irish music essay topics

This is a workbook I put together to have Leaving cert music Irish essays in the one place. These essays are from resources I have gathered from teaching music over the last few years. This booklet includes Essays for: Céilí Bands Denis Hempson Edward Bunting Fusion of Irish Music Mícheál Ó Shuilleabháin (Use for: Irish composer and solo fusion of styles.) Music Collectors Sean Nós The Harping Tradition Turlough O Carolan Irish Dancing Influence of the Song and Dance Music of Ireland on the Folk Music of North America Sean O Riada (Use for Irish composer) This booklet also includes: A revision checklist Study summary after each essay (this allows students to summarise key points and add keywords to a column in each study summary)

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Terry Moylan

Terry Moylan is archivist at Na P�obair� Uilleann.

Irish traditional music is all of the following things: a Connemara parent soothing a child with an old lullaby, and an urchin bawling out a ballad for loose change on a city street. It is a Dublin piper dazzling his hearers with complexity and a Clare fiddler dazzling his audience with subtlety and nuance. It is The Chieftains playing for an audience of thousands in an American concert hall, and Everyman picking up a whistle at home to find and play the melody that won't leave him alone.

It is also a Kerry fiddle player playing a polka or a Leitrim flute-player playing a mazurka (both originally Polish forms); a couple of musicians in a Dublin pub playing reels (originally a Scottish form) while eight dancers perform a quadrille (imported from France); a Clare dancing master performing a solo step-dance to the sound of a hornpipe being played on a concertina (instrument and dance originally English). It is a wonderfully diverse form of music with enough corners, crannies and colour to interest and delight a person for several lifetimes.

What we now call Irish traditional music was once simply the popular music of the mass of the Irish people. Gradually changing as old material was forgotten and new incorporated, it is characterised, like all forms of folk music, by stability of form and of content.

Mick Tubridy, Tony Crehan and John Kelly playing at Willie Clancy's grave, Ballard graveyard

The introduction of electronic media in the early 20th century triggered a sudden acceleration in the turnover of fashions, in music as in all else. Traditional music simply maintained its own pace as the world of novelty and fashion sped away from it, and retaining its character, quickly became isolated and recognisable as a distinct form.

Already by the end of the 1700s and throughout the following century, attention had been focused on this music, although it was then usually described as "old" (or even "ancient"), "national" or "popular" music. The terms "folk-lore" and "folk-song" were coined in the mid-nineteenth century and began to appear in connection with Irish music fifty years later. It did not become part of popular speech for another half century. In the 1960s, as the word "folk" came to signify modern songs performed to acoustic accompaniment, the word "traditional" came into use to denote the forms of Irish music rooted in older styles.

From one generation to the next

Photograph of Pat Cash and his son with Johnny Doran

Irish traditional music consists of that large body of material, comprising instrumental music, song and dance, which owes its existence and its character to having been created and performed continuously, over many generations, by Irish people in Ireland, and to its having been transmitted in a conservative manner from player to player and from generation to generation. In the act of transmission, a value is placed upon faithfulness for example, but this is balanced by the value that is placed on the innovations, deliberately or accidentally introduced, that are considered to enhance the music while not straying outside its commonly agreed boundaries.

This, of course, says nothing about what the character of the music is, and it does not mention the many factors from outside Ireland that have influenced the music. Nevertheless, the definition works in a negative way by saying what the music is not (unless otherwise obvious, for the rest of this article for 'music' read 'music, song and dance'). It does not include for instance, the music of rock groups that use traditional material as a base; Riverdance is not traditional music, although part rooted in traditional forms; 'Danny Boy' is not a traditional song, although written to a version of a traditional air. The most effective definition of what is traditional music is simply: that material which traditional performers perceive as traditional and which they choose to perform. Traditional performers are those who have learned the style and repertoire of traditional music in preference to other styles and repertoires, whether through choice or otherwise.

Conor Byrne

Flute player - Conor Byrne

There are other perceptions about what constitutes Irish traditional music. Responding to the burgeoning popularity of the music in recent decades, the media and the music industry have hastened to apply the label to whatever product it suits their interests to promote, but the foregoing is the perception common among the tradition-bearers, those who hold, perform and understand the music.

While the music has been created and maintained by Irish people in Ireland, this is not to say that they alone made it, or that they made it from nothing. Irish music is a European music and is closely related in particular to Scottish and English music. For instance, 'typical' Irish tune-types like the reel and the hornpipe are borrowings from Scotland and England respectively, and popular European forms such as polkas, waltzes, mazurkas, schottisches and quadrilles also reached Ireland, settled and became naturalised, giving rise to a distinctively Irish style and repertoire for all these forms.

