Traditional Irish Music

Here at the hub – we know Trad!

Whether you want to write or record a classic trad song, or just use trad influences in your songwriting or demo recording.

Trad, or Traditional Irish Music as it is known today throughout the world, has become popular the world over. Though it is only in the past two decades that Irish Music has gained such recognition on an international scale, its origins can be traced back to almost two thousand years ago when the Celts arrived in Ireland. While travelling to Ireland, the Celts left their mark on the musical cultures of Spain and Brittany (Northern France) as well as in Scotland and Wales. However, it is here in Ireland that the tradition has evolved most articulately, thrived most strongly and survived most courageously.

Traditional music, especially sean nós singing, played a major part in Irish popular music in the 80s and 90s, with Van Morrison, Hothouse Flowers and Sinéad O'Connor using traditional elements in popular songs. Enya achieved enormous international success with New Age/Celtic fusions. The Pogues, led by Shane MacGowan, helped fuse Irish folk with punk rock. This resulted in top ten hits in Ireland, the UK and the USA. Afro-Celt Sound System combined Celtic instrumentals with West African influences and drum n bass in the 1990s.

Now, in the twenty-first century, with traditional music enjoying every success and influencing many modern genres and styles, it would seem as if its future is secure.

Irish Traditional instruments include the harp, the fiddle, the piano, the flute and whistle, the uilleann pipes, the box accordion, the banjo and the mandolin, the bouzouki, the guitar and the Irish drum the bodhrán. 

A closer look at some Irish Traditional Instruments

 

 Traditional Irish flute player Catherine Clohessy tells us about the irish flute.

Banjo player Gary O Meara tells us about the banjo and how it's evolved through traditional and world music. 

Traditional Irish Accordion player Eamonn Costello tells us about the Accordion

Traditional Irish fiddle player Cathal Clohessy tells us about his fiddle.

Pat Coldrick's performs "Lament". Sound by DSH's Peter Eades.

 

Click to see the full range of Irish Traditional Instruments & Services we offer