And the oldest Irish instrument of all time... The feet.
Here's Emma O Sullivan, proponent of Sean nos dance which is the people's party dance upon which the flashier competition step dancing is based.
You'll recognize a connection to American buck dancing and clogging... sean-nos is their ancestor, just as Irish set and ceili dance is the progenitor of American square dancing.
And to round out the Christian theme, here's a traditional religious song composed roughly around the stations of the cross, sung in old style by a brilliant brother-sister duo.
A song I just came across today, "Willie McBride's Reply" by Owen Atwell which is an answer to the protagonist of "Green Fields of France" who has sat down by the gravestone of WWI soldier Willie McBride and asked him about why he died. Very moving performance.
And no list of Irish songs would be complete without a sporting ballad... Either of hunting, horse racing, or boxing. Here is Dublin electrician-turned- superballadeer Daori Farrell with a class song of the hares.
No Irish set would be complete without the uillean pipes and harp, the oldest instruments by far whose style and ornamentation is copied by all subsequent Irish instruments such as fiddle, flute, and box. Here's husband and wife Joe and Antoinette McKenna.
No St. Patrick's music list would be complete without some diaspora songs. This original by drop-D wizard John Doyle 'Clear the Way” – a translation from the Irish “Faugh A Ballagh” which was the rallying cry of the Irish Brigade in the American Civil War. The song tells the story of the “Fighting 69th,” and their tragic battle at Fredricksburg, Virginia where their numbers were reduced from over 1600 to less than 300 by another predominantly Irish Confederate Regiment.
"Pretty Peg", by the folk heroes, the Bothy Band. The Bothies were Led Zeppelin to the Chieftain's Beatles during the electrifying folk revival in Ireland, which never ended.
"Arthur MacBride", in its definitive rendering by the essential Irish songwriter, Paul Brady.
From Wikipedia:
Describing a violent altercation with a recruiting sergeant, it can be narrowly categorized as an "anti-recruiting" song, a specific form of anti-war song, and more broadly as a protest song. A. L. Lloyd described it as "that most good-natured, mettlesome, and un-pacifistic of anti-militarist songs".
And the oldest Irish instrument of all time... The feet.
Here's Emma O Sullivan, proponent of Sean nos dance which is the people's party dance upon which the flashier competition step dancing is based.
You'll recognize a connection to American buck dancing and clogging... sean-nos is their ancestor, just as Irish set and ceili dance is the progenitor of American square dancing.
https://youtu.be/9QhAg0QYzwY?si=Nm_NRvfOsTUphhc4
I'll have to add all of these to a playlist. Thanks so much!
And to round out the Christian theme, here's a traditional religious song composed roughly around the stations of the cross, sung in old style by a brilliant brother-sister duo.
https://youtu.be/DVpv0Hly9Rc?si=26hb9HE_luvrIqQQ
I wrote a bit about this piece here
https://reepicheep.substack.com/p/lift
Great, great music. I love Irish music.
A song I just came across today, "Willie McBride's Reply" by Owen Atwell which is an answer to the protagonist of "Green Fields of France" who has sat down by the gravestone of WWI soldier Willie McBride and asked him about why he died. Very moving performance.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WefMcGI7TzM
And yes I think the High Kings were fantastic.
Oh, nice find! Thanks for sharing!
The High Kings still are great. :) I still need to catch them some time when they're in my neck of the woods.
And no list of Irish songs would be complete without a sporting ballad... Either of hunting, horse racing, or boxing. Here is Dublin electrician-turned- superballadeer Daori Farrell with a class song of the hares.
https://youtu.be/UPI_tHNjS78?si=8aVfh_7G1eBm2keg
No Irish set would be complete without the uillean pipes and harp, the oldest instruments by far whose style and ornamentation is copied by all subsequent Irish instruments such as fiddle, flute, and box. Here's husband and wife Joe and Antoinette McKenna.
https://youtu.be/PCLjbPQUduc?si=_AonbvsqB9GvmPHK
No St. Patrick's music list would be complete without some diaspora songs. This original by drop-D wizard John Doyle 'Clear the Way” – a translation from the Irish “Faugh A Ballagh” which was the rallying cry of the Irish Brigade in the American Civil War. The song tells the story of the “Fighting 69th,” and their tragic battle at Fredricksburg, Virginia where their numbers were reduced from over 1600 to less than 300 by another predominantly Irish Confederate Regiment.
https://youtu.be/IRAKhZHApaY?si=XxGei31yLdME4uaB
"Pretty Peg", by the folk heroes, the Bothy Band. The Bothies were Led Zeppelin to the Chieftain's Beatles during the electrifying folk revival in Ireland, which never ended.
https://youtu.be/iQr2KRP8Hgw?si=MvTe2TnGvAZmfUyo
"Arthur MacBride", in its definitive rendering by the essential Irish songwriter, Paul Brady.
From Wikipedia:
Describing a violent altercation with a recruiting sergeant, it can be narrowly categorized as an "anti-recruiting" song, a specific form of anti-war song, and more broadly as a protest song. A. L. Lloyd described it as "that most good-natured, mettlesome, and un-pacifistic of anti-militarist songs".
https://youtu.be/D5J4mZpCFnU?si=YssmNiuY_6_iGbFe
Good collection. I'll add a few.