Again, while the music took shape in Ireland and is strongest here, it has also received an important influence from the Irish living abroad. This was crucial at one stage, in the aftermath of the Famine (1845-9), when the Irish community in America played a significant part in its survival and development. When the music was at a low point in Ireland, fiddle styles that survived and thrived in the US were to be re-imported through the medium of the early commercial recordings (Coleman, Morrison, Killoran) and their example re-invigorated the native tradition. Modifications made to the uilleann pipes in Philadelphia by the Drogheda-born Taylor brothers also crossed the Atlantic and affected the development of the instrument in Ireland.

Set dancing

Kay Moylan and Dan O'Connell - set dancers

Other parts of the Irish diaspora also played their part. Enthusiasts in London initiated the great revival of dance in the early part of the 20th century, and the idea of the tavern-based 'session' is also an innovation from Britain. The music thrives in all parts of the world to which the Irish have emigrated and contributions have been made to it from every centre.

In modern times the music has spread beyond those of Irish birth or extraction and has an enthusiastic following in every country in Europe and in many other parts of the world. Particularly with the instrumental music and dance, many non-Irish performers have achieved levels of ability to match the standards of accomplished Irish players. There are Dutch, German, French and Danish pipers, dancers, singers and musicians of all kinds that can pass un-remarked in the best of Irish company. The music has in fact become the world's property in the last twenty years. Nevertheless, it is Ireland that must remain ultimately responsible for its well-being.

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Arts & Literature

• Irish Writers
• Art & Artists
• Turlough O'Carolan
• Antiquity and Origins
• Dance Music
• Songs and Airs
• Instruments
• Organisations
• Settings and Occasions
• Resources - Books
• Resources - Recordings
• Popular Songs and Recordings
• Michael Kelly and the Mozart Connection
• John McCormack
• The Virtual Museum
• Play Along - 100 Irish Traditional Tunes

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10 Leaving Cert Music Tips

Special contributor: Shannon Boyle, LC Music teacher , breaks down the Leaving Cert Music (Higher Level) exam into 10 clear tips for a better grade.

Set A and Set B Music Notes are now available to purchase

Listening Paper

The listening paper examines your knowledge of the four set works, Irish traditional music and general music theory.

1. Ensure that you are adequately prepped for these questions, knowing your definitions for each section – e.g. for Bach be able to define things like cantata, figured bass, ritornello and for Barry know all your techniques such as retrograde, inversion, polymetre etc.

2. If a question asks you to describe , a one word answer will not receive full marks. For example if it asks you to describe the rhythm of the piece and you say ‘syncopation’, you must display that you know what that word means and how it affects the music. Eg. The rhythm here is syncopated as the rhythm of the violin emphasises the weaker beats, the second and fourth beat of each bar.

3. Know the difference between a melodic, compositional, rhythmic and instrumental technique . A melodic technique only concerns the melody and cannot refer to rhythm. This may appear obvious but people lose marks for this every year. A melodic technique includes wide leaps, wide range, repeated notes, whereas a rhythmic technique can be syncopation or dotted rhythm. Compositional techniques are things like retrograde, inversion, canon – things the composer has done to the melody. Instrumental techniques can include pizzicato, arco, senza vibrato. If it doesn’t specify which type of technique it is looking for then you are more free in your answer but if it states give a compositional technique then repeated notes will not receive marks.

4. Question five concerns Irish Traditional Music and will include three listening excerpts and an essay. The listening section is quite predictable and usually examines the dance types, sean nos singing and fusion . You need to know traditional and non-traditional features of ITM and features of the traditional sean nós singing. The most common dance types to come up are reel, hornpipe, jig, slip jig. You need to know their time signature and a typical bar of rhythm.

5. The trad essay often suffers due to students providing answers that aren’t detailed enough. The examiner is looking for facts about the topic not a general, vague synopsis. Four options come up for the essay so be tactical  in what you study. You can get away with not knowing every topic but do not leave yourself short on the day. Many topics overlap slightly – you can mention Sean O Riada briefly in a céilí band essay, he is an example of a composer who uses fusion and he can come up in his own right. You need a knowledge of sean nós and the dance tradition for the listening so these can also be handy answers to prepare.

6. Question six is completely unprepared and the only thing you can do is practice past papers . There is often an element of dictation to this, a comment on the style of the piece, identification of instruments and features. You need to show the examiner that you can analyse music here. Again if it says describe, do not give one word as an answer. If it asks you to describe Brahm’s use of dynamics simply saying loud will not get full marks.

Composing Paper

The composing paper features some choice but I will be discussing question 1 and question 5 as they are most common and do overlap with the other options.

7. It is incredibly difficult to obtain full marks in the melody question but there are steps you can take to avoid unnecessary deductions .

a) You must pick an instrument for your melody

b) You must have enough beats in a bar (have the correct amount for each phrase if it has an upbeat)

c) It must have barlines

d) It must include dynamics which make sense

e) It must have phrasing

f) It has to modulate to the dominant if in a major key

8. The Q1 option of the composing section is development of a given opening , so you must analyse the phrase they give you. Do they use any interesting leaps? What type of rhythm do they use? What chord is bar 1 and 2 based on?

