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About Irish Music
The term Irish traditional music can encompass a lot of different styles, but the most widely known and most widespread is Irish traditional instrumental music, dance music and song airs. There is an enormous repertoire of Irish melodies, of which dance music, the repertoire of “tunes”, is by large the most important. The Irish traditional repertoire is made up of different types of dance tunes: Reels, Jigs, Hornpipes, Polkas, Slides, Marches and others; there are tens of thousands of tunes in all!
Learn more on my page Irish Traditional Music – A Comprehensive Guide
The Instruments of Irish Music
The major instruments for melody playing in Irish music include the fiddle, flute, tin whistle, uilleann pipes, accordion, concertina, melodeon, banjo, and harp. The mandolin and harmonica, though less popular now, were more visible up to the 1970s. For accompaniment, the guitar, bouzouki, piano, keyboards, mandola, and cittern are commonly used, along with synthesizers in many recordings. In terms of percussion, drum kits and wood blocks are used in dance bands, while the bodhrán, bones, or spoons are used in other contexts.
Read more: The Instruments of Irish Traditional Music
About Irish Music
Tune Types in Irish Traditional Music
In Irish traditional music, a tune refers to a self-contained melody with distinct rhythmic and [...]
2 Comments
Nov
Regional Styles of Irish Traditional Music
Introduction The term “regional style” in Irish traditional music refers to the distinctive ways tunes [...]
May
Latest Articles
Irish Musical Instruments
The Tin Whistle – A Comprehensive Introduction and Resource Guide
Introduction to the Tin Whistle The tin whistle, also known as the penny whistle, is [...]
2 Comments
May
Related resource
Tin Whistle Fingering Chart
Fingering chart for D tin whistle with examples and tabs for some easy songs.
Learn moreIrish Music Books
Books in English
Special offer pack : Tin Whistle Tutor + 400 Tunes Book, with audio
Books in English
Book + FREE AUDIO DOWNLOAD. 90 children’s songs from the Whistle for Kids collection
Books in English
Book with free audio download - 90 well-loved Irish and Scottish songs, chosen for beginners.
Books in English
A Complete Guide to Playing Irish Traditional Music on the Whistle
Book with downloadable audio
Irish Tunes
Paddy’s Gone to France – Low Whistle Tune
Paddy’s Gone to France, a reel to learn on low whistle with sheet music and [...]
Nov
Maguire’s March – Low Whistle Tune
Maguire’s March – Irish tune for Low Whistle with sheet music, tabs & audio
Nov
5 Scottish Songs for Tin Whistle Beginners
5 easy Scottish songs for tin whistle beginners, with audio, sheet music & fingering guides; [...]
Dec
5 Easy Reels for Tin Whistle
Here are 5 easy reels for tin whistle beginners or improvers. Reels are perhaps the [...]
1 Comment
Nov
5 Irish Tunes for Halloween – Tin Whistle Tabs & Audio
Halloween has always been tied to music and storytelling in Ireland. The ancient festival of [...]
1 Comment
Sep
Musicians
Turlough O’Carolan
Turlough O’Carolan (1670–1738), often called Carolan, occupies a special place in Irish cultural history. A [...]
Sep
Sharon Shannon – accordion
Sharon Shannon is an Irish accordion player from Clare, known for her approach to Irish [...]
Jul
Tony MacMahon
Tony MacMahon was an Irish accordion player from Ennis in Co. Clare, and an influential [...]
Jul
Joe Cooley – accordion
Irish accordion player Joe Cooley was born in 1924 in Peterswell, County Galway. A builder [...]
Jul
Micheal O’Raghallaigh – concertina
Mícheál Ó Raghallaigh is a concertina player from County Meath, Ireland. Growing up in a [...]
Jun
Michael Rooney – harp
Michael Rooney is a composer and traditional Irish harp player from Scotstown, County Monaghan, now [...]
1 Comment
Jun
News
Belfast TradFest 2024
Belfast TradFest, now in its sixth year, returns from July 21 to 28, offering a [...]
Jul
Scoil Acla 2024
The Scoil Acla Summer School will take place on Achill Island from July 28th to [...]
Jun
International Festival for Irish Harp – July 2024
An Chúirt Chruitireachta Festival – Termonfeckin The Irish harp is celebrated by An Chúirt Chruitireachta, [...]
Jun
Newry: Oriel Traditional Music Archive seeking volunteers
The Oriel Traditional Music Archive (OTMA) is actively seeking volunteers to assist in preserving local [...]
Jan
Scoil Samhraidh Willie Clancy TV Series
TG4 is set to air the much-anticipated television series “Scoil Samhraidh Willie Clancy” starting 26th [...]
Nov
Belfast Concert: Barry Kerr, Laura Kerr & Donogh Hennessy, Méabh Meir, and Ó Ghlúin go Glúin
Belfast TradFest in collaboration with Sound of Belfast Festival presents a special concert featuring Barry [...]
Nov
Drogheda Welcomes the Return of Its Traditional Music & Singing Weekend
Drogheda, November 24, 2023 – The historic town of Drogheda is once again set to [...]
Nov
Bothy Band Reunion at Celtic Connections
Iconic Irish group The Bothy Band will reunite for a rare performance at Celtic Connections [...]
1 Comment
Nov