Irish Traditional Music

The books in this series explore the lore, legends, music, and politics of Ireland. Their concise, pocket-sized format is well suited for aficionados as well as those who have a general interest in the topics.The role of musicians in Irish society and the significance of the songs and dances they produced are explored in this overview of the Irish musical tradition. From the hypnotic harp music of early Ireland in the fifth century B.C. to the Lord of the Dance and Riverdance phenomena of the 1990s, a wide spectrum of historical sources, music, and folklore are examined, many of which provide a record of times long passed and little documented. Covering the entire breadth of Irish music, this book profiles the major musicians and musical groupings of each era and explores the continued popularity of Irish traditional music.

Author Biography: Gearóid Ó hAllmhuráin is an Irish historian and anthropologist specializing in ethnomusicology. A leading authority on the history of Irish traditional music, he is also an accomplished multi-instrumentalist. He lives in San Francisco, California.