You can develop the opening by using retrograde, inversion, putting it up/down the octave, omitting/altering passing notes, changing the rhythm. There are plenty of ways to alter it but ensure you show the examiner that you understand that this is a development of the existing phrase.

9. The backing chord question (Q5) is worth sixty marks so give it plenty of practice and allow enough time to check over it in the exam.

Pick the chord that best fits the bar – if you’re in the key of D and there is a D, G, B in the treble clef then the chord of D is weaker than the chord of G because the bar includes all notes of the G chord. Remember you cannot repeat chords but you can use inversions.

10. Use and develop the bass pattern provided but also make your bassline interesting by adding your own ideas in places and including a falling bass where possible.

Finally – Bring a pencil, a rubber, a topper – no one wants to read a melody scribbled in pen! Highlight key words of the listening paper and make sure your answer makes sense.

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Leaving Cert Music Syllabus

Irish Music

Learning Outcomes:

I will be able to describe and aurally identify Irish traditional instruments and players

I will be able to describe and aurally identify traditional features non traditional features

I will be able to describe the history of and aurally identify the Irish dances: reel, hornpipe, double jig, slip jig

I will be able to describe the tradition of Sean nos singing using a case study of a performance of a sean nos singer. I will be able to aurally identify sean nos singing.

I will be able to describe the use of and types of ornamentation in Irish music.

Using examples of performers, groups, composers and their performances and pieces, I will be able to discuss fusion in Irish music

Using examples of performers, groups, composers and their performances and pieces, I will be able to discuss fusion in Irish music and ceili bands

I will be able to describe the development of the harp tradition and collectors, discussing a performance by a historical and modern harpist.

Through reference to performances, I will be able to discuss the Irish song tradition.

Through reference to performances, I will be able to discuss regional differences.

Topic One: Irish instruments, performers, traditional features and non traditional features

Topic Two: Irish traditional dances: history and development.

Topic Three: Sean nos tradition, sean nos singers, analysis of a performance and essay

Topic Four: The Irish song tradition, examples of songs and an analysis of a performance and essay

Topic Five: The harping tradition, the history of the harp and development of the Irish harp into the 20th century, collectors, examples of harpers, songs and an analysis of a performance and essay

Topic Six: Ornamentation: types of ornamentation, analysis of a performance and essay.

Topic Seven: Ceili Bands, examples of ceili bands and an analysis of a performance and essay

Topic Eight: Fusion in Irish music, examples of groups, performers and a fusion composer.

Topic Nine: Regional differences in Irish instrumental music, examples of performance, analysis of a performance and essay.

Irish Instruments and Performers

Watch the clip and answer the following questions.

Q1: What instruments can you identify?

Q2: What instruments are playing the melody?

Q3: What instruments are playing accompaniment?

Q4: What instrument is playing rhythmic accompaniment

Irish Traditional Instruments

Irish traditional music is usually played in the key of D major .

Tin whistle: Mary Bergin, Paddy Maloney

Fiddle: Mairead Ni Mhaonigh, Frankie Gavin, Tommy Peoples

Flute: Matt Molloy

Uilleann Pipes: Davy Spillane

Melody and Accompaniment :

Button accordion

Piano accordion

Concertina: Noel Hill

Harp: Laoise Kelly

Uilleann Pipes

Rhythmic Accompaniment:

Bodhran: Mel Mercier

Tin Whistle:

Mary Bergin

Q: Describe the texture of the piece

Mairead Ni Mhaonigh

Can you identify one melodic feature?

Matt Molloy

Q: What makes the melody sound interesting?

Davy Spillane

The uilleann pipes can play a melody and a drone [a long held/ sustained note under the melody]

Button Accordion

The accordion can play chords and melody

What is the form of the song?

Piano Accordion

The concertina can play chords and melody

The harp can play chords and melody

Mel Mercier

Traditional Features and Non Traditional Features

Traditional Features

Texture: Monophonic texture

Harmony: No harmony apart from drones

Instrumentation: Traditional instruments

Melodic features: Ornamentation, flattened 7th

Flattened 7th: the 7th note of the scale is flattened.

Dynamics and Expression: No dynamics or expression

Non Traditional Features

Texture: homophonic or polyphonic

Harmony: use of harmony

Instrumentation: Non Traditional instruments, example piano, guitar.

Melodic features: No ornamentation

Dynamics and Expression: Use of dynamics and expression

Create a mind map of traditional features and non traditional features of Irish music, submit on Google Classroom

Workbook: page 128, [2.2] Q1, page 129 Q2

Irish Dances

Time signature: 4

'Double decker double decker'

Quavers: Fast and flowing

Two sets of four quavers

2. Hornpipe

Dotted rhythm: slower than a reel

3. Double Jig

Time signature: 6

'Rashers and sausages'

Two sets of three quavers

4. Slip Jig

Time signature: 9

'Rashers and sausages fried egg'

Three sets of three quavers

Essay: The Irish Dance Tradition/ The History and Development of Irish Dance Music

Google Classroom:

2019, 2016, 2013: Give an account of Irish dance music. In your answer refer to structure, rhythm and three different types of dance

Topic Three:

Sean nos singing, iarla ó lionáird : ' casadh an tsúgáin'.

