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This page is the by-product of the interests of the author, an active member of the monthly singers' session of the Rochester, New York Chapter of Comhaltas Ceoltoiri Eireann (the Irish Musicians Association), the international organization dedicated to promoting Irish traditional music and dance in all its forms. As such it reflects only his views and does not reflect the views of the Chapter nor of Comhaltas itself. That being said, it is hoped the page will serve as a useful introduction for those new to the genre and wishing to learn more. I gladly welcome any constructive suggestions to make the page more useful.
Frequently Asked Questions
Biographies of Famous Singers
Singing Festivals and Workshops
Singers' Sessions
What Makes Me Such an Expert? + Bibliography
For the purposes of this page, Irish songs are those that were written by persons living in Ireland (known or unknown), addressing issues arising out of Irish culture, and using traditional Irish musical conventions. Therefore it does not include songs written by Irish emigrants to other nations, their descendants, non-Irish popular songwriters, nor by Irish nationals using popular song conventions of the time.
The following is a distillation of information contained in the pamphlet What is Irish Traditional Music? published by the Irish Traditional Music Archive in Dublin. Those seeking more information are referred there:
1. It is a living tradition. While the repertoire is not static (new tunes or songs are added, older pieces shed for awhile and then revived), it is nevertheless music which is conservative in tendency. Change only takes place slowly.
2. The bulk of it comes from the past, and is of some antiquity. Much of the repertoire goes back to the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Some pieces may be even earlier in origin, and it is likely that some very old melodies and lyrics survive adapted to modern forms.
3. Music and tunes are handed down from one generation to the next, or passed from one performer to another, more by example than by formal teaching. It is an oral tradition whereby the learner normally acquires repertory and style through imitation of more experienced performers.
4. Although group performance is not unknown, solo performance is at the heart of the tradition. Singing is normally unaccompanied.
5. Written words or music are only used as an aid to memory, if at all, and never in performance. Most singers cannot read music, but some players may make some use of staff or other kinds of notation.
6. It is played in the home, in the public house and at other social gatherings - parties, weddings, dances, and festivals. Only recently has it been featured at formal concerts, on radio, television and recordings.
In a word, No! Given the definitions above none of these songs
would qualify.
The melody of Danny Boy (commonly called the Derry Air, or the Londonderry
Air)
would qualify as a traditional Irish tune. It has been commonly attributed
to Rory Dall O'Cahan (1660-1712), although that attribution is uncertain.
Those wishing more information on the melody are referred to Michael Robinson's
article, Danny Boy -- The Mystery Solved!
The words were written by an English songwriter named Frederick Edward
Weatherly. Begun as a stand-alone poem in 1910, Weatherly fit the lyrics
to the tune in 1912 when the melody was brought to his attention by his
sister. The completed song was published in 1913. Properly speaking, Danny
Boy is a popular song from pre-World War I England.
Galway Bay is another popular song, this time from the World War II era. The song (words and music) was composed by an Irish physician, Dr. Arthur Colahan, in 1942, but it did not become popular until recorded by Bing Crosby in late 1947. Colahan's composition used popular music conventions of the time and was initially seen by some people as a comic song. The Galway Advertiser reports that the first people to hear the song laughed at it and its author.
When Irish Eyes Are Smiling was composed by an American songsmith,
Chauncy Olcott, 1858-1932. Born in Buffalo, New York to Irish emigrant
parents, Olcott sang in minstrel shows and performed in American and British
musical theater. His songs combined Irish themes with popular music conventions
of the time to facilitate American acceptance of the Irish as fellow citizens.
Olcott is also responsible for such other Irish-American standbys as Mother
Machree and My Wild Irish Rose.
If the songs above don't qualify as traditional Irish songs, what
does?
According to John Moulden's scholarly article on Irish song in The
Companion to Traditional Irish Music, Irish traditional songs
generally fall into four categories: the Lay; the Come-All-Ye; the Ballad;
and the Lyric song in Irish.
The Lay (from the Irish laoi) is arguably the oldest genre of Irish song, consisting of a narrative praising the deeds and virtues of traditional heroes, most notably Finn McCool and Cuchulainn. Modern collections of lays date from the 18th century, but the genre is probably older. Sung in Irish, the last recorded example of a lay was made in 1985; otherwise the genre has been extinct since the mid-twentieth century.
The three other song types are more common.
The Come All Ye songs are characterized by the opening
line Come All Ye [something or other] –
For example: Come all ye loyal sailors,
Come all ye fellow Irishmen,
Come all ye lads and lassies, etc.
The opening expression draws in the listener, details for whom the song is of interest, and sets the scene. Unlike other songs, they tend to concern real people, places and events, and as such may be considered documentary songs.
Ballads are rare in the Irish language, but in English they have been common in Ireland since the 17th century. In structure they are narrative songs, telling a story of people or events. However unlike Come All Ye's, the stories generally are fictional. There are many varieties of ballads (e.g., rebel songs, emigration songs, sporting ballads, etc.). Finally, there is the lyric song in Irish. The latter is generally sung in the old style of Irish singing (commonly referred to as sean nos. See next section). These songs generally tend not to tell a story, but tend to be descriptive, extolling a person or place in great detail. They commonly tend to songs of great love and great loss, sung unaccompanied and with greater or lesser amount of vocal ornamentation. The great Irish language singers (e.g., Joe Heaney, Darach O'Cathain, etc.) tend to draw much of their material from this genre.
