp holds a special place in Irish entertainment and has come to symbolize the harmony of people and music in Ireland. It’s the earliest musical instrument mentioned in Irish literature and has been used as an official emblem for Ireland since medieval times. Today, it’s on Irish passports and stamps. But there's more: Fleadhs, or festivals, are a major part of Irish entertainment as well as cultural life, and impromptu trad sessions have become the stuff of legend at West Belfast’s Feile an Phobail, the Galway Racing Festival or Kerry’s Puck Fair. Rock and dance music festivals are also big news with the Oxegen Festival, Tennents Vital Belfast and the Electric Picnic held in summer.

Traditional Irish music has a bright future

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