Describe the vocals

What is the texture of the piece?

Describe the accompaniment

Can you identify any melodic features?

What is the time signature?

Features we could hear in the performance:

Nasal tone...holding M or N...continuing note almost like a drone

Unaccompanied: m onophonic texture

Free rhythm

No dynamics

Ornamentation

Listen to the following performance by Brian O'Hairt and answer the following questions.

Identify the style of singing

Identify three features of the extract

Listen to the following performance of 'Mo Ghile Mear'.

List one traditional feature of the performance

List one non traditional feature of the performance

Sean nos traditional Features:

Melismatic ornamentation: singing a few notes to one syllable

Flattened 7th

Repeated final note

Non traditional Features

Accompaniment: homophonic texture

Harmony: homophonic texture

Polyphonic texture

Syncopation

Possible long questions on Sean Nos Singing:

You will study two long Q answers on sean nos: regional styles and a general sean nos answer. You will also be referring to sean nos singing when answering a question on the Irish Song Tradition.

2004 Write an account of sean nós singing in the Irish language. Refer to performers in your answer

2008 Identify and describe the features commonly found in sean-nós singing. In your answer refer to regional styles and well-known performers.

2010 : Identify and describe the features commonly found in Sean-Nós singing. Refer to regional styles and performers in your answer.

2012 : Regional Styles

2014 : Discuss regional styles in Irish traditional singing. Refer to singers and their repertoires as appropriate

It is very important to discuss features of sean nos singing through examples of performances. An example can be seen below on the topic of regional styles.

Sean Nos: Regional Styles Essay

Regional styles developed as a result of the remote, rural and poor nature of Ireland . Many musicians only heard the music of others in their locality and so were influenced to play using similar styles and techniques .

Characteristics that which determine styles include ornamentation, phrasing, articulation, variation and special performance techniques.

Seán Ó Riada in his study of Irish music in the 1960s, observed some of the regional styles.

Due to improvements in technology and transport, we now have the ability to access performances and styles of the various regions in Ireland.

There are three regions associated with Sean Nós singings; Munster, Donegal and Connemara. These are all Gaeltacht areas and each has its own distinctive spoken dialect and Sean Nós style.

Through the analysis of various performances, I will examine each of the regional styles, Donegal, Connemara and Munster.

Donegal Style:

Performance: Lilis O Laoire, 'An Mhaighdean Mhara'.

Scottish influence

More open vocal tone

Least ornamentation in rhythm and melody, simple melody

Other singers: Paddy Tunney

Performance: Darach O Cathain 'Oro Se Do Bheatha Bhaile'

Narrow range

Rhythmic freedom

Elaborate melismatic ornamentation, not as music rhythmic or melodic

Connemara style: alter the melodic structure of a song.

Singers: Joe Heany

Performance: Iarla O Lionaird ' Casadh An tSugain'

More ornamentation than Donegal, but less than Connemara

Pronounced nasal quality

Rhythmic variation

The use of the glottal stop or click to shut off the voice in the middle or at the end of a phrase is common in West Cork/Kerry.

Nasalisation and a small amount of dynamics and use of inter re lated vowel sounds are also found.

Other singers: Nicolas Toibin, Iarla O Lionaird

Slow air: very expressive, no time signature, use of much ornamentation

Topic Four: The Irish Song Tradition

The term "folk song" is correctly used to describe an anonymous songs passed on

orally from generation to generation. In the Irish tradition, many of these songs are

also played as instrumentals.

Love songs – 'She moved through the Fair' [flattened 7th]. There are more love songs than any

other class of song in the Irish tradition. Many of these songs grieve at the loss of a

lover or the bitter realisation of betrayal, e.g. Úna Bhán or Dónall Óg recorded by

Karen Casey.

Ballad : a song which tells a story. Features a solo singer, chordal accompaniment [guitar].

Laments (Goltraí) – An Mhaighdean Mhara (recorded by Altan) A lament is a sad song, often sung as part of a wake, or often recalls a local tragedy such as Anach Chuain which tells of a boating tragedy off the coast of Connemara. The ritual of keening or wailing lamentations for the dead were usually carried out by women. Often can be slow airs: no time signature/ free rhythm, includes lots of ornamentation.

Working songs – Amhrán na Cuiginne. These songs are not that plentiful but some spinning songs and churning songs do exist. They have a strong and lively rhythm.

Religious songs and Carols –Don oíche úd I mBeithil. These are strongly associated with female singers.