Sean nos is an Irish phrase that means old style. Although the techniques to which it refers are quite old, the phrase itself is 20th century in origin, used to describe old fashioned methods as distinct from more modern stylings. Originally a term of derision, it is an appellation now worn with pride by many within the tradition.
As the most traditional style of singing, no exploration of traditional Irish singing would be complete without some discussion of sean nos. Those introduced to the style for the first time often find it an alien sound, as the musical traditions of American popular song and European classical music are outside the purview of this genre. While the space available is not adequate for a full treatment of the subject, Anthony McCann provides an excellent summary of the genre in his article Sean Nos Singing A Bluffer's Guide (see the bibliography below for the full citation). Among the traits of sean nos noted by McCann are:
1. Unaccompanied singing, with a certain natural fierceness.
2. No vibrato or variations in volume (i.e., loud/soft)
3. Free rhythm used by the singer.
4. Occasional nasalisation and the use of dramatic pauses (e.g., known
as glottal stops).
5. Emotion is expressed through the use of vocal ornamentation (such as
a single syllable sung with several notes) .
6. Often extra meaningless syllables are introduced, e.g., Thug (a)
me.
7. The melody varies from one verse to the next, and from one performance
to the next. This is often referred to as the 'variation principle'.
8. And last but not least, the singing is in the Irish language. Not surprisingly,
there are exceptions to many of these rules. For example, traditional singer
Hiudai O'Duibheannaigh argues that there is an English language sean nos
singing tradition. Also, the extent of vocal ornamentation varies from
singer to singer and from region to region. Connemara singers (such as
Joe Heaney) use a great deal of ornamentation; Ulster singers (such as
Paddy Tunney) use little. Still, enough of these traits can be found among
sean nos singers to say that they are generally characteristic of the genre.
We will explore several traditional singers elsewhere on this page. For now it will suffice to note that major American and European recording companies do not support traditional Irish singers; therefore those wishing to investigate the genre must find it on smaller labels. The following brief list may be useful for the novice:
Celtic Grooves Imports
Email: philvar@erols.com
Web site: http://www.celticgrooves.homestead.com/CGhome.html
Claddagh Records
Dame House
Dame Street
Dublin 2, Ireland
Email: mailorder@crl.ie
Web site: http://www.claddaghrecords.com
Cló Iar-Chonnachta
Indreabhán,
Conamara,
Co. na Gaillimhe
Eire
Email: cic@iol.ie
Web site: http://www.cic.ie
Gael Linn
35 Sráid an Dáma
Baile Átha Cliath 2
Éire
Phone: 00353-1-6751200
Email: eolas@gael-linn.ie
Web site : http://www.gael-linn.ie
Green Linnet
43 Beaver Brook Road
Danbury, Connecticut 06810
Phone: 203-730-0333
Email: webmaster@greenlinnet.com
Web site: http://www.greenlinnet.com
Ossian USA
118 Beck Road
Loudon, New Hampshire 03307
Email: info@ossianusa.com
Web site: http://www.ossianusa.com
Shanachie Entertainment Corp.
37 East Clinton Street
Newton, New Jersey 07840
Email: contact@shanachie.com
Web site: http://www.shanachie.com
In addition, traditional singing may be available at various festivals and singers' sessions.
In Elizabeth Cronin, mid-20th century Irish music found a perfectly ordinary
woman who, for many, embodied what traditional singing was all about.
So much so that Seamus Ennis (piper, singer, storyteller,collector and
broadcaster) referred to her simply as The Queen of Irish Song.
Born in the village of Ballyvourney, Co. Cork, Bess Cronin (nee Herlihy)
was shaped by cultural changes taking place around her. The Gaelic League
was prominent in the area, transforming the West Muskerry region of Co.
Cork into a center of Irish language revival. This, in turn, encouraged
a revival of older Irish language songs, the composition of new ones, and
the presence of collectors, whose interest in the region (and later in
Bess) would be significant in her career. English and Irish language singing
was in the air in Ballyvourney and in the Herlihy household. Bess came
from a solidly middle class family. Her father, John Herlihy, was a school
teacher who made enough to employ household servants. Bess first learned
songs from her mother, Maighread Tuomey, and the family servants. In her
mid-teens she went to live with her father's brother and his wife who,
being childless, needed help with the family farm. This later experience
enabled her to add new songs (in Irish and English) to her repertoire from
the beggars and travelers put up for the night by her uncle.
