The history of Irish traditional music, song and dance from the mythological harp of the Dagda right up to Riverdance and beyond. Exploring an abundant spectrum of historical sources, music and folklore, this guide uncovers the contribution of the Normans to Irish dancing, the role of the music maker in Penal Ireland, as well as the popularity of dance tunes and set dancing from the end of the 18th century. It also follows the music of the Irish diaspora from as far apart as Newfoundland and the music halls of vaudeville to the musical tapestry of Irish America today.

From the mythological harp of the Dagda to Riverdance, this concise history of Irish traditional music and dance explores a rich spectrum of historical sources and folklore. It uncovers the contribution of the Normans to Irish dancing, the rote of the music maker in Penal Ireland, and the popularity of dance tunes and set dancing from the end of the eighteenth century to the present. It also follows the music of the Irish diaspora from the music halls of vaudeville to the musical tapestry of Irish America today.

Written from the perspective of a scholar and performer, Traditional Music and Irish Society investigates the relation of traditional music to Irish modernity. The opening chapter integrates a thorough survey of the early sources of Irish music with recent work on Irish social history in the eighteenth century to explore the question of the antiquity of the tradition and the class locations of its origins. Dowling argues in the second chapter that the formation of what is today called Irish traditional music occurred alongside the economic and political modernization of European society in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. Dowling goes on to illustrate the public discourse on music during the Irish revival in newspapers and journals from the 1880s to the First World War, also drawing on the works of Pierre Bourdieu and Jacques Lacan to place the field of music within the public sphere of nationalist politics and cultural revival in these decades. The situation of music and song in the Irish literary revival is then reflected and interpreted in the life and work of James Joyce, and Dowling includes treatment of Joyce’s short stories A Mother and The Dead and the 'Sirens' chapter of Ulysses. Dowling conducted field work with Northern Irish musicians during 2004 and 2005, and also reflects directly on his own experience performing and working with musicians and arts organizations in order to conclude with an assessment of the current state of traditional music and cultural negotiation in Northern Ireland in the second decade of the twenty-first century.

"The Companion to Irish Traditional Music is not just the ideal reference for the interested enthusiast and session player, it also provides a unique resource for every library, school and home with an interest in the distinctive rituals, qualities and history of Irish traditional music and song."--BOOK JACKET.

From Medieval Wexford to Midtown Manhattan Larry Kirwan tells the story of Irish music to a backdrop of war, social upheaval and revolution. From Viking invader to Sean O'Riada, Oliver Cromwell to Rory Gallagher, James Connolly to Van Morrison in a clash of uilleann pipes, armalites and electric guitars. The story moves with the Diaspora to The Pogues' London, Dropkick Murphys' Boston and Black 47's New York City. Pulsing, passionate, occasionally tragic - through the eyes of an insider.

Breandan Breathnach's classic study of the history and development of Irish traditional music, song and dance.

Few countries can match Ireland's musical reputation. Irish music simply captivates: from a small island on the fringes of an old continent to the vast Irish diaspora, from an aristocratic profession to a popular activity, from an essentially rural existence to urban enthusiasm, from small kitchens to world stages, from dance music to orchestral compositions, from seasoned Irish musicians to Japanese beginners, its capacity for adaptation knows no bounds. This book offers a comprehensive overview of the history of Irish music in a clear and accessible style, narrating its constant adjustments and revolutions, from an ancient tradition to its international influence today, through its constant recreation and preservation by enthusiasts and activists. With over forty years of passion for Ireland and its music, and from an outsider's perspective, the author attempts to fill a gap in the world of Irish studies by exploring the implications of how Irish music, dancing and singing have survived, century after century, continually placing the music in its social, political and historical context. Erick Falc'her-Poyroux is a Professor of Irish and British studies at the University of Tours, France. He completed his PhD in 1996 on Ireland's musical identity, and he has translated or written several books on Ireland and on the Beatles. He is the author of a documentary on Irish music in France and has collaborated with the French National Television Archives (INA) on a documentary on Irish dance. Ireland has been his second home since the 1980s.