Patriotic songs – The bold Fenian Men. Old traditional patriotic songs are rare, being more of a 20th century phenomenon, performed by groups like the Dubliners or the Wolfe Tones.

Aisling – Táimse im Chodladh, (sung by Zoe Conway on youtube) In a dream or

vision the poet wandering alone spies a Spéirbhan, a sky woman. He

describes her appearance being particularly lavish in the description of her hair. She is Ireland, grieving under the oppression of foreigners who shortly shall be driven from the land. These poems were wedded to already known airs (tunes).

Other song types include;

Lullabies (Suantraí) – Deirín Dé

Humorous Songs – An Poc ar Buile

Dandling Songs – Beidh Aonach Amárach

Drinking Songs – Preab San Ól

Essay on the song tradition and sean nos singing [Google Classroom]

Topic Five: The Harping Tradition and Collectors of Irish Music

Check Google Classroom for the following sample long questions:

The Development of the Harp [History into the modern harp]

Tourlough O' Carolan [Harper]

Denis Hempson [Harper at the Belfast Harp Festival]

Collectors of Irish Music: Edward Bunting

The Modern Harp

Key Words for the Harp:

Planxty : pieces written for patrons/ lords

The Brian Boru Harp: Trinity College Dublin

The Bardic Harp: 29 and 31 strings made of wire, which were played with the nails. Usually around 70cm in height with a curved pillar and a hollow soundbox, the Bardic harp was the more resonant of the two.

The Neo Irish Harp: 34 strings made of nylon or cat gut, which were played with the pads of the fingers. They were taller (about 91cm in height) than the Bardic harp, but less resonant.

The Decline in the Harp : decline of Irish families/ patronage due to the plantations, interest in Baroque music, strict rules on Irish music

The Belfast Harp Festival 1792

Collector : Edward Bunting

Harper: Turlough O Carolan

BHF Harper: Denis Hempson

Modern Harper: Laoise Kelly

Topic Six: Ornamentation

When discussing ornamentation, incorporate a sean nos and instrumental piece to explain the types of ornamentation. Ornamentation may come up as a topic by itself or in the context of sean nos singing/ instrumental performances.

Ornamentation :

A traditional feature of Irish music

Decorates the tune/ notes

Ornamentation is personal/ individual: two performers will not perform the same ornamentation/ a performer won't play a tune the same way from verse to verse or performance to performance.

Techniques: roll, cut, tip, cran and triplet

Performers may also include rhythmic, melodic, harmonic or phrase variation

A quick extra note played above the note

A quick extra note played below the note

The performer plays the note, the note above, the main note, the note below and back to the main note. It is a combination of cuts and tips

Playing three notes in the space of one beat

Used on the uilleann pipes, on a low D it is not possible to play a roll as there is no lower note. Therefore, a piper uses several notes above the main note to simulate a roll

This is associated with the fiddle where the player slides between notes, especially on slow airs.

Double stopping

This involves playing 2 notes together, the bottom one usually being an open string and is obviously associated with the fiddle, perhaps in imitation of the drone of the pipes.

This technique is often borrowed by accordion and concertina players .

Variation is a principle where performers vary tunes every time they play them.

Rhythmic variation involves changing the rhythm.

Melodic or intervallic variation involves changing the pitch of a tune. Phrase variation is where the player changes the phrasing. e.g. breathing in different places or using different bowing.

Harmonic variation is where the change (melodic really) actually changes the implied harmony.

Topic Seven: Ceili Bands

Topic eight: fusion, topic nine: regional styles in instrumental music, topic ten: the fiddle.

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Irish Music Essay

What is everyone learning for the music essay? I feel like there's so many options ye can't possibly learn them all, what are the safest bets?

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Coming Fall 2016

Search using:

• Additional search tips

Advanced Search

• Browse Content
• Song & Tune Types
• Words of Thanks from Séamus Connolly
• Closing Message
• Search Tips
• Collaborators

The essays below provide background on Séamus Connolly’s musical life, and shed light on his process for developing this digital collection.

A Message from Séamus Connolly

Essay by Séamus Connolly 

Connolly describes his fifteen-year journey to develop an extensive music collection for publication, expressing deep gratitude to musicians, friends, and family who helped him along the way.

A 2013 NEA National Heritage Fellow, Séamus Connolly served as Sullivan Artist in Residence in Irish Music at Boston College from 2004 to 2015. For an overview of Connolly’s musical career, see the companion essay by Dr. Earle Hitchner. 

Séamus Connolly: A Living Legend in Irish Traditional Music

Essay by Dr. Earle Hitchner

In this biographical essay, Earle Hitchner chronicles Connolly’s musical influences, achievements, and lifelong dedication to Irish traditional music.

Critic and commentator Earle Hitchner earned a doctorate with distinction from Drew University in 2015. His writings, published in major newspapers, magazines, and liner notes, have established him as a leading commentator on Irish music internationally. 

