Irish culture as a whole is very unique, complex, and of course, interesting! Although there are many aspects to Irish heritage, traditions and culture, music is an especially important one. In previous centuries, music and storytelling were the only forms of entertainment on an island that had no electricity and where only a small minority of the population were literate. On cold, dark evenings, villages would crowd together into their local pub to share a warm fire, hear stories, and listen to music played by the local musicians (of course there was usually dancing too). It started a tradition that has been kept alive since then, as music is still a very important part of life in Ireland.

Origins of Irish Music:

Music has been in Ireland for thousands of years. The first inhabitants of the island used very primitive forms of musical instruments, mostly pipes and horns. Rather than being used to make melodies or as a form of art, instead they were most likely used as signalers, to warn others of danger or to summon people from an area for various reasons. Over time as these people became more skilled, the instruments became more complex as well as more durable; although whether they became more tuneful or not is anyone’s guess.

Like most other aspects of Irish culture and traditions, the beginning of Irish music as we know it today can be traced back to the arrival of the Celts. Having spread from central Europe all the way to the shores of the Atlantic, they picked up a few skills along the way, and using musical instruments was one of them. In particular, they had one significant instrument; the harp. This was the most dominant sound in Ireland long after the Celts had made way to the Vikings and the modern era, enjoying popularity from the 10th right up until the 17th centuries. While not a whole lot is known about how exactly the Celts used music or expressed themselves through it, we do know that it had already become an important part of life by the Middle Ages. Anyone proficient in the harp could earn themselves a very nice living playing in the courts of the chieftains, as the harp and harpists were held in very high regard along with poets and other artistically inclined people.

Traditional Music Instruments:

Traditional Irish music groups (and the ever-popular Irish jam session, called a seisún) are home to a variety of musical instruments which have drifted into the cultural tradition over hundreds of years of musical evolution. Some of the most common include:

Fiddle: The fiddle is now the primary instrument of most traditional Irish music so you'll almost never see or hear a group that bills themselves as traditional that doesn't have one.  Except for the name, there is no difference between a fiddle and a violin; the difference comes with the type of music each instrument plays. A classically trained violinist is unlikely to play folk music, and a folk musician is equally as unlikely to play classical music. 

Uilleann Pipes: These relatives of the better-known Scottish highland pipes often surprise new listeners (who have perhaps only heard their much-noisier cousin) with their mellowness. The bag of the uilleann pipes is inflated by means of a small set of bellows strapped around the waist and the right arm (orientation reversed for a left-handed player).  The bag which the bellows fill is clamped under the other elbow, which squeezes the bag to control the flow of air to the reeds (which make the notes). The air goes from the bag to the chanter, drones, and regulators. The chanter is played with the fingers like a flute, often resting on the piper’s thigh, and has a range of two full octaves, including sharps and flats. 

Flute: The mellow-toned wooden flute (Irish transverse flute) has been a major part of Irish traditional music since the early 1800s and produces a very recognizable sound that enchants all lovers of Celtic music.

Tin Whistle: This tiny instrument plays a big role in Irish music, and related instruments have been a part of the development of the genre for thousands of years. The modern form was invented in the mid-1800s and is an ideal instrument because it's cheap, portable, and can play a melody loudly enough that it cuts across a dance floor.

Accordion: The two-row diatonic button accordion, usually tuned C#/D or B/C, is a very common melodic instrument in contemporary traditional Irish music, and has been since the 1940s (before that, the 10-key melodeon, similar to the squeezebox used in traditional Cajun music, reigned supreme for around 50 years, and before that, the accordion hadn't been invented yet). It's also not uncommon to see related instruments like a piano-key accordion or the English concertina acting in this role.

Guitar: Guitar has not been a part of the Irish tradition for long (approximately 100 years, give or take), but at this point, it's a standard piece of the puzzle. Most guitarists in bands and sessions play primarily rhythmic accompaniment to the melody, though they do not typically drive the rhythm in the way that they do in other acoustic genres.

Bodhrán (pronounced bow-rawn): The bodhran (pronounced bow-rawn) is a simple Irish frame drum that is played with a two-headed stick called a "tipper.” It is not universal in traditional music, but it is almost always seen in a group that is playing for a traditional dance or contemporary dance competition.

Harp: Last, but not least, is Ireland’s national instrument, the harp. It appears on coins, all government documentation, and just about any other official symbol in the country. There are many different types of harp that vary in size, shape, sound, and virtually everything else. However, they all have multiple strings with a neck and resonator. Depending on the size, a harp can be played while held in the hand, or standing on top of a table or the floor. Though the harp is more often found as a solo instrument, many Irish traditional bands do have a harpist, adding a soft melodic and harmonic texture to the music.

Others: The following instruments can also be found during open sessions that attract players from multiple musical traditions: banjo, harmonica, ukulele, upright bass, and other acoustic instruments.

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