CONTENTS  Irish Traditional Instruments  Irish Traditional Tunes  Information on Irish songs  Irish Traditional Artists  Irish Pop Artists

Introduction What you will learn during this presentation; o About Irish Traditional instruments o About Irish Traditional Tunes o About Irish songs o Irish Traditional Artists o Irish Pop artists

Irish Traditional Instruments Here are some of the Irish Traditional Instruments!!! Fiddle Harp Uilleann Pipes Bodhrán

The Fiddle is the most high pitched member of the string family which includes the viola, the cello and the double bass. The bow consists of wood and horse hair. You must hold the violin properly or the sound goes flat. That’s what our violin teacher told us !!!

THE HARP Did you know ? … Historical evidence apparently states that harpists were hanged because of their talent. The wood that harp makers usually use are…… 1.Maple 2.Purple Heart 3.Cherry  You use your fingers to play the Harp The strings are made of……  Nylon  Synthetic gut  Gut  Throughout the years there have been many famous harpists and pipers in Ireland who have been blind.

Uilleann Pipes o Traditional music from Ireland and Scotland are mostly played on the tin whistle, fiddle and the Pipes. o It is in the wood wind family, o Did you know ? o The uilleann pipes are similar to the Bagpipes which are Scottish. In Irish Uilleann means elbow which is the part of your body you use to pump the bellows but with the Bagpipes you blow in order to push air o through the reed.

 History states that during the Irish rebellion of 1603,the Bodhrán was used by the Irish forces as a battle drum to announce the arrival of the army.  The Bodhrán is in the percussion family.  The Bodhrán is made from:  Wood  Goat skin  The Bodhrán is played with either your hand or tipper.

Here are the 3 main types of tunes in traditional Irish music:  The Reel  The Jig  The Horn Pipe

 The Jig or double jig is a common type of dance in Irish origin. Like the reel, the tune usually consists of two parts made of 8 bars with the time signature 6/8

 Hornpipes are dance tunes that appear to have originated in the maritime tradition.  The most common type of hornpipe is similar to the terms of time signature 4/4 but instead of counting 4 even beats per bar there is emphasis on the first and third beats.

 This is the most common type of dance tune played in Irish music.  Originally heavily influenced by similar dances in Scotland.  Reels usually consist of two or more parts which are played twice.

 Songs in Irish music can be. 1. Sang in English or Irish 2. Can be sang with or without musical accompaniment. 3. Songs that are sung without music are said to be sang in the Seán Nós (old style)

 Christy Moore  The Dubliners  Cara Dillon  The Chieftains  Paul Brady (from our town)

 Ireland has produced and still continues to produce some famous Pop artists such as:  Westlife  Boyzown  The Script  U2  Jedward  Bob Geldof  Van Morrison