Merging the Past with the Present: The ​Séamus ​Connolly Collection of Irish Music

Essay by Dr. Sally K. Sommers Smith Wells 

Sally K. Sommers Smith Wells highlights ways in which Connolly’s multidimensional collection invites the learner to experiment, to imagine new settings, and to “picture” the tunes in different ways. 

Sally K. Sommers Smith Wells is Associate Professor of Natural Sciences and Mathematics at the College of General Studies, Boston University. She is a fiddler in the Irish and Cape Breton traditions, and publishes widely on the evolution of traditional music in North America.

New Settings, Old Sources

Essay by Elizabeth Sweeney

Elizabeth Sweeney offers a bird’s-eye view of the repertoire in The Séamus Connolly Collection of Irish Music , illustrating Connolly’s selection process with audio clips of older source recordings. 

Elizabeth Sweeney is Irish Music Librarian for the John J. Burns Library’s Irish Music Archives.  From 2013 to 2016, she served on the Boston College Libraries’ project team for The Séamus Connolly Collection of Irish Music.

Essay by Mick Moloney was published in the Boston College Magazine (Winter 2017)

Mick Moloney is a folklorist, musician, and professor of music and Irish studies at New York University. He is the author of Far From the Shamrock Shore: The Story of Irish Immigration Through Song (2002) and Across the Western Ocean: Songs of Leaving and Arriving (2016).

Leaving Cert Notes

Notes and anki decks for the leaving cert, irish song tradition.

Ireland has a very strong, important song tradition. Irish music was a completely oral tradition and as a result different versions of the same song may appear in different parts of the country. There is a wide variety of different songs in the Irish tradition, which are both in Irish and in English, such as sean nós, ballads, Anglo Irish songs, macaronic songs, laments, drinking songs, working songs, lullabies, love songs, patriotic songs, humorous songs, dandling songs and religious songs.

Many of the Irish songs in English are in ballad style. A ballad is a song that tells a story and is written in verses of either four or eight lines. The same music is repeated for each verse of the song. The words in Irish ballads often come from political and social life in Ireland and themes usually include love, politics, rebellion, alcohol and the sea. Some well known Irish ballads include, “The Foggy Dew”, “The Croppy Boy”, “Finnegan’s Wake”, “The Fields of Athenry”, “The Sash My Father Wore”. Ballads groups include groups such as The Wolfe Tones and The Clancey Brothers and Tommy Makem and solo performers are singers such as Paddy Reilly and Christy Moore.

Patriotic songs are songs about nationalist pride. An Aisling is a song about a beautiful woman representing Ireland in a dream Such as “Táimse im’Chodladh”, “An Droimeann Donn Dílis”. Famine songs describe the abuse that the Irish people suffered from the system of landlords and Rebel songs encouraged people to fight for Ireland such as “Boolavogue”, “Four Green Fields”.

Sean nós is another style of singing and song that is rooted in the rhythm of the Irish language and poetry and has been passes down through generations. Sean nós does not use dynamics, is atonal and has free rhythm. It is usually sung in the Irish language and is a solo, unaccompanied, performance. Ornamentation in both the rhythm a melody is used as well as glissando or sliding. There are regional differences in the style with the Donegal, Connemara and Muster dialect being the three main types. Singers of sean nós include, Lillis Ó Laoire, Séamus Begley, Rósín Elsafty and Iarla Ó Lionáird. Some sean nós songs are “ Úna Bhán”, “Anach Cuain”, “”An Raibh tú ar an gCarraig?”

Drinking songs are lively, celebratory songs that are sung while drinking at a social event and celebrating. They have a lively rhythm. Examples include “Preab San Ól”, “Whiskey in the Jar”, and “Wild Rover”.

LC Irish Music Essays

• 30-03-2012 6:53pm #1 ChemHickey Closed Accounts Posts: 3,479 ✭✭✭ Join Date: June 2011 Posts: 3453 Hey guys, Just wondering what are the types of questions that are possible to be asked on the Irish Music essay Question? My teacher isn't great, and she's not even from Ireland and she doesn't know much about it either. We have nothing done on this section, and she just gave us a booklet of notes and said "learn these" without explaining what to do or anything at all!! So I ask, Does anyone have any tips, questions, notes or guidelines to follow for this question? Thanks in advance, mes amis... :pac: 0

The essay titles I'm studying are: -Fusion -Harp and Uilleann Pipes -Influence of Irish music on North America and Canada -Sean-Nós Singing -The preservation of Irish Music -Development of Irish music in the 20th Century These are the titles our teacher gave us anyway. We're also studying the Harp and Uilleann Pipes as separate essays!

M&S* wrote: » They're only worth 1% of the listening paper which is nothing so I wouldn't worry a whole pile. A few other essays that come up are composers, collectors, dances and groups! For any title you pick you should have plenty of examples!