Bess' first public appearance is reputed to been at the 1899 Feis in Macroom.,
where she sang two songs in Irish which were much admired for their
beauty and the naïve simplicity with which they were rendered. But
unlike Joe Heaney, her singing career was not capped with prizes, recording
contracts, or visiting professorships. Hers was an ordinary life. Even
so, it was a life filled with song. Asked by a later interviewer where
and when she sang in her youth, Bess replied: I sang here, there and
everywhere: at weddings and parties and at home, and milking the cows in
the stall, and washing the clothes, and sweeping the house, and stripping
the cabbage for the cattle, and sticking [the seed potatoes] abroad in
the field, and doing everything Her neighbors, of course, were aware
of her talent. Given the interest of collectors and scholars in the region,
it was only a matter of time before they met Bess. Beginning in 1947 and
progressing through the 1950s, a number of collectors (famous in the world
of traditional folk music) beat a path to her door. These included Seamus
Ennis, Brian George, Diane Hamilton, Peter Kennedy, Alan Lomax, Jean Ritchie
and George Pickow, and Robin Roberts. Her voice was heard regularly on
the BBC radio show, As I Roved Out. Although she never produced a commercial
recording, her frequent radio appearances, her lovely voice and phrasings,
and the breadth of her repertoire won her many fans. If not for her, many
older songs would have been forever lost (including the almost-extinct
tune to Lord Gregory, On Board the Kangaroo - later recorded
by Christie Moore and Planxty -- and the song quoted at the beginning of
this article, later made famous by Andy Irvine and Patrick Street).
Although over eighty of her songs are captured on tape, only a few have
ever been available to the public (mostly through anthologies, such as
the tape of the BBC radio show, As I Roved Out, available through Ossian
USA). The most representative sampling of her work is the book entitled The
Songs of Elizabeth Cronin (Dublin: Four Courts Press, c2000 -- also available
through Ossian USA), edited by her grandson, Daithi O'Cronin. Included
with the book are 2 CDs (containing 59 songs and over 2 hours of music).
Still, this is only a small portion of the 200+ songs in her repertoire.
Although recorded when Bess was well on in years, singing a cappella into
a reel-to-reel tape recorder, one can hear the talent that won her fans
who still revere her a generation later.
Today Merv Griffin is best known as the producer of such popular game
shows as Jeopardy and Wheel of Fortune. In the 1960s
he was the host of his own late afternoon talk show, always on the lookout
for new and interesting guests. One day when he was vacationing in Ireland,
he entered O'Donoghue's Pub in Dublin and was startled to see a familiar
face on the wall. That's my doorman! the celebrity exclaimed in
surprise. That, said the patient publican to the ignorant Yank, is
Ireland's greatest traditional singer! They were both right. Joe Heaney
(October 1, 1919-May 1, 1984) was acknowledged then (and is still so regarded)
as the greatest exponent of Irish sean nos singing, but unlike Sarah Makem
(see below) he had to leave Ireland to receive the popular recognition
that was his due. The first prize winner at the Dublin Oireachtas in 1942
and again in 1955, musical partner of Willie Clancy, Seamus Ennis, and
Mick Moloney (among many others), and a recording artist for Gael Linn
records, he was a regular participant in the traditional music scene of
the late 1950s and early 1960s. Although he also was an important musical
source for such famous singers as the Clancy Brothers and the Dubliners,
it was the popularity of the latter that drove him to New York. In her
introduction to Joe's Heaney's posthumous recording, The Road From Connemara,
Peggy Seeger (Pete's sister, wife of renowned folk singer Ewan MacColl,
and an accomplished performer in her own right) recollects the boorish
behavior of an ignorant audience. Speaking of an afternoon concert in Dublin,
she says: "The line-up was the Dubliners, Peggy Seeger/Ewan MacColl,
and Joe Heaney - Half the audience was sleeping drunk. The other half
was rowdy drunk. The concert was broken into two halves, and each of the
three acts was to appear in each half. Joe, being the 'less well known'
was to open. He was booed off by this despicable crowd after the first
two lines of his first song. It is to our eternal disgrace that we other
artists went on after he was forced off, almost in tears - I am sure
the lack of appreciation in Ireland for Joe Heaney at that time was one
of the reasons that he emigrated." (quoted from Joe Heaney: Assorted
Memories by Peggy Seeger, an introductory essay to the Joe Heaney
recording, The Road from Connemara (Topic Records, c2000).
If, as the Bible says, A prophet is not without honor except in his own country and in his own house, Joe was more warmly received in America. In 1965 he appeared at the Newport Jazz Festival and the following St. Patrick's Day appeared on Merv Griffin's television show. In 1980 he was appointed an adjunct professor in Irish folklore at Wesleyan University in Middletown, Connecticut and was later appointed to a similar position at the University of Washington in Seattle. He was a regular performer at concerts and festivals across the country. Finally, in July 1982 he was presented with the National Heritage Award for Excellence in Folk Arts by the National Endowment for the Arts. Ever a modest man, Joe never took himself or his art too seriously. Where I come from, he said, they all sing like that.
Joe Heaney's discography includes:
Seosamh O'hEanai (Gael-Linn, no date).
Ó Mo Dhúchas (Gael-Linn Records, c1974) -- A compilation of songs
from other recordings.
Joe and the Gabe: Joe Heaney & Gabe O'Sullivan (Green Linnet
Records, c1979).
Come All Ye Gallant Irishmen (Clo Iar-Chonnachta, c1989).
Joe Heaney Sings Traditional Songs in Gaelic and English (Ossian Records,
under license from Topic Records, c1989).
Say a Song: Joe Heaney in the Pacific Northwest (Northwest
Folklife & The
University of Washington Ethnomusicology Archives, c1996).
