Irish Music
Ireland’s cultural contribution to the world far outweighs its relatively small population. Music is one of the chief expressions of this cultural heritage, and Ireland has produced an astonishing number of musicians and bands, which have achieved fame and critical acclaim on the international stage.
The seductive melodies of The Chieftains and Clannad, the humor and vitality of The Dubliners, the charismatic ballads of Christy Moore and Paul Brady, the mystique of Enya–all of these artists have served to put Ireland into the major league of world music.
The international success of rock acts like U2, Sinéad O’Connor, Van Morrison, the Cranberries, Snow Patrol, The Script and others bear testimony to the breadth and diversity, the energy and spirit of Irish music.
In Ireland, music and pubs go hand in hand. Many of the bands that have achieved world acclaim started their careers playing in pubs. The pub today is usually the meeting point for musicians where music blends with the infectious humor of lively conversation. And impromptu sessions are interwoven with regularly scheduled gigs, as part of the essential ambience of Fadó.
There is a broad range of uniquely Irish music: Traditional folk (Altan), Celtic (Enya), Irish country (The Chieftains), contemporary folk (Sharon Shannon), blues, (Gary Moore), Celtic rock (The Horslips), east listening (Phil Coulter), easy rock (Mary Black), soul (Leslie Dowdall), modern traditional rock (The Corrs), fun (Saw Doctors, Pogues), pop (Boyzone), rock (U2), heavy rock (Thin Lizzy) and many, many more.