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ChemHickey wrote: » Wow, cool guys, that's great!! I'll prepare most of the essays, (maybe not the ones that came up last year) but at least I know now what is expected! I really really want the A1, so I really don't mind how miniscule the marks are! Anyone have any tips on playing pieces for practical either? Or should i start a new thread? I'll be playing on violin, 1) Danse Espagne , Grandos/kreisler 2) Canon in , Pachebel 3) Vivaldi Spring1 4) Schindler's List-Williams 5) Preludio & Allemanda - Corelli 6) Danse Macabre -Saint Saens Is this ok/good enough/ too much? Any opinions really appreciated.. Also, (finally I hear ye gasp! :P) is it ok to cut down your piece if it is too long, eg, the danse macabre is like 8/9 minutes on its own, so i was thinking of stopping after 5/6 minutes? Would that be ok? Sorry for all the questions but our teacher isn't very good, and I only have music once a week (outside school) Merci beaucoup, mes potes...

PictureFrame wrote: » You probably will have to cut them down slightly, to give you time for your unprepared test! My Practical is gonna be sooo short. My longest piece is only 2 minutes, with my shortest being 30 seconds (Piano). I can do the Music Technology in 5 Minutes and the unprepared test only takes 1 minute! So i'm looking at around 15 minutes for my Practical and it'll all be over! :O

PictureFrame wrote: » ChemHickey wrote: » Wow, cool guys, that's great!! I'll prepare most of the essays, (maybe not the ones that came up last year) but at least I know now what is expected! I really really want the A1, so I really don't mind how miniscule the marks are! Anyone have any tips on playing pieces for practical either? Or should i start a new thread? I'll be playing on violin, 1) Danse Espagne , Grandos/kreisler 2) Canon in , Pachebel 3) Vivaldi Spring1 4) Schindler's List-Williams 5) Preludio & Allemanda - Corelli 6) Danse Macabre -Saint Saens Is this ok/good enough/ too much? Any opinions really appreciated.. Also, (finally I hear ye gasp! :P) is it ok to cut down your piece if it is too long, eg, the danse macabre is like 8/9 minutes on its own, so i was thinking of stopping after 5/6 minutes? Would that be ok? Sorry for all the questions but our teacher isn't very good, and I only have music once a week (outside school) Merci beaucoup, mes potes...

leaveiton wrote: » :eek: That's crazily short! I didn't even know your pieces could be that short, what are you playing?

• Étude Op 47 No.15- Heller
• Sonata in E Major- Mozart
• Gigue in D Minor (From Suite HWV 537)- Handel
• Adagio Cantabile- Baldassare Galuppi

PictureFrame wrote: » They're actually worth 10% of the Listening Paper. 10 Marks out of 100. The same as the Q.2/3/4. Overall though, if you're looking for an A1/A2 you have to know them. They're worth 2.5%. In fairness though, I understand they're worth basically nothing.

ChemHickey wrote: » BUMP Sorry, but it'd be more beneficial to bump.. (it is my thread :L ) Any predictions for this year? I think 4 of Sean Nós Ornamentation in Instruments North america influences Harping Irish music over 20th century Fusion?

Undeadfred wrote: » It says nothing about personal response. All it says is that an A answer is an 'Excellent awareness and detailed knowledge of musical features of topic.'.

Undeadfred wrote: » Lol yeah it must be nostalgic :L I don't even consider layout i just try and regurgitate as much information as i can, i dont even use paragraphs or anything although i probably should. I'd say its not a good idea to make up names of people and songs, like the examiner would probably know :L That's so good you got your A1. I've found Its fairly hard to get an A1 in Music

ChemHickey wrote: » Well it's not awful to make up names. I am pretty sure I made up one or two (I knew their surnames but not the first) and then I added some local traditional musicians (ones from Sligo) who the examiner definitely wouldn't have known unless they were from Sligo, or, into very trad music. But thanks! It was my proudest A1, I was chuffed

Irish Musical Studies

Irish Musical Studies is an outstanding series of volumes devoted to publishing musical scholarship undertaken in Ireland. It was inaugurated in 1990 under the general editorship of Gerard Gillen and Harry White. From volume 8 onwards, Irish Musical Studies has been produced in association with the Society for Musicology in Ireland. The series was initially published by Irish Academic Press, by Four Courts Press from 1996, and since 2022 by Boydell and Brewer. 

The most recent volume in the series was published in May 2023:

• David Michael O'Shea, The Choral Foundation of the Chapel Royal, Dublin Castle. Constitution, Liturgy, Music, 1814-1922 , IMS vol. 14 (Boydell Press, 2023). Examining previously unexplored primary material, this book discusses the Chapel Royal's founding, governance and traditions within the church-state relationship that followed the Acts of Union of 1800. The choral foundation is brought to life with accounts of the Chapel's clergy, organists, boy choristers and gentleman singers, providing insights into Dublin's social history during a period of significant change.