The Road from Connemara: Songs and Stories Told and Sung to Ewan MacColl
and Peggy Seeger (Topic Records, c2000).
Never leaving her home town of Keady, Co. Armagh, Sarah Makem (1900-1985)
is proof of the impact the traditional singer can have, even while remaining
inside the community that formed her. Her father, Tommy Boyle, was a plumber
and tinsmith by trade. Her mother was one of the Singing Greenes of
Keady, a family famous for its music for generations (to quote collector
Sean O'Boyle), and it was from her mother that Sarah learned most of her
songs. Her house was full of music and song, which continued when she married
Peter Makem. Together Peter and Sarah had five children, the most famous
of whom was her youngest, Tommy Makem. But it was not through her son alone
that Sarah made an impact. As a center of the linen industry and a market
town for the small farmers around it, Keady was a community in which Irish,
Scots and English songs intermingled. Given this rich musical mixture,
Sarah in time acquired a repertoire of over 500 songs from the various
traditions, which she sang with a fluent and effortless style. Beyond the
odd local social event, she never performed in public and yet her reputation
preceded her. She came to world attention in 1950 when folk music collectors
came to record her for the BBC. One song from that recording session eventually
was used as the title song of the 1950s folk music radio program, As I
Roved Out, on which she was a regularly featured performer. In 1968 she
recorded her only complete album, Ulster Ballad Singer for Topic Records.
From that point on she played host to a generation of aspiring traditional
singers and folk music scholars who came to visit Keady to learn from her.
Sarah also is responsible for reviving and popularizing a long forgotten
traditional song. Through her plaintive rendition, other singers (among
them Geordie Hanna, Tommy Makem, and Paddy Tunney) came to know The
Month of January. The song tells the story of a young girl who falls
in love with a man far above her socially. Betrayed and abandoned by her
lover, the young girl and her baby are cast into the cold and snow by her
scandalized parents. Through her masterful editing and her flawless rendition
of an otherwise maudlin nineteenth century parlor song, she popularised
the song, placing it once again within the traditional repertoire.
Paddy Tunney was born January 1921 into a family of traditional singers,
including his mother,Bridget, and her brother, Michael Gallagher. Paddy
was born in Glasgow and was raised in Pettigo,Co. Donegal. Later moving
to Co. Fermanagh, he joined the Irish Republican Army. His activities with
the IRA led to a four year sentence. For Paddy, as for later paramilitaries,
the sentence allowed time for the serious study of Irish language and history,
deepening his appreciation for the family repertoire. Upon his release
he trained as a health inspector in Dublin. Throughout his health service
career, he had postings in Donegal, Kerry, Letterkenny, and finally Galway.
His constant travelling introduced him to new songs and styles, which he
in turn reshaped.
Paddy first came to public attention through the influence of Diane Hamilton
and Liam Clancy. The latter figure, the youngest of the singing Clancy
Brothers, needs no introduction for Americans interested in Irish music.
Ms Hamilton (birth name Diane Guggenheim) was a rich young woman interested
in traditional folk music. In August 1955 she appeared at the Clancy family's
door to record Liam's mother, renowned locally as a traditional singer.
Soon Diane and the teenaged Liam Clancy became good friends, travelling
across Ireland in search of traditional musicians. Up to this point Liam
had been interested only in American rock and roll, but his exposure to
traditional giants such as fiddler Dennis Murphy and singer Paddy Tunney
struck a chord in the young Irishman that, in his words,"revived
some ancient instinct in me". The result of Hamilton's and Clancy's travels
was a recording called The Lark in the Morning (Tradition
Records, c1956), which witnessed the first recorded appearance of the young
Mr. Clancy, Tommy Makem, and Paddy Tunney (among others).
If Paddy was never as financially successful as the Clancy Brothers, perhaps
it was due to the fact that (in Paddy's own words) he was a dedicated
hater of pop and cant and shamrockery, a lover of old ways and rare songs
and raving poetry. He did, however, enjoy moderate success as a recording
artist, producing in all seven albums:
As a dedicated traditional singer, Paddy was not known for creating new songs, although on occasion he was known to write new verses for songs that had lost some over time. His primary contribution to traditional song is that he preserved many songs otherwise headed for extinction He was known particularly for highly-decorated renditions of long and serious songs such as Moorloch Mary, Highland Mary, and the title track from his album Mountain Streams Where the Moorcocks Crow. He also preserved schoolmaster songs (like Sheela Nee Eyre), and songs from the Irish mummer tradition (like Tam Brown, which the Clancy Brothers later covered as The Card Song). In addition to the Clancys, he was a source of songs and a model for traditional singers across the world. Paddy died in Letterkenny, Co. Donegal, December 7, 2002, after a short illness. May his soul and the souls of all the faithful departed through the mercy of God rest in peace. Amen.
The list below is provided for those who wish to see the singing tradition
at its best, as well as for those that wish to learn the art of traditional
singing. This listing makes no pretensions to completeness. If you know
of other important workshops
or festivals left off this list, feel free to contact me. Although this information
is as accurate as I could make it, it is always advisable to confirm with the
contact listed before making unalterable plans.