The other volumes to date are as follows (the links are to the publishers’ websites with purchase details):

• Musicology in Ireland , IMS vol. 1 (eds.) Gerard Gillen & Harry White (Irish Academic Press, 1990). This volume offers a conspectus of musicological research obtaining in Ireland at the time of publication: topics include musical practices in Ireland, England, France, Italy, Hungary, music theory, organology, and positivism.
• Music and the Church , IMS vol. 2 (eds.) Gerard Gillen & Harry White (Irish Academic Press, 1993). This volume examines sacred music in Ireland from a variety of perspectives: the Celtic Rite, the Cecilian Movement, classical repertory, Telford’s organs, traditional religious repertory, musical techniques.
• Music and Irish Cultural History , IMS vol. 3 (eds.) Gerard Gillen & Harry White (Irish Academic Press, 1995). This volume contains essays on medieval Irish society, nationalism, classical music, education, religion, traditional music, and the literary tradition.
• The Maynooth International Musicological Conference 1995: Selected Proceedings Part One , IMS vol. 4 (eds.) Patrick F. Devine & Harry White (Four Courts Press, 1996), and The Maynooth International Musicological Conference 1995: Selected Proceedings Part Two IMS vol. 5 (eds.) Patrick F. Devine & Harry White (Four Courts Press, 1996). The Maynooth International Musicological Conference, held at St Patrick's College Maynooth in September 1995, was the first event of its kind in the history of the state. More than one hundred contributions were delivered at the conference; the selected proceedings contain some sixty of them. Drawing from the rich fabric of Irish and international musicology, these two volumes reflect the unprecedented scope and maturity of an event which marked the coming of age of musicology in Ireland.
• A Historical Anthology of Irish Church Music , IMS vol. 6 (eds.) Gerard Gillen & Andrew Johnstone (Four Courts Press, 2001). This anthology, unashamedly positivist in focus, examines fourteen liturgically-based compositions from the medieval period to the 20th century, Roman Catholic and Protestant in provenance, each edited for performance and assessed and evaluated in the context of the wider compositional tradition from which it emanated.
• Irish Music in the Twentieth Century , IMS vol. 7 (eds.) Gareth Cox & Axel Klein (Four Courts Press, 2003). This volume examines the development of art music in Ireland from different perspectives. It includes historical assessments of genre in Irish music, analyses of individual composers and compositions, and essays in cultural history.
• Bach Studies from Dublin , IMS vol. 8 (eds.) Anne Leahy & Yo Tomita (Four Courts Press, 2004). This volume contains papers presented at the ninth biennial conference on Baroque music, which was held at Trinity College Dublin in July 2000. The conference had a special emphasis on Bach Studies, as it commemorated the 250th anniversary of the death of Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750).
• Music in Nineteenth-Century Ireland , IMS vol. 9 (eds.) Michael Murphy & Jan Smaczny (Four Courts Press, 2007). This volume examines the musical press, music education and educators, music and the temperance movement, collections and collectors of folk music, iconography of folk music, nationalism, Wagnerism, sacred music and musicians, musical societies, and opera in Ireland.
• Music, Ireland and the Seventeenth Century , IMS vol. 10 (eds.) Barra Boydell & Kerry Houston (Four Courts Press, 2009). The 17th century is a pivotal but unfamiliar period in Irish musical history: reflecting political and cultural changes, the ancient harp tradition declined as European musical styles became more widespread. In this volume, the 10th in the Irish Musical Studies series, musicologists begin to establish a picture of music in Ireland at that time.
• Irish Musical Analysis , IMS vol. 11 (eds.) Gareth Cox & Julian Horton (Four Courts Press, 2014). This book represents the first in the series to be devoted exclusively to the discipline of music theory and analysis, and in this respect it summons the pioneering nature of Musicology in Ireland (Volume 1 in the series), insofar as it reflects the current state of the discipline in Ireland. Part 1 engages with mainstream theoretical and analytical topics with Part 2 offering analytical perspectives on the music of twentieth-century Irish composers.
• Documents of Irish Music History in the Long Nineteenth Century , IMS vol. 12, edited by Kerry Houston, Maria McHale and Michael Murphy (Four Courts Press, 2019). Topics addressed in the volume include the social history of music, the patronage and composition of sacred music, the reception of opera, the emergence of the céilí, military band music, sources of traditional music, music and politics, music education, visiting and immigrant musicians, national identity, and the deployment of traditional melodies in art-music genres.
• Women and Music in Ireland , IMS vol. 13, edited by Laura Watson, Ita Beausang and Jennifer O’Connor-Madsen (Boydell Press, 2022). This collection highlights representative composers and performers in classical music, Irish traditional music, and contemporary art music whose contributions have been marginalized in music narratives. It brings attention to women who engaged with and taught music in a variety of domestic settings, and shines a spotlight on women who worked behind the scenes to build infrastructures such as festivals and educational institutions which remain at the heart of Ireland's musical life today.

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