Inishowen Singers' Circle Weekend (March 18-21, 2005)
Contact: The Ballyliffin Hotel Inishowen,
Co. Donegal
Phone: 74-937-6106
Email: info@ballyliffinhotel.com
Website: http://pages.prodigy.net/folkmusic/inishowenseminar.htm
Féile Sean-Nóis Thoraigh (May 13-15, 2005)
Tory Island,
Co. Donegal
Contact: Mr. Pat Doohan
Phone: 07491-35920
Email: ostantory@eircom.net
Web site: http://www.gaelsaoire.ie/asp/information.asp?l=english&r=286&g=donegal&p=e
Blas International Summer School of Irish Traditional Music & Dance (June 20-July 1, 2005)
Irish World Music Centre University of Limerick
Limerick, Co. Limerick
Contact: Sandra Joyce
Email: Sandra.joyce@ul.ie
Web site: http://www.ul.ie/~iwmc/Blas/index.html
Fleadh Amhran agus Rince (June 24-26, 2005)
Castlewellan, Co. Down (Northern Ireland)
Contact: Brendan Scullion
Phone: +0284 3778 989
Email: Brendan@dataspeed.fsnet.co.uk
Web site: http://www.comhaltas.com/fleadh/amhran.htm
Dr. Douglas Hyde Summer School of Traditional Irish Music (July 3-9, 2005)
Ballaghaderreen, Co. Roscommon
Phone: 86 8272300 [or] 94 9860170
Email: info@ballaghaderreen.com
Website: http://www.ballaghaderreen.com/culture.htm
South Sligo Summer School (July 10-16, 2005)
Tubbercurry, Co. Sligo
Phone: 071-9120912 [or] 071-85090
Email: southsligosummerschool@eircom.net
Web site: http://www.sssschool.org
Traditional Echoes in Song and Dance (July 20-29, 2005)
Inishmore, Aran Islands, Co. Galway
Contact: Elizabeth Zollinger Phone: 99-61424 [or] 41 1 252 0918
Email: info@irish-culture.ch
Web site: http://www.irish-culture.ch/eng2/irish_singing_dancing_prog_a.htm
Joe Mooney Annual Summer School (July 16-23, 2006)
Drumshanbo, Co. Leitrim
Contact: Nancy Woods Phone: 071 9641213
Email: nancywoods@iol.ie
Web site: http://www.iol.ie/~nwoods/
Phil Murphy Weekend (July 22-24, 2005)
Carrig-on-Bannow, Co. Wexford
Phone: 051-561159 [or] 086-8200986
Email: colferspub@eircom.net
Website: http://www.philmurphyweekend.com
Queen Maeve International Summer School 2005 (August 1-5, 2005)
Sligo, Co. Sligo
Contact: Carmel Gunning Phone: 71 62008
E-mail: carmelgunning@hotmail.com
Website: http://www.cygo.ie/tradmusic
Feakle International Traditional Music Festival (August 5-9, 2005)
Feakle, Co. Clare
Contact: Gary Pepper
Phone: 061 924322 [or] 061 924980
Email: feakle@iol.ie
Web site: www.feaklefestival.ie
Heart of the Glens Festival (August 6-14, 2005)
Venue: Cushendall, Co. Antrim
Contact: Orla Black
Phone: 028 2177 1378
Email: cushendall@nacn.org
Web site: http://www.nacn.org/cushendall
Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann (August 26-28, 2005)
Letterkenny, Co. Donegal
Email: info@fleadh2005.com <mailto:fleadhoffice@clonmelfleadh.com>
Web site: http://www.comhaltas.com/fleadh/eireann.htm [or] http://www.fleadh2005.com
Please note: Scoil Éigse, the summer school usually held in conjunction with this festival, will be the week before, August 21-26, 2005.
Slieve Gullion Festival of Traditional Singing (October 7-9, 2005)
Forkhill and Mullaghbawn, County Armagh.
Phone: 048 8224 5321
Email: jeanbrennan@omagh.gov.uk
Oireachtas na Gaelige (October 31-November 6, 2005)
Cork, Co. Cork
Phone: +353 1 475 3857
Email: eolas@antoireachtas.ie
Web site: http://www.antoireachtas.ie/samhain.html
Ballintogher Festival (October 28-30, 2005)
Ballintogher, Co. Sligo Ireland
Contact: Teresa McCormack
Phone: 353 (0)71-64250 Email: ballintoghercommunity@eircom.net
Website: http://homepage.tinet.ie/~fredfinn/festival.htm
Clare Festival of Traditional Singing (November 12-14, 2005)
Bellbridge House Hotel
Spanish Point, Co Clare Contact: Tom Munelly
Phone: +353 65 7084365 Email: munelly@eircom.net
Eigse Dhiarmuid O' Shuilleabhain (December 2-4, 2005)
Cul Aodha, Co. Cork
Contact: Nóirín O'Dalaigh
Phone: 061-346489 Email: eigsedhiarmuidin@hotmail.com
Web site: http://www.eigsedhiarmuidin.ie
Frankie Kennedy Winter School (December 28, 2005-January 2, 2006) Dunlewey, Gweedore, Co. Donegal
Contact: Anna Ní Mhaonaigh
Phone: 087 9309656 E-mail beanana@eircom.net
Milwaukee Irish Fest School of Music (February 7-April 11, 2005)
Irish Fest Center
1532 Wauwatosa Avenue [N 76 Street]
Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53213
Phone: (414) 476-3378
Email: whistler@merr.com
Website: http://www.irishfest.com/morethanafestival/schoolofmusicindex.htm
Celebration of Sean Nos Singing (February 25-26, 2005)
Center for Celtic Studies University of Wisconsin at Milwaukee
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Phone: (414) 229-6520
Email: celtic@uwm.edu
Website: http://www.uwm.edu/Dept/celtic/speakers.html
Catskills Irish Arts Week (July 10-16, 2005)
Michael J. Quill Irish Cultural and Sports Centre
P.O. Box 320
East Durham, New York 12423
Contact: Paul Keating/Artistic Director
Phone: (800)-434-FEST (3378) or 518-634-2286
Email: irishcentre@direcway.com
Website: http://www.east-durham.org/irishartsweek/
Irish Week (July 24-29, 2005)
Augusta Heritage Center Davis and Elkins College
100 Campus Drive
Elkins, West Virginia 26241
Phone: (304) 637-1350
Email: augusta@augustaheritage.com
Web site: http://www.augustaheritage.com/irish.html
Swannanoa Gathering Celtic Week (July 10-16, 2005)
Warren Wilson College
P.O. Box 9000
Asheville, North Carolina 28815-9000
Phone: (828) 298-3434 [OR] (828) 771-3761
Email: gathering@warren-wilson.edu
Web site: http://www.swangathering.org/Catalog/CL/sgclsched.html
Singers' sessions (also known as singers' circles) are slow variants of the Irish traditional music session, however the dominant mode is not instrumental music so much as the human voice in song. Each session is unique, with its own rules and dynamics. Some charge a fee, others are free of charge. Some do not allow musical instruments at all. Others do, provided they do not overpower the songs. Some sessions insist only Irish traditional songs be sung. Others are more leniant. If uncertain what the rules are for the session in your area, feel free to attend and ask. This listing makes no pretensions to completeness. If you know of other sessions that should be on this list, feel free to contact me with the particulars. This information is as accurate as I could make it, but it is always advisable to confirm with the contact listed.
The Traditional Singers' Club
McCollam's Bar
Mill Street
Cushendall, Co. Antrim
Northern Ireland
Contact: Mick Quinn
27 Chapel Road
CUSHENDALL, Co. Antrim, BT44 0RS
Phone: +44(0)28 21771610
Email: glenstraditions@utvinternet.com
Website: http://www.glenstraditions.utvinternet.com/events.html
Singers'
sessions are held on the second Friday of the month. No guitars please!
Armagh City Singing Session
Northern Bar
Railway Street
Armagh, Co. Armagh (Northern Ireland)
Contact: Thirza Mulder
Phone: 028 37522420 (after 19.00 GMT)
Email: mulelia@btopenworld.com
The Session gets underway at 8 p.m. (20:00 GMT) and meets in the back
bar area of the pub on the 1st Tuesday of the month. Anyone interested
in singing or listening is welcome.
Ring of Gullion C.C.E.
The Welcome Inn
Forkhill, Co. Armagh
Mick Quinn
6 Conway Park
Mullaghbawn, Newry, Co. Down
Phone: 080 1693 -888643
Session meets each Tuesday night.
Carlow Traditional Singers' Club.
Teach Dolmain,
Tullow Street,
Carlow, Co. Carlow
Contact: Tony Malone
88 Green Road,
Carlow, Co. Carlow
Phone: 0503 -42686
Crusheen Singers' Session
Fogarty's Pub
Crusheen, Co. Clare
Held on the second and fourth Wednesdays of the month (so as not to conflict
with Ennis session below). No contact is provided, but it would appear
some
of the same singers patronize this session as attend the Ennis, so it is
likely
the contact below will also assist.
Ennis Singers' Club
Brandon's Bar
O'Connell St.
Ennis, Co. Clare
Contact: Peadar McNamara
Magowna, Inch, Co. Clare
Phone: 065 -39139
Session meets first and third Wednesday of each month.
Cork Singing Club
An Spailpin Fanach
South Main Street
Cork, Co., Cork
Phone: 021 964976 OR 021 277945
The Singing Club meets upstairs every Sunday.
Loughshore Traditional Singing Club
St. Trea's Hall
Ballymaguigan, Co. Derry
Contact: Henry McGlone
Phone: +44 028 79650116
Email: maureenmcglone@hotmail.com
Ballymaguigan is between Toomebridge and Ballyronan. The session
is held Fridays on alternative months. Most current dates were: 19th
September 2003, 21st November 2003, 23rd January, 2004.
Inisowen Traditional Singers Circle
Contact Jimmy McBride
Dun Emir
Shore Road
Buncrana, Co. Donegal
Phone: + 353 [0]77 61210
Email: jimmymcb@iol.ie
Web site: http://pages.prodigy.net/folkmusic/inishowenseminar.htm
Gweedore Singers' Circle
Gweedore, Co. Donegal
Phone: 086 6050110
Email: carongate@eircom.net
Session meets first Thursday of the month.
Newbridge Comhaltas Singing Session
Newbridge, Co. Down
Contact: Henry McGlone
Phone: +44(0)28 79650116
Nightly Sing-Song
The Fiddler's Green
Portpatrick, Co. Down
Phone: 028 42728383
As the name implies, this occurs every night. What happens depends on who
shows up.
Portadown Folk Song Club
Contact: Rodney Cordner
21 Tandaragee Road
Portadown, Co. Down
Northern Ireland BT63 2BQ
Phone 02838 337668
E-mail Address rodney_cordner@hotmail.com
An Goilin Traditional Singers Club
Tom Maye's Pub
Junction of North Frederick Street and Upper Dorset Street
Dublin, Ireland
Contact: Antaine O'Farachàin
Phone: 01 -4538192
Email: angoilin@goilin.com
Web site: http://www.goilin.com/
Begun in 1973, this is the daddy of all singers' sessions. Meets
every Friday.
Cost: €2.00.
Fingal Singers' Club
O' Connor's,
Ballyboughal, Co. Dublin
Contact: Dave O' Connor, Ballyboughal, Co. Dublin
Phone: 01 -8433691
Session meets every Tuesday.
An Chonair Bar
Dingle, Co. Kerry
Propriators: John Benny & Eilis Moriarty
Phone: 066 915 20 11
An Chonair Bar is managed by John Benny & Eilis Moriarty. Both are
musicians and singers themselves, ensuring that taking a part in the music
session is what it is all about. Singing Session with James Begley and
Eilís Ní Cinnéide held Wednesday nights. Singers welcome!
Spillane's Singing Session
Spillane's Pub
Headford/Knockanes, Glenflesk Co. Kerry
Sessions are held weekends all year round.
Cooke's on the Hill
Tommy Cooke's Pub
Ballina, Co. Mayo
Contact: Tommy Cooke
Phone: 096 -72063
Sessions held Tuesdays. Bar owner himself sings. All varieties of songs
permitted.
Birr Singers' Circle
Haverty's Pub
Birr, Co. Offaly
Contact: Jim Kinsella
Ballybrit, Roscrea, Co. Tipperary
Phone: 0509-31100
South Roscommon Singers Circle
Jimmy Murray's Pub
Knockcroghery, Co.Roscommon
Phone: + 353 [0]903 22827
Email: dhalonprom@eircom.net
Web site: http://www.dha-lon.com
Meets the first Saturday of the month. Normally free but a small
entry fee may be
payable for guest performances.
Sligo Traditional Singing Club
Foley's Lounge
Telling St.
Sligo, Co. Sligo
Email: tradsing@eircom.net
Web site: http://homepage.eircom.net/~tradsing/home.htm
Meets the first Wednesday of the month.
Borrisoleigh Singers' Circle
Jim O' the Mills' Pub, Stapleton's Pub &
Maher's Pub, Borrisoleigh
Contact: Tom Joe Spillane
Burkington, Borrisoleigh,
Nenagh, Co. Tipperary
Phone: 0504 -51591
Session is held the first Friday of every month
Nenagh Singers' Circle
Derek Browne's Bar
Nenagh, Co. Tipperary
Contact: Frank McGrath
Ballintogher Rd.,
Benedine, Nenagh, Co. Tipperary
Meets on the second Friday of each month
from September to May & the
Aonach Paddy O'Brien Festival which takes place every August.
Irish/Scottish Singing Session
Contact: Aine Ni Haralambie
Phone: (520) 327-6287
Email: aine@tusconirishcommunity.com
Website: http://www.tucsonirishcommunity.com
Session is held monthly at a private home in Tucson, Arizona. One
Saturday night per month at 7 p.m. For more specific information,
check the web site address above or call the contact at the number
above. There are no cover charges or restrictions on repertoire.
Come and sing, bring an instrument, or just listen.
Paddy Burke's Pub
132 Portland St, 3rd floor
Boston, Massachusetts
Contact: Tel: Shay Walker (617) 523 - 0291
Email: judypredmore@webtv.net
Wednesday nights, starts anywhere from 9-10 p.m. and goes to 12-1
a.m. Small, informal, friendly group. Celtic / British Isles oriented,
but all traditional and traditional style contemporary songs welcome.
Irish Cultural Centre's Singers' Seisiun
200 New Boston Drive
Canton, Massachusetts
Contact: Maureen McNally
Phone: (781) 821-8291 [or] (781) 767-4401
Email: seisiun@irishculture.org
Website: http://www.irishculture.org
Despite the use of the Irish word seisiun for this singers' session,
it is not necessary to know Irish. Singers gather in the Adare Room on
the 2nd floor from 8:00 to 11:30 p.m. each Friday. The focus is on traditional
and ballad style singing, although instrumental tunes and unsung poetry
are also welcome.
Buffalo Singers' Session
Shannon Pub
2250 Niagara Falls Blvd
Tonawanda, New York 14150
Phone: (716) 743-9348
Email: shannonpub@aol.com
An informal session held the first Sunday of each month, 4 to 7 PM.
Mostly singing, although some tunes may be thrown in.
Ull Mor Singers' Circle
Rocky Sullivan’s
129 Lexington Avenue @ 29th Street
New York, New York
Phone: (917) 731-38979
Email: ullmorcce@yahoo.com
Website: www.geocities.com/ullmorcce
The Circle meets in the back room on the last Wednesday
of every month beginning at 7:00 p.m. Admission is free. Most people sing
unaccompanied but feel free to bring an instrument. The Singers’ Circle
is hosted by Ull Mor CCE member, Louise Walsh, a fine singer from Dublin.
Very occasionally the session may need to be moved due to conflicts with her schedule.
Visitors are encouraged to call before setting out, to ensure the session will proceed as
scheduled.
Rochester Singers' Session
Johnny's Irish Pub
1382 Culver Road (near Merchants)
Rochester, New York 14609
Contact: Christopher Brennan
Phone: (585) 458-0831
Email: cristoir@rochester.rr.com
Web site: http://www.irishrochester.org
Meets the third Sunday of the month at 5:00 p.m. ("Irish time").
Instruments are welcome if they aid the singing. They should never overpower
what is being sung. Other forms of the oral tradition (e.g., stories, poems,
short excerpts of Irish literature) are also welcome.
Austin Singers Session
Things Celtic
1806 W. 35th Street
Austin, Texas
Phone: 512-472-2358
Email: kennytweedy@austin.rr.com
Directions: just east of Mopac, on the north side of the street. The session
is held the first Sunday of the month from 2:00-5:00 p.m. Everyone who
comes will have a chance to sing. Any song that is Irish, Scottish, or
otherwise Celtic will do. A cappella singing is preferred in the old Irish
Tradition. Just bring your voice. You may also bring a guitar or other
instrument if you prefer to accompany yourself. Please bring a folding
chair as seating is limited. Also, bring some water or a non-alcoholic
beverage to wet your whistle. Please kindly observe the no-smoking policy
for the benefit of the singers.
Contact Heather Gilmer at gilmer@alumni.utexas.net to receive email updates
about sessions in Austin (confidentiality of email address not guaranteed).
Milwaukee Irish Song Circle
O'Donoghue's Irish Pub
13225 Waterford Plank Road
Elm Grove, Wisconsin
Contact: Chuck Ward
Phone: (414) 476-3378
Meets on the second and fourth Thursdays of the month. Focus is primarily
on ballad singing, and instruments are welcome. Singers are encouraged
to bring a song others can learn.
If an expert is defined as someone with academic credentials, I don't have any (at least not in Irish music. I do have one bachelor's degree and two master's degrees, for what that's worth). If, however, an expert is defined as someone who knows something about a subject, keeps his eyes and mind open, and is continually learning, then I am something of an expert on Irish singing. I have been listening to Irish songs for 40+ years (just ask my poor long-suffering wife)! I have been singing Irish songs for almost as long (although I have tended to concentrate on the more traditional stylings for far less time). Also as a librarian with more than 20 years experience, I have opportunity to draw on the wisdom and expertise of others, some of whom are included in the bibliography below. Finally I am the founder of our local singers' session. Those who wish to dispute either my facts or my interpretation are welcome to do so. I make no claims to All comments and constructive suggestions are welcome; flames, however, will be ignored. My email address is provided below. A brief bibliography follows for those interested in learning more about traditional singing and traditional songs.
Arthur Colahan: He Saw the Sun Go Down Over Galway Bay, Galway
Advertiser August 22, 2002, p. 50. The Companion to Irish Traditional Music,
ed. by Fintan Vallely
(New York: New York University Press, c1999).
IRTRAD-L, the Traditional Irish Music Listserv. Those who wish to subscribe
to this electronic discussion list are instructed to go to this web site.
At the site, supply your name and email address and click on Join IRTRAD-L.
A couple of warnings: one, conversation is not just on singing; all aspects
of traditional Irish music (singing, traditional instrumental music, sometime
dancing, certainly history and the social contexts of the tradition, etc.)
are discussed. Second, the volume of the list (both in terms of the volume
of messages received and the ardor with which the tradition is discussed)
can be quite high. Discussions can be quite fascinating, but they are not
for those without some initial background in the tradition.
Kennedy, Peter. Folksongs of Britain and Ireland (London: Cassel, c1975).
McCann, Anthony. Sean Nos Singing - A Bluffer's Guide The Living
Tradition,
no. 24 (June-July 1998).
McCourt, Malachi. Danny Boy: The Beloved Irish Ballad (Philadelphia:
Running Press, c200).
Moulden, John, Song, in The Companion to Irish Traditional Music,
ed. by Fintan
Vallely (New York: New York University Press, c1999).
Robinson, Michael. Danny Boy-- The Mystery Solved!
http://www.standingstones.com/dannyboy.html
Wallis, Geoff and Sue Wilson. The Rough Guide to Irish Music (London: Rough Guides, c2000).
Weatherly, Frederick Edward. Piano and Gown (London: G.P. Putnam's Sons, 1926).
What is Irish Traditional Music?: Definitions and Characteristics (Dublin:
Irish
Traditional Music Archive, c1996).
Comments and Suggestions about the Page
If you have comments you'd like to make, or constructive suggestions as
to how the page can be improved, send me an email: cristoir@rochester.rr.com
©
Christopher Brennan. All Rights